This 16yearold took Lord Ganesha on her expedition to Mt Everest
When Shivangi Pathak’s mother decided to direct her daughter’s energy into mountaineering, she probably didn’t imagine that this Hisar-based girl would become 2018’s youngest Indian female to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
“She is super energetic. Even when she was a child, she wasn’t afraid of anyone. She could easily catch a snake or a lizard. I was so worried about her future. She always wanted to do something different, and I thought only mountaineering could match her energy,” says Aarti Pathak, 16-year-old Shivangi’s mother.
It is obvious for a mountaineer to deal with mental and physical challenges while attempting to scale the highest peak in the world. Shivangi was no exception — she was over-weight and had to shed around 20kg as well as chop off her long hair while training for the expedition.
“I have to control my diet, eat healthy, and be active. However, the real challenges are not these; they are the one I faced during the expedition,” explains Shivangi, who joined Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports in May 2017 and trained herself hard for the expedition.
She shares that she even saw a dead body on her trek. “It was difficult for me to just pass it by. I realised that once you are dead, no one pays attention to you. The body becomes 10 times heavier and it becomes impossible to move it. However, along with a sherpa, I moved the body. I didn’t want to leave it like that. I asked the sherpa what to do, and he said, ‘Pray to God to channelise the dead person’s energy into you, so that you can complete her trek as well’. So, I prayed, took her flag along, and moved ahead,” she says.
Asked about what kept her motivated in the times of trouble, Shivangi says, “My Gannu mama (referring to an idol of Lord Ganesha she carries with her). I take him along wherever I go.”
She goes on to add, “I took him on the climb, too, and after reaching the summit, before placing the flag, I put Lord Ganesha at the peak first. He gave me all the power and energy.”
After achieving what is not a task most people can even dream of, Shivangi says, “The journey was full of excitement and lessons. I am not going to stop now.” She feels highly motivated and is ready to conquer the world. She plans to climb Mt Kilimanjaro next, the highest mountain in Africa.
I take Gannu mama along wherever I go. I took him on the climb, too, and after reaching the summit, before placing the flag, I put Lord Ganesha at the peak first. He gave me all the power and energy. SHIVANGI PATHAK
MOUNTAINEER