Daily news SPECIAL
Sri Lankan hikers conquer:
Himalayan heights
Anushka WITHANAGE
Ten Sri Lankan hikers conquered the Himalayan Peak in a 37-day long
voyage scaling a 5,364 metre high mountain.
Team
The team namely Upul Indrajith Kulasekera (23) of Thurstan College,
G.A Sanjaya Kumara (25) of Rahula Vidyalaya, Dhammika Walisundera (24)
of Dharmaraja College, Amila Siriwardena (24) of Ananda College, Upul
Deshapriya Palihakkara (26), Asanga Kasun Jayanath (22), Dinidu Chanaka
Premachandre (22), P.K Amila Maduranga (22), K.L.R Pradeep Kumara (22)
of Mahinda College, and Nilantha De Soysa (28) of Dharmasoka Vidyalaya,
Ambalangoda took part in the expedition which was a lifetime experience,
said Upul Kulasekera. He said that it was a gruelling voyage in pursuit
of a lifetime dream for us hikers’.
“Every minute was adventurous in the vagaries of a wrong footing, icy
cold weather and dizzy height. But the will to reach the top kept us
going through thick and thin”, reminisced Upul who is proud to relate
the story being the first Thurstanite to achieve a sky high dream of a
hiker. The expedition which took off on March 24 for India saw the Sri
Lankan hikers cross the Nepal border which lasted two day taking them
via Kathmandu to Bodar from where the climb began on April 1 and by
April 11 Upul and his colleagues trekked the base camp reaching the
Kalapathan peak concluding their daring voyage on April 19.
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The hikers with their school flags |
Memory
“We will cherish it because we were the complete team to scale the
Everest base camp. Some of the thorny issues we faced were some members
recovering from high altitude sickness, hampered by rain, fog, snow
storms and other natural hazards,” recalled Upul, richer by the
experience.
Going down memory lane Upul further recalled how “we Sri Lankans
loved to photograph the mountain and its vicinity. But this was not an
easy task because as we climbed higher the oxygen percentage and the air
pressure began to decrease.”
The small Indian villages the expedition team came across was another
wonderful experience. Some had solar powered lamps. Interestingly, Upul
reminisced that the famous duo, Tensing and Edmond Hilary known for
their epoch making conquest of Everest, had also taken the same route as
the Sri Lankans, 56 years ago in 1953.
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Three hikers on their way to the peak |
Further, the brave 10 discovered the fascination of stone slabs that
decorated the floors of the Indian lodges they visited.
Meals
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Part of the team |
For meals they carried in their packs nutrients like chocolate,
cheese, dates and biscuits. The start of their journey was after a hot
cup of malted milk with black tea.
Breakfast was made up of noodles or boiled potatoes around 9.30 am
and it was biscuits and malted milk. “We refrained from eating heavy
meals or drinking milk for health”, explained Upul. Dinner time was
spent in a lodge consuming whatever was available there. But sadly, the
lodge food was not up to standard, but we had to make do with it,”
continued Upul.
It was the third day that the Lankan hikers set eyes on the snow. And
certainly it was another unforgettable leaf from their adventure that
Upul and his colleagues had been waiting for.
“We took photographs and played in the snow. They also got caught to
a snow storm which Upul swears he and the rest will never forget. “The
whole village which was about 4278m in height had by morning got covered
in snow.
Climate
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The ten-member Sri Lankan expedition which conquered the
Himalayan peak |
“The temperature was almost below zero and we managed to climb with
the greatest difficulty,” Upul described that moment.
On April 14 they experienced an avalanche with an ear splitting noise
that could have demoralized the light hearted. But not these youngsters
just out of school and in search of adventure. The snow simply crashed
down with smoke in the thunder of a bomb explosion.
“That was the darker side of our voyage”, said Upul his face
stiffening at the thought of it.
The descent started around 8.30 in the night of April 14 in three
groups. But finding the correct route was hazardous. It was slow going
with two of the climbers staying atop a bridge and the rest having to
put up in the next village. The delay meant coming down at 11.30 a.m.
the following day.
“We carried about 10 kilograms at the start, but due to the high
altitude we had to leave behind some things,” said Upul going back to
their pre-tour preparations where boy scout expeditions, sprinting,
jumping, walking long distances which put them in good stead for the
job.
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Before the climb |
On the Sonouli Border we stopped at the Mahavaj Kovil. On our return
trip also we made a stop there. They treated us well and organised a
visit to see Ayodya and we were able to see Hannuman - the birth place
of God Rama and God Hanuman. They were also able to see a Mahayana
Buddhist Temple in Amideva Park situated in the highest place in
Kathmandu.
Journey
The tram journey of two days from Ghorakpoor of Northern India to
Chennai was a bitter experience. The temperature has risen upto 46
degrees C and we who were used to the Himalayan climate found it
unbearable.
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Other treckers on their way |
Upul said so far not a single Sri Lankan has climbed Mount Everest
and Sri Lanka adventure force hopes to send at least one Sri Lankan to
climb Mount Everest. The trip was organized as a trial venture.
The jubilant group said, “we are grateful to our parents, our
principal, boys scout leader, teachers, and the boys scouts friends of
the Thurstan Junior Old Boys Association, Minister of Sports Gamini
Lokuge, Ajit Jayasinghe, of the Old Boys Scouts. Ven. Maharaj whom we
met on the way, the Sri Lankan Buddhist priests at Lumbini and all those
who helped us.
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