World News – UK – World Mountain Day: Gowri Varanashi, Mandip Singh Soin, Rahul Ogra on mountaineering, climate change and more

I don’t like mountains. No, I don’t hate her because a mountain came and stole my favorite toy and told me to suck. It’s just that I live in Siliguri, which is at the foot of the Eastern Himalayas, and not only did I have to spend a significant part of my childhood in the hills during every damn vacation, but also spend my formative teenage years in Sikkim, the one Is part of the Eastern Himalayan region. But I understand their importance for biodiversity and the ecosystem. However, since my knowledge of mountains is limited, on this World Mountain Day or International Mountain Day (with the help of Sony BBC Earth) I brought people like Gowri Varanashi, Mandip Singh Soin and Rahul Ogra together, all mountaineers. to teach you about mountains, climate change and more.

Gowri Varanashi: “Mountains bring a feeling of deep calm and stillness to my mind. The beauty of the mountains always surprises me, it’s nothing like jungle or any other ecosystem. The high peaks and the enormous space make me feel small and remind me how fragile life and this planet are. ”

Mandip Singh Soin: « Really, I think I have always been fascinated by the size of the mountains, the imposing shapes, the surroundings when you come into the mountains, the fauna and flora, the untouched beauty. Even the mood swings of the mountains, be it a storm or a beautiful sunrise or an incredible sunset. All of this is all that leads to an amazing, memorable and haunting experience. I think once you’ve been to the mountains you always get a little bit hooked and I think that’s what happened to me. ”

Rahul Ogra: “I knew the mountains very well, almost like friends, guardian spirits and teachers. first during my formative years as an impressive child who grew up in the mountains of Kashmir, and then during a career spanning more than two decades as a professional mountaineer. The mountains have always been an anchorage for me, keeping me grounded and steadfast through the rough seas and the vicissitudes of life. There are many things about mountains in general, and our Himalayas in particular, that fascinate me … Over the years I have learned that magic often arises when one enters their sanctuary with humility and a receptive soul. They can give you great spiritual truths and revelations without your ego or bloated self questioning the playing field. One of the things I’ve always loved about the mountains is how they tailor you. It doesn’t matter what kind of self-image you’ve built for yourself, the mountains can show you exactly who you are and where you are on nature’s giant canvas in an instant. ”

Gowri Varanashi: “One of my most memorable times was during a NOLS course in a mountain range in Wyoming, USA. I decide to explore on my own one day, and while walking around a bend on a dry creek bed, I came across a female elk who was peacefully grazing! She looked at me and froze. I froze too, then slowly backed up while still watching her. Then I found a rock nearby to sit and watch for the next 15 minutes. I actually cried with happiness when I saw them graze that day. ”

Mandip Singh Soin: “In order to have an unforgettable climbing experience, in 1986 I was on an alpine ascent to a peak called Mount Meru, which according to Hindu mythology is the center of the universe and is located in the Gangotri Valley. We were fortunate enough to make the first Indian climb in the alpine style. Very quick climb and we would have really missed the summit because on the last day when we were hoping to reach the summit we couldn’t because of the pretty bad snow conditions so we decided to wait but in doing so we had to make an emergency because we were couldn’t return to the last camp we had made, so we made an emergency camp. We had no sleeping bags, no tents, just our carpet bags. So we took our ropes out, sat on them and put our feet and legs in the carpet bags to keep us warm and of course to do our best not to go to sleep because that would have been bad, we had to make some really horrible jokes to keep us in good spirits and chat and keep us warm, otherwise you would have gone to sleep or something, given the gear we had. We could get frostbite. Despite bad jokes, we were able to reach the summit the next day. ”

Rahul Ogra: “There have been many memorable events, but one compelling event is when I was leading a small group of climbers on an expedition to climb the mountain. Deo Tibba, a beautiful 6001 m high peak in the Kullu Himalaya. On this day we, the instructors and our budding climbers, were supposed to climb the Duhangan Col, our advance base on the shoulder of the mountain, to supply the ABC with supplies for our summit attempt. This includes a hard ascent where you have to attach the rope and climb through a steep – technically challenging – rock and snow culoir to get to the Col. Since most of the trainees struggled a little with their loaded backpacks and the weather, which had suddenly turned bad, it was jointly decided to put our loads in a certain place under a boulder and return the next day to finish the work. Somehow, out of a gut feeling, I decided to advance towards Col and not return to base camp. The grueling hour and 45 minutes it took to reach the Col through blowing snow and howling winds (with a long drop under me) was nothing short of a deep soul-cleansing experience. ”

Gowri Varanashi: “Mountain ecosystems are important for our world. They have a great variety of plants and animals, but most of all they are one of the greatest sources of fresh water. They are known as the water towers of the world because they provide so much fresh water. It’s a complicated solution to figuring out how to be less affected, as climate change is a bigger global problem affecting different ecosystems as the earth warms and the composition of these sensitive spaces changes. The rising temperatures are melting glaciers in the mountains. Therefore, as a human race, we need to start making fundamental changes to our lifestyle to reduce our impact. ”

Mandip Singh Soin: « I think it’s true, it’s definitely threatening. The threatening mountain ecosystems, we know from glaciers melt, there are lakes that are formed and which are likely to become problematic in the future if they burst. In the Himalayas, pollution, the AQI value, etc.. Indicators that everything is definitely affected. Just this morning I drove back to Delhi from what is known as the hill station hikes, which is roughly 7,000 feet long. I think we could look at two aspects. The rile of the traveler or the climber or the trekker who goes in and which is absolutely necessary given the number of people going to the Himalayas must not leave any trash and they must bring it back or at least bring it back to a place where it can can be properly disposed of, or to a larger city that has municipal landfills due to these Himalayan areas and smaller cities do not have adequate facilities. The second most alarming when the government and village communities do not take it upon themselves to stop burning garbage and burning dry leaves and twigs that are definitely in manure, compost, etc.. can be converted and have a very effective system of biodegradable materials. Waste that is recycled or composted. ”

Rahul Ogra: “There is no doubt that climate change is increasingly becoming a major threat to the well-being of our mountain ecosystems. As mountaineers and explorers, people like us are often at the forefront when it comes to seeing the harmful effects firsthand. One of the most observable of these is the increased melting and recession of much of the Himalayan glaciers. Let’s not forget that the Himalayan peaks and glaciers are repositories for most of the drinking water on this subcontinent. If they went away, a large part of the world’s population would be in real danger. This situation is exacerbated by the explosion of human populations and the increased consumption of fossil fuels, which in turn exacerbates the melting of perennial snow in the Himalayas and puts immeasurable pressure on the forest resources of these mountains. It is therefore a matter of course for us that a lower use of fossil fuels and a greater dependence on sustainable energy resources are the way forward for us. ”

Gowri Varanashi: “I haven’t climbed a summit per se, but I love to hike for hours in the mountains with a backpack full of climbing gear to get to rocky cliffs in distant places. Then climb up to reach the top of the rock face and finally hike back down. ”

Mandip Singh Soin: “My favorite place in the mountains, I can easily say that it is Nanda Devi. It’s a very impressive peak in the Garwhal and I was fortunate enough to go to the Nanda Devi sanctuary twice when it opened in the 70’s. Once on an expedition to Dunagiri and once on an expedition to Kalanka. I was sitting in a base camp just below Nanda Devi and I have to say that it has to be one of the most beautiful peaks. It’s got a lot of mountain folklore, it’s got a lot of mythology. ”

Rahul Ogra: “Although there are many mountains that have left an indelible mark on me, my answer to that would be Mt. . Kailash in Tibet. At this 21st. Walking the 778 foot mountain, the jewel of a mountain, was a life changing experience for me. ”

Did that motivate you to go on a trip to the mountains on this international mountain day and become the next Gowri Varanashi or Mandip Singh Soin or Rahul Ogra? Well, please take all necessary precautions, get your gear and proceed. However, if you are still a little scared because of the coronavirus pandemic, which is completely natural because 2020 was an absolute bitch, you can virtually experience the feeling of a trip to the mountains by taking the special line for World Mountain Day. Up from shows on Sony BBC Earth on Nov.. December between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Hidden India, Planet Earth 2, Seven Worlds, One Planet and Rick Steins Road to Mexico. And on the rare occasions when you can’t or don’t want to access your TV or the internet, you can at least get a picture of a high point and just stare at it and appreciate the fact that you managed to climb the mountain which is 2020 without losing your mind. Bottom up!

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International Mountain Day, Mountain, Mandip Singh Soin, Mountaineering, Himalaya