A Survivor's Tale from Everest's Avalanche-Ridden Terrain
The best view comes after the hardest climb. Yes, it is certainly true. I have experienced the toughest, strongest, stony, frozen and most satisfying trek of all time. The Everest Base Camp trek (height 5,380 m) is in the south of Nepal.
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The terrifying moment when the avalanche hit the Everest Base Camp
April 2015 marked a pivotal point in my life. I was preparing myself for the toughest trek of all time. Yes, the Everest Base Camp trek. The majestic Himalayan ranges have been on my bucket list for many years. After a lot of research and understanding about the difficulty level and the problems that one could face during the trek, I thought of taking advice from one of my uncle's very close friend Mr. Sanjay Agarwal, a legend in the world of cinematography. He
was working on the documentary called 'Operation Everest' for NDTV.
Luckily, he was shooting at the base camp for the past few days in the
month of April 2015 with his team. The base camp had been Mr. Sanjay's home for a span of days, and his
experiences held invaluable insights. With a heart full of questions and
a mind open to guidance, I reached out to him.
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| Mr. Sanjay Agarwal left shooting for operation Everest with his team |
When I told him about my attempt to trek as a solo traveller to Everest Base camp, he was surprised and couldn't believe, his reaction was similar to what others had expressed. He asked me the reason behind travelling and challenging myself to the Himalayan ranges. But he was curious about why I was so daring and what is the driving force behind this audacious venture. My answer was simple yet profound - The very thought of trekking to the same place where Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay trekked thrilled me to my core. Mr. Sanjay laughed and told me that you made the right decision Devanshi, but trekking alone is not advisable and i should not take it lightly. He guided me and gave a thorough knowledge about the difficulty level and other useful tips on how and what is needed when you start a trek from Lukla. His wisdom, carved from experience, became my guiding light. He generously unravelled the complexities of the trek, providing a mosaic of insights and tips. Our conversations became the map to navigate the intricate terrain that awaited me. I have penned down every small piece of advice he gave me. I was determined and carefully wrote down each detail to create a thorough itinerary.
For all the details and the itinerary on this topic, Also Read "Everest Base Camp: A Trek to Remember."
The deadliest day 25th April 2015
My most vivid recollection of that summer was when I was sitting ideal and randomly flipping through TV channels. But then, something big happened. Shockingly during the afternoon of April 25, 2015, a huge earthquake hit Nepal. It was so strong, like a 7.2 on a scale they use to measure earthquakes. And triggered an avalanche, a massive amount of snow and rocks fell down from a mountain called Pumori and crashed into the Everest Base Camp.
I couldn't stop shaking after hearing the news. Just two days back, I had a conversation with Mr Sanjay Agarwal and what unbelievable news I heard, he was blown away by 50 meters in the deadliest avalanche causing many injuries. I could not believe my ears, but this was true. Sadly, the wave of snow and rock killed 18 people then and there and many more were injured. Thankfully, he survived with minor injuries and was safe but he made the decision not to return from Everest but rather stay and film the rescue operation.
What an inspiration he was. But sadly he wasn't lucky enough to survive the battle with cancer and passed away in September 2017. He was a profound artist and a lovely human being. I will never ever forget his help and support. He encouraged and motivated me to trek the most difficult trek "Everest Base Camp" the very next year in March 2016.
Also read: Everest Base Camp "A trek to remember"
I would only say rather much after reading it, please write more often including all other small, hidden tales as much. My wishes
ReplyDeleteNara x
Hi Narayan, will update with new tales soon.
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