What from climbing?

Although I have previously done trekking in the region of Sahyādri , but still I am not sure what made me to go for high altitude climbing in Sikkim Himalayan range. Whatsoever be the reason, it was a lifetime experience for me. This pointless looking activity to put life in danger has given me an unparalleled perspective to the life.  This article is an attempt to summarize this transforming experience from mountaineering.

1.     Respect

The things that people take for granted, as they are easily available in cities, in their day-to-day life appear very precious on the mountains. The first and easiest example is food at base-camp. For serving the food at the base-camp, which were at the altitude of 15,500 feet and about 2 days of trek away from Yuksum, apart from logistics planning somebody has to carry the ration to the mountains.  For such an easy looking activity, it required the lot of efforts from Kitchen Sherpa to maintain the food supply at the base-camp.

 Second example is tea at glacier. We used to commute to Rathong Glacier from the base-camp to practice ice climbing. For serving warm milk-tea at around 10.00 am every morning at glacier, Kitchen Sherpa has to carry the LPG cylinder on his back. I cannot imagine enjoying the tea that much even in five-star hotel as I enjoyed at glacier. The efforts made by low-paid Sherpa to prepare the tea at glacier are admirable and respectful.

Another example is electricity. On mountains, there was very limited supply of electricity (only generated by solar cells) and the scarcity of the same made it very precious. These are just few examples that made me appreciate the exhaustive effort made behind the scene to make a thing available on the mountain.  It will not be fair to value such facility in terms of money – it deserved to be respected.

2.     Trust

The first thing that our instructors have done before start of mountaineering was to organize our large group of trainees into small and manageable teams. Each team were having a team leader and each person was paired up with another one in the same team (called buddy-pair). The message of doing this was very clear – it is not a competition but rather every trainee has to cooperate with other. In mountaineering, it is vital that mountaineers have trust and they cooperate with each other. There is nobody available on the mountain other than the fellow mountaineer who only can save your life if a dangerous mishap happens. However, in the normal life, whether in school, office, business or corporate world, people have been groomed to compete with each other. And it was not very usual to find numerous occasions when people have supported each other in the mountains – whether it is sharing load of rucksack, lifting the stretcher or providing medical helps, it all shows high degree of trust and cooperation. We were trained not to think of leaving any of our companions behind – this really makes the world a more reliable.

3.     Escape 
   Mountaineering offered me an escape from the restricting circle of daily life. While climbing to Rathong Glacier, all of my worries and stresses melt away. There were absolutely no thoughts about the past and no fears about the future and I was totally focused on one very moment i.e. present. Additionally, the absence of mobile phone connectivity, television/radio signals etc during the 15 days of trip at the base-camp and glacier had further increase the focus on the very task of mountaineering. There was no means to hear any news from rest of world; people started missing their beloved ones and their emotions started coming out in one form or other. It was complete tranquility through endeavors and yet placing the burden of responsibility in achieving the goal. Some mountaineers call this as meditation in motion which beings them closer to the awareness of the present.

4.     Perseverance

Mountaineering requires lot of courage as one even can choose to sit comfortably at home instead of putting life in danger. It is all about having the pleasure of taking calculated risks and exposing oneself, appreciating physical and mental energy, and being happy in high camps. Reaching the summit required me to push myself by taking one-step forward after another. Every step taken has significance and a purpose. Irrespective of continual questioning of actions in mind, self-belief and hard work has given me strength and confidence. It made the finite life into limitless possibilities! All this self-realization is helping me perform better in other aspects of life.

5.     Satisfaction

It is a great feeling to reach the summit after forging a path though thicket and rocks, practicing climbing at the glacier and spending 20 days away from loved ones in the mountains. Though there was no need to prove oneself and no audience to applaud, this feeling of accomplishment still worth every ounce of sweat. It was simply the most exhilarating feeling that made me regain my enthusiasm and energy.

The all of the mountaineering experience with HMI made me come out of the comfort zone completely. I loved this in all the ways -- I loved the physical exertion, the fresh air, the wind, the sky, the mountains, the companions, the teamwork, the change, the adrenalin, thyself and the soul. All this simple things made the whole experience enjoyable and it was a great learning of life. It is difficult for me explain this further in words!!!