Sanctity Of Sagarmatha

Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), world’s tallest peak, evokes feelings of awe and wonder from any spectator who gets its glimpses even from afar.  The majestic mountain continues to catch the fancy of alpinists from around the world ever since they came to know that it is the highest alp on the surface of the Earth. One century ago, British climbers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine had disappeared on the slope of Everest, mystifying the formidable existence of the snow-capped icon of the planet. Twenty-nine years after Mallory's tragic end on rises of Sagarmatha, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary conquered it on May 29, 1953. Today Sagaramatha, also known as the third pole, stands for human courage, heroism, relentless efforts and sacrifices. Sharing his experience after his feat atop Mt. Everest, Tenzing Norgay said, "When you stand at the summit, you understand that there are no limits to what you can achieve." 

Norgya's remark implies limitless possibility of human endeavours. Mt. Everest has turned into a metaphorical representation of overcoming impediments no matter how big they look. This is why every avid mountain climber aspires to set foot on top of Everest to achieve the greatness and push the boundaries of success. Altogether 7,226 Nepalis and foreign mountaineers climbed the tallest peaks till 2022. Of them, 519 are women. Over 300 persons have lost their lives while trying to ascend Everest or returning from the summit. There are over 36 records in different areas in Sagarmatha that is located in the northern flank of Nepal. 

Sagarmatha is an identity, beauty and glory of our Himalayan nation. Nepalis want to introduce themselves as the nationals hailing from the country of Mt. Everest when they travel to the foreign lands. Sagarmatha is also a world heritage site that everyone loves and wants to conserve its sanctity and magnificence.  However, there is a worrying fact: its snowy cover is rapidly thinning, thanks to the rising global warming triggered by the climate change. The disproportionate impact of climate change on the Himalayas has threatened its ecosystem and the livelihood of people residing below the range of snow-clad peaks. Scientists now predict that the South Col glacier may disappear by 2050, which would mean Everest’s high reaches would be bare, black bedrock by the time the next centenary celebrations take place to mark the ascent of Tenzing and Hillary, writes The Guardian in its recent issue.

The other day when the 71st International Sagarmatha Day was observed, the consequences of climate change came as the stark reminder. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda underlined the need to maintain pollution-free mountains through cooperation and coordination among the concerned agencies and stakeholders. The Prime Minister also urged for the support towards government's campaign 'Preserve Hills, Save Humanity’ aimed at mitigating the negative effect of global warming on mountain and implement proper measures for waste management there. Similarly, the government has announced to set up a welfare fund for mountaineering and the safety of mountaineers, particularly the livelihoods and culture of Sherpa community. As Nepal has already carved its image as the leader of mountainous countries, it needs to pursue 'Sagarmatha diplomacy,' like 'Sagarmatha dialogue', to draw global attention to conserve the environment of Sagaramatha that is also acting as the water tower and cooling agent of the earth.