On to the Summit : We Reach the Top is a story written by Tenzing Norgay. The main theme of story is dedication, Persistence and power of synergy.
Summary of On to the Summit: We Reach the Top By Tenzing Norgay
Summary of On to the Summit By Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay and his friend, Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. Mount Everest is world highest mountain. In “On to the Summit”, Tenzing Norgay has shared his experience of climbing Mount Everest.
The story begins with narrator, Tenzing who says, when we came out from our camp 9 on Friday morning, I decided that I would reach top of Mount Everest anyhow. I remember I was thinking that morning, I have to reach mount Everest top even if I die reaching there. I wasn’t fearing death at that time. Sometimes Hillary was ahead of me or sometimes I from him.
We were following each other. Tenzing says I had four flags in my pocket while climbing. When I was in camp 4, person named Colonel Hunt gave me 3 flags. He gave me three flags of Britain, Nepal and The United Nations.
Colonel Hunt told to hoist these three flags when we reach a top of mount Everest. I have full faith on both of you that you will climb mount Everest. I told Colonel Hunt that I have Indian flag and I want to hoist Indian flag with these flags. Colonel Hunt happily replied, of course you can hoist Indian flag.
I’m very happy that you have bought Indian flag with you. Thereafter, we goes ahead and changed our direction after an hour. We are going in west direction instead of South. In west, we have to pass by bigger rocks. It was very challenging to cross those Rocks. After passing bigger rocks, our way was clear.
After rocks, It wasn’t difficult to reach Summit still we climb carefully, our way was clear but we were climbing carefully. We were very close to our Summit as it was just 50 feet away from us. I and Hillary were climbing with difference of 20 feet but we were tied to one rope. We were tied to each other by a rope and we couldn’t climb without each other.
We needed each other. We were like a team. The people often ask me one question, Who reached Mount Everest first ? When we were climbing and about to reach Summit, we doesn’t thought who would reach the top first as our whole concentration was on climbing. We did not care who would reach the top first.
Our main focus was to reach summit safely. When we both reach Kathmandu, controversy happened between me, Hillary and Colonel Hunt. We all three sit together and realize that we are fighting on foolish things. Thereafter, we three made an agreement and we sign on our agreements at Nepal’s Prime Minister’s office. I have statement of Hillary in my pocket.
So now I’m going to tell you the statement of Edmund Hillary.
Hillary says, I and Tenzing left our camp on 29th May to reach a summit of Mount Everest. We reach a top of Mount Everest by passing South summit. We reach summit together and immediately hug each other after reaching there. Thereafter, I took some photos of Tenzing in which he was holding India, Britain, Nepal and The United Nations Flags.
Through the statement of Hillary, we learned that there was no controversy between Hillary and Tenzing. I remember after reaching peak I said to Hillary that we did it. As we were wearing Oxygen Mask so we were not audible to each other.
“First Thought “
Tenzing say after reaching Mount Everest summit I thanked the God first. I failed 6 times in Mount Everest Climb but finally I did it now. I did some offerings to God on Mount Everest summit. I put my offerings on world Highest place. In my offerings, there were Biscuits, Candy and a Blue color pencil.
My youngest daughter, Nima gave me this Blue Color pencil to offer God when I reach Mount Everest. Thereafter, I took out four flags from my pocket, I tied one corner of flag in my Ice Axe and I hold other corner by myself, thereafter Hillary took some photos of mine.
As I needed my Ice Axe to go back so I untied flag from axe and tied it in Ice. I was thirsty at that time so I took out my metal glass to drink water but saw my water has become ice. I started eating biscuits and gave few biscuits to Hillary to eat. I was wearing red color Scarf which my best friend, Lambert gave to me last year.
I was wearing this scarf in my whole climbing journey and when I reach Mount Everest I remember my friend as well. I was feeling like my friend, Lambert is with me here.
After climbing Highest peak, I’m still fit, my mind is clear as well and I’m not tired. I’m very happy. When I look down from Mount Peak, all mountains were looking like God and goddess to me. Mount Everest summit is flat from one side and slope from anther. We spend more than fifteen minutes on summit. It was our luck that there were no storm at that time.
My second thought was how we would go back safely from summit. While descending from the mountain I was behind Hillary and following him. It is more dangerous to descend from mountain than climb it. One mistake and you would die. Even though it take less time in descending but we were very active and aware. When we reach Camp 9 I thanks God first.
I have always prayed to god and he has always saved me. After reaching camp 9, I and Hillary were not in a mood to talk we were just focusing on our things. We rest around 30 minutes in camp 9. We boiled ice to make lemon drink. We took only sleeping bag with us when we left camp 9.
It wasn’t difficult to go from camp 9 to camp 8. At camp 8, people were watching us and they were very happy to see us. Noyce Ad and Lowe were very happy to see us. They gave us tea to drink.