When Mount Everest has free time

While scientists in the Soviet Union (Russia) and the United States were engrossed in touching the moon, no one had set foot on the highest part of the earth, Mount Everest (Chomolongma). The effort had been going on for years. Some had lost their lives in the same wave.

On May 29, 1953 or 67 years before today, human footsteps reached the summit of Mount Everest. Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal set foot. The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 returned after touching the moon on September 13, 1959, six years later. Ten years later, on July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 of the United States landed on the moon with a human crew, including Neil Armstrong.

People reached the moon 16 years after climbing Mount Everest. However, the ascent was successful 101 years after it was identified as the highest peak above sea level. I am not trying to compare Everest and the moon here. But, I have tried to make it clear how difficult it was to climb Mount Everest. Of course, it was just as difficult to get to the moon with a vehicle and to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Today, May 29, is a proud day in the history of summiting and mountaineering. Ever since we realized the importance of our country being the highest peak in the world, the Government of Nepal has started celebrating Everest Day on May 29, since 13 years ago. “Hillary and Tenzing were not only, the climbers for us”, said Kancha Sherpa, the only surviving member of Everest’s first successful ascent team. “They were the form of God that brought us to where we are today.”

Only since then the development of Nepal’s mountain tourism began to take off. Today, mountaineering and mountain tourism occupy an important part of Nepal’s tourism. In the 67 years history of climbing Mount Everest, about 8000 climbers have stepped foot. Hundreds of them have lost their lives. According to Maya Sherpa, vice president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, there are about 700 women among the climbers.

According to the statistics of the Department of Tourism till 2009, 2693 climbers have climbed with permission. Of them, 137 are women. The total number of climbers since then has not been made public. “For us, May 29 is a celebration. After the government of Nepal declared it as Everest Day for a few years, we used to celebrate it with various programs”, said Sherpa, who is also the president of the Everest Climbers’ Association, ‘but this time the climb did not happen due to Covid-19. There is no need to hold a program as a celebration. However, at the request of the Ministry of Tourism, it has been suggested to hold a small formal event.’

Hundreds of records and many controversies have been heard in the nearly seven decades of Mount Everest history. Meanwhile, the ascent was postponed for a few years due to natural disasters such as avalanches and earthquakes. This year, such a disaster became the coronavirus.

A few days ago, a Chinese team reached the summit to measure Everest from the Tibetan face. Nepal has been measuring the height of Mount Everest for two years after the 2072 earthquake. Although the work is said to have been completed, its latest height has not been made public. According to sources, the delay was due to the agreement made between China and Nepal to let the Chinese government measure on behalf of their country first and announce the results together.

The stories of courages of Nepal’s Sherpas are heard in mountaineering all over the world. That is why Nepal is famous in the world for Buddha, Gorkha, Sherpa and Mount Everest. Babuchiri Sherpa, Angrita Sherpa, Appa Sherpa, Kamirita Sherpa and others are known all over the world for their record of climbing Mount Everest. On top of that, Nirmal Purja aka ‘Nimsdai’ has set the fastest climbing record of climbing all 14 of the highest peaks standing above 8000 meters from sea level, within 6 months and 6 days, making the impossible possible to happen.

Everest is a mountain that brings in billions of dollars every year. The government charges USD $11,000 for a foreign climber’s permit. On an average, more than 300 climbers seek permission each year. Revenue alone generates an average income of Rs 500 million. Combining the employment of thousands and the income from other businesses, it reaches more than one billion annually.

Although the northern side of Mount Everest is China, the peak falls on Nepali territory. But from time to time, the Chinese media has said that Mount Everest belongs to China, which is a ridiculous thing to say.

The Government of Nepal has not yet done much to promote Mount Everest and other arrangements. There is talk of garbage in Everest every year. As the first climber Edmund Hillary said, Mount Everest should be allowed to rest. It seems necessary to postpone the ascent for a few years and collect garbage only. This year too, it was an opportunity but the government did not pay attention to it.

The world is now at war with the coronavirus. After winning the war with Covid-19, Nepal has to do the rest of the work to raise the image of Mount Everest. After that, just as Mount Everest is standing tall on the map of the world, it will continue to stand as the head of Nepal and Nepalis tomorrow.

Source: 'Kantipur' by Kumbharaj Rai