The Summit Within Summary Class 8 English

Summary of The Summit Within

In this article, we will be reading the summary of The Summit Within. The author and the narrator of this chapter is Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia. The author here describes his experience and feelings standing on Mount Everest. Major Ahluwalia was a member of the Indian expedition to Mount Everest. It was the first successful expedition and took place in 1965. He was too tired physically when he reached the Everest. He felt humbled, joyful, and also sad at the same time. Also, he was very thankful to God.

After climbing the Everest, he concluded that to climb a submit a person requires endurance, persistence, and will power. He further says that he loves the mountains and has a strong urge to climb them. The obstacles in climbing the mountains attract him. He also says that after looking down from the peak of Mount Everest, he felt that all the effort was worth it. According to him, we all have a peek inside us that we need to climb. Both, climbing the Everest peak and the internal peak change you.

The Summit Within Summary in English

In the year 1965, the expedition to Mount Everest was the first successful expedition. Edmund Hillary and Major Ahluwalia were also a part of this expedition. This chapter is a reminisce of this expedition by Major Ahluwalia. He says that standing on the peak of Mount Everest he felt humbled and joyful though he was physically tired. He felt that this joy will remain with him all his life and was thus thankful to God. Also, he was sad somewhere. Though he was not sure about the reason, he thought that it was because now there is no higher peak to climb.

In spite of climbing this summit, he thinks that there is also another summit that we need to climb. It is the summit of our minds. As per his observation, he said that a person requires three qualities to climb any summit. Endurance, persistence, and will power be the three qualities which a person needs to overcome the obstacles of his life. Every person thus enjoys overcoming the obstacles.

On the question of why he chose to climb the Everest, he says that he loves the mountains. As Mount Everest is the highest of them all and it is a great struggle against rock and ice to climb it, he finds it very challenging. He says that he has a strong urge to face the challenges and overcome the obstacles. Also, to him, the joy of climbing Mount Everest is too much as only a few can manage to do this. He adds here that climbing Everest is not just a physical achievement but also is an emotional and spiritual experience. This success has brought him fame and also fulfillment.

He further says that this summit also is a lesson of companionship. Two people share the same rope while climbing the mountain. One climber needs to hold the rope firmly while the other one cuts the steps in the hard ice. The second one then belays and then the first one inches his way up. It is very difficult for a single man to think of climbing a mountain. They need physical as well as the emotional support of their partners.

Ahluwalia further states that after reaching the peak of Everest, they all bowed down to God. He left a picture of Guru Nanak, Rawat left a picture of Goddess Durga, Phu Dorji left a relic of Lord Buddha and Edmund Hillary buried a Cross under the snow at the Everest.

He also says that every person has within him his own mountain peak. Climbing this inner peak is also important as this climb will also change him. He also adds that perhaps the internal summit is even higher than the Everest.