THE CHALLENGE OF EVEREST
H.P.S.
AHLUWALIA
Major
Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia was born on 6th November 1936, is an Indian
mountaineer, author, social worker and retired Indian Army officer. He is the sixth
Indian and twenty first men in world who climbed Mount Everest. He was the chairman
of Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. He was awarded with Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri
and Arjuna Award and his rank in army was Major. Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia shared
his experience and feelings of climbing on Mount Everest. He was a member of
the first successful Indian expedition to Mount Everest in 1965. Major H.P.S.
Ahluwalia thanked God after reaching the summit of Mount Everest, even though
he was physically exhausted, felt humbled, joyful, and also sad at the same
time when he stood on the summit of Everest.
H.P.S.
Ahluwalia had clearly mentioned that to climb a summit a person requires
endurance, persistence, and will power. He put a question to himself that why
did he climb Everest and what made him to do so. As he knew that people climb
mountains for adventure, to present themselves before difficulties, and
overcoming obstacles would be delightful for them. But H.P.S. was not sure
about the reason; he thought that it was because there was no higher peak to
climb. He was attracted by mountains from his childhood; mountains were nature
at its best. He believed that mountains were a means of communion with God. He
also put forward a point toward summit within. He said in many occasions that
climbing summit within was higher than climbing Mount Everest. The summit of
mind, needed to climb to acquire full knowledge.
While
climbing Mount Everest, it was a great struggle against rock and ice. It was such
challenge that was difficult to resist. He said that Everest was not just a
physical climb; it was emotional, and spiritual. The physical conquest of
mountain was only one part of achievement. There was more to it than that. It
was followed by a sense of fulfillment. He further added that people shared
same rope and one climber needed to hold the rope firmly while other one cut
the step in the hard ice. Some occasions H.P.S. felt uncomfortable due to
difficulty in breathing and thought to return back from the place, but there was
something which did not allow him to give up. Companions kept up and motivated
by saying only few feet remaining and it would be inspiration for each other.
When
Major and his friends reached summit, he said it was worthwhile climbing it.
The surrounding peaks looked like a jeweled necklace around the neck of summit
when sun rays fell on the peaks. He and his friends bowed down to make their
obeisance to whichever God they worshiped. As H.P.S. left picture of Guru
Nanak, Rawat left a picture of Goddess Durga. Phu Dorji left a relic of Buddha
and Edmund Hillary had buried a cross under a cairn in the snow. And those were
not symbols of conquest but of reverence.
Major
H.P.S. Ahluwalia said clearly that if any person who wanted to overcome from
the obstacles of his life then he should have three qualities: endurance,
persistence and will power.
