In this article, we will be reading the summary of The Summit Within. The author and the narrator of this chapter are Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia. The author here describes his experience and feelings standing on Mount Everest. Major Ahluwalia was a member of the Indian expedition to Mount Everest. It was the first successful expedition and took place in 1965. He was too tired physically when he reached Everest. He felt humbled, joyful, and also sad at the same time. Also, he was very thankful to God.
SUMMARY
In the year 1965, the expedition to Mount Everest was the first successful expedition. Edmund Hillary and Major Ahluwalia were also a part of this expedition. This chapter is a reminisce of this expedition by Major Ahluwalia. He says that standing on the peak of Mount Everest he felt humbled and joyful though he was physically tired. He felt that this joy will remain with him all his life and was thus thankful to God. Also, he was sad somewhere. Though he was not sure about the reason, he thought that it was because now there is no higher peak to climb.
In spite of climbing this summit, he thinks that there is also another summit that we need to climb. It is the summit of our minds. As per his observation, he said that a person requires three qualities to climb any summit. Endurance, persistence, and willpower are the three qualities that a person needs to overcome the obstacles of his life. Every person thus enjoys overcoming obstacles.
CHAPTER AND EXPLAINATION
Of all the emotions which surged through me as I stood on the summit of Everest, looking over miles of the panorama below us, the dominant one I think was humility. The physical in me seemed to say, ‘Thank God, it’s all over!” However, instead of being jubilant, there was a tinge of sadness. Was it because I had already done the ‘ultimate’ in climbing and there would be nothing higher to climb and all roads hereafter would lead down?
Surged- arose suddenly and intensely
Summit- the highest point of a hill or a mountain
Panorama- view of a wide area
Humility- the quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance
Jubilant- very happy because of success
Tinge- race; shade
The author begins the story by telling the readers about the rush of multiple emotions he felt as he stood on the highest point of Mount Everest. The huge panorama below them made them feel little and modest. Climbing up to the top had made him so tired that his physical strength was glad it was over. However, rather than feeling proud and joyous of having climbed the highest peak, he could feel some sadness within him. The only probable reason for this feeling could be that he had now become proficient by climbing the highest point and all the roads from that point will only lead downwards.
By climbing the summit of Everest you are overwhelmed by a deep sense of joy and thankfulness. It is a joy which lasts a lifetime. The experience changes you completely. The man who has been to the mountains is never the same again.
As I look back at life after climbing Everest I cannot help remarking about the other summit — the summit of the mind — no less formidable and no easier to climb. Even when getting down from the summit, once the physical exhaustion had gone, I began asking myself the question of why I had climbed Everest. Why did the act of reaching the summit have such a hold on my imagination? It was already a thing of the past, something did yesterday. With every passing day, it would become more remote. And then what would remain? Would my memories fade slowly away?
Formidable- strong and powerful
Remote- distant
The author writes that whenever he thinks about having climbed the summit of Everest, he can not help but think about another significant summit, which is of the mind, which is not easier to climb either. It is not any less challenging. Once he had climbed Everest, returned, and recovered from the physical exhaustion, he began to ask himself the reason as to why he climbed the highest peak. It was quite difficult to understand why the accomplishment had such an impact on his imagination all the time, even when it was a thing of the past. He knew that as each day passed, the experience would get old. At that very moment, he was unsure if the memory would remain or fade away slowly.
All these thoughts led me to question myself as to why people climb mountains. It is not easy to answer the question. The simplest answer would be, as others have said, “Because it is there.” It presents great difficulties. Man takes delight in overcoming obstacles. The obstacles in climbing a mountain are physical. A climb to a summit means endurance, persistence, and willpower. The demonstration of these physical qualities is no doubt exhilarating, as it was for me also.
Endurance- tolerance
Persistence- the fact of continuing in a course of action in spite of difficulty
Exhilarating- very exciting
All the thoughts that came into the author’s mind made him ask himself why people climb mountains. It is not that easy to answer in the simplest way possible could be “Because it is there”. Climbing a mountain poses great challenges and we all know that overcoming these obstacles brings pleasure to climbers. In climbing a mountain, these obstacles are physical such as tolerance, willpower, and determination to keep you going. The exhibition of these physical qualities and one’s awareness towards them, on the other hand, is thrilling and the same was the case for the author.
I have a more personal answer to the question. From my childhood, I have been attracted by mountains. I had been miserable, lost, when away from mountains, in the plains. Mountains are nature at their best. Their beauty and majesty pose a great challenge, and like many, I believe that mountains are a means of communion with God.
Majesty- magnificence or great beauty
Communion- the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level
The author seems to have a more personal answer to this question as to why he wanted to climb mountains. He had been immensely attracted by mountains since his childhood. He used to feel lost and unhappy in the plains when he was away from the mountains. He feels mountains are nature in its best form. Although their magnificence and beauty pose a significant challenge, the author along with a lot of people believe that mountains provide a platform for sharing personal thoughts and feelings directly with God.
Once having granted this, the question remains: Why Everest? Because it is the highest, the mightiest, and has defied many previous attempts. It takes the last ounce of one’s energy. It is a brutal struggle with rock and ice. Once taken up, it cannot be given up halfway even when one’s life is at stake.
The passage back is as difficult as the passage onwards. And then, when the summit is climbed, there is the exhilaration, the joy of having done something, the sense of a battle fought and won. There is a feeling of victory and of happiness. Glimpsing a peak in the distance, I get transported to another world. I experience a change within myself that can only be called mystical. By its beauty, aloofness, might, ruggedness, and the difficulties encountered on the way, the peak draws me to it — as Everest did. It is a challenge that is difficult to resist.
Defied- frustrated; resisted
Brutal- unpleasant or harsh
Glimpsing- catch or get a sight of
Mystical- inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination (other-worldly)
Aloofness- distant
Ruggedness- roughly irregular, heavy, or hard in outline or form
Once having found out why to climb mountains, the question “Why Everest?” remains. Probably because it’s the highest in the world and has resisted many attempts of people trying to climb it. To reach the summit of Everest, it asks for every bit of energy in one’s body. It is a harsh struggle with ice and huge rocks. Once you have taken this hard challenge, there is no option for you to give up midway even if life is at stake because the passage backward poses the same difficulties and challenges as the passage upwards.
When finally after overcoming all these obstacles, one reaches the summit, there are feelings of accomplishment, excitement, joy, victory, and happiness. There is a feeling of having fought a battle and won. The author mentions how looking at another peak transported him to another world. He experienced a change within himself which can only be called mystical. The peak attracted the author to itself with the help of its greatness, beauty, serenity, and the difficulties it poses on the way. He says it was a challenge “difficult to resist”.
Looking back I find that I have not yet fully explained why I climbed Everest. It is like answering a question about why you breathe. Why do you help your neighbor? Why do you want to do good acts? There is no final answer possible. And then there is the fact that Everest is not just a physical climb. The man who has been to the mountain-top becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe.
The author looks back and discovers that he had not yet revealed why he actually climbed Everest. He compares it by asking a question as to why one breathes or why one helps their neighbor or why one does a good deed. It is impossible to find an answer to these questions. He also mentions the fact that Everest is not just a physical climb but it changes the person in a way that makes him aware of how small he and his problems are in this infinite universe.
The physical conquest of a mountain is only one part of the achievement. There is more to it than that. It is followed by a sense of fulfillment. There is the satisfaction of a deep urge to rise above one’s surroundings. It is the eternal love for adventure in man. The experience is not merely physical. It is emotional. It is spiritual.
Conquest- conquering
The overcoming of physical barriers is only one bit of accomplishment. There is a lot more to it like the sense of accomplishment, the satisfying urge to rise above the current circumstances. It is the never-ending desire for adventure in a person. So, the experience is not just physical, but emotional and spiritual too.
Consider a typical climb, towards the summit on the last heights. You are sharing a rope with another climber. Your firm in. He cuts the steps in the hard ice. Then he belays and you inch your way up. The climb is grim. You strain every nerve as you take every step. Famous climbers have left records of the help given by others. They have also recorded how they needed just that help. Else they might have given up. Breathing is difficult.
You curse yourself for having let yourself in for this. You wonder why you ever undertook the ascent. There are moments when you feel like going back. It would be sheer relief to go down, instead of up. But almost at once, you snap out of that mood. There is something in you that does not let you give up the struggle. And you go on. Your companion keeps up with you. Just another fifty feet. Or a hundred, maybe. You ask yourself: Is there no end? You look at your companion and he looks at you. You draw inspiration from each other. And then, without first being aware of it, you are at the summit.
Firm in- make yourself firm
Belays- fixes a rope
Grim- harsh
Ascent- climb
He begins evaluating a usual climb to a summit where you are sharing the rope with another climber. As you make yourself firm, he moves ahead as he carves the hard ice with his feet only to further fix the rope to help you inch your way up. It is a difficult climb that puts pressure on every nerve as you take a step forward. He mentions how it has been recorded by some famous climbers for having taken help from others and how it was the only thing they needed at that moment to move forward. Else, they would have given up.
It is indeed very difficult to breathe at such high altitudes and cold temperatures. It is so hard that you curse yourself for signing up for this and you start questioning why you undertook it at all in the first place. It pushes you to give up and the idea of going back looks relieving at that moment. Then almost instantly you are out of that mood. You feel something in yourself that does not let you give up and you move on. Your companion is always there with you. As you climb and look at the distance left, you feel as if there is no end. You and your companion, both look at each other in search of motivation, and then suddenly, without even realizing it at first, you are already at the summit.
Looking around from the summit you tell yourself that it was worthwhile. Other silvery peaks appear through the clouds. If you are lucky the sun may be on them. The surrounding peaks look like a jeweled necklace around the neck of your summit. Below, you see vast valleys sloping into the distance. It is an ennobling, enriching experience to just look down from the summit of a mountain. You bow down and make your obeisance to whichever God you worship.
Ennobling- give someone a noble rank or title
Obeisance- deferential respect
As you look around once you reach the summit, you tell yourself that it was worth all the struggle and hardships. You can see other peaks through the clouds and if you are fortunate enough, there may be sunlight on them. The peaks nearby look like a “jeweled necklace” around the neck of your summit. As you look down, you can look at the vast valleys from a distance. To look down from the summit of a mountain is an honorable and enhancing experience. As you are on the top of a mountain, you bow down and pay your respects to whichever God you worship.
I left on Everest a picture of Guru Nanak. Rawat left a picture of Goddess Durga. Phu Dorji left a relic of the Buddha. Edmund Hillary had buried a cross under a cairn (a heap of rocks and stones) in the snow. These are not symbols of conquest but of reverence. The experience of having climbed to the summit changes you completely
Relic- artifact
Reverence- deep respect for someone or something
On Everest, the author left a picture of Guru Nanak Dev, his fellow climbers Rawat and Phu Dorji left pictures and relics of Goddess Durga and Buddha respectively. Edmund Hilary built a cross under the heap of rocks in the snow. He mentioned that these are not symbols of accomplishment but of respect and admiration. This is because the experience of having climbed the summit changes you completely.
There is another summit. It is within yourself. It is in your own mind. Each man carries within himself his own mountain peak. He must climb it to reach a fuller knowledge of himself. It is fearful and unscalable. It cannot be climbed by anyone else. You yourself have to do it. The physical act of climbing to the summit of a mountain outside is akin to the act of climbing the mountain within. The effects of both climbs are the same. Whether the mountain you climb is physical or emotional and spiritual, the climb will certainly change you. It teaches you much about the world and about yourself.
Akin- similar
He talks about another summit, the summit within one’s own mind. He further explains how there is a mountain peak within each person’s mind and how he must climb it to attain complete awareness of himself. It is fearful and can not be measured. Moreover, no one except you can climb it. He further explains how physically climbing a mountain is similar to climbing the one within. The effects of both climbs are also the same. It changes you completely irrespective of the nature of the climb being physical, emotional, or spiritual. It teaches you a lot about the world around you and the one inside you.
I venture to think that my experience as an Everester has provided me with the inspiration to face life’s ordeals resolutely. Climbing the mountain was a worthwhile experience. The conquest of the internal summit is equally worthwhile. The internal summits are, perhaps, higher than Everest.
Ordeals- painful experiences
Resolutely- with determination or firmness
The author goes about thinking that his experience as an “Everester” has given him both the strength and inspiration to deal with life’s painful experiences with determination and firmness. Just like climbing Everest was a worthwhile experience, conquering the summit within is equally worthwhile. Moreover, internal summits are higher than the physical summit of Everest.
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