My Story: 'I Was Always Someone Who Wishes To Take Left When The World Tells To Go Right.'

I remember my dad having a heart attack and our world collapsing in a flick. I thought we will be those beggars on the streets if something happens to him, but fortunately, he came out of danger and living a healthy life now.

But we struggled a lot for years, from education to asking for new clothes to living in a big house to even own a cycle, we saw it all. And my dad's courage to keep fighting despite unfavourable circumstances made me a brave woman. If he can do anything, I am his daughter after all.

I was always someone who wishes to take left when the world tells to go right. I started as a solo traveller when it was a very new thing in India to travel to lesser-known regions as a solo woman. But I did that for 5 years, inspiring a lot of young women of our country to have the courage to fight this stereotype of women being unsafe outside.

Once it become slightly normal for women in the country to travel solo, I tried to seek another challenge and landed up mountaineering. I climbed a lot of mountains, to name a few in 6 months, Deo Tibba, Mentok Kangri, Gangstang, Yuman, and the list goes on.

Breaking Stereotypes- The Ama Dablam Climb

I saw a photo of Ama Dablam in a magazine when I was in Nepal before covid, it said the most beautiful mountain in the world. It became a part of my dreams ever since. And genuinely, my Sherpa, Phurba said on the summit that I am one of the first few women from India to climb this mountain. I was surprised. I didn't know. I was climbing the mountain for my dream and to prove that I am strong enough and not at all for the feat.

I did my basic mountaineering course from NIM and then started climbing to practice all that I'd learned. Ama Dablam is a technical mountain that requires rock, ice and snow skills. Because I had climbed some of the mountains mixed with these skills, I was ready to give my best shot.

When I was at the base camp and 2 days before we were to move for high camps, I got my periods, and it went off in a day. I was relieved that my summit is safe now, even though my date was later around the middle of November. But, after 4 days, when we were at Camp 2 and was starting our summit push at around 11:30 or 12 (night), I slowly started to get cramps. My abdomen was hurting me so bad.

I was crying and cursing being a woman. I was shouting at myself how can you be so weak that you are giving up on this. There were so many emotions altogether. The worst was that I could see that I can do this, but my body was saying no. Towards camp 3, I kept telling Phurba that I can't go any further and he was so nice that he kept pushing me slowly and smartly.

Start Pushing Ourselves Further

When I reached camp 3, Phurba and I decided to return after resting in a tent. There, we met a man from the Czech Republic with his guide there. He asked me, what is your plan, are you going ahead or going back. And to my surprise, my mouth said of course up to the summit. Phurba was extremely surprised. My body said what are you saying. And my mind said you can't possibly do this, but my heart said what it had to.

I was the last person to reach the top that day. Yes, I was that slow! I cried twice on the way between the summit and camp 3, which made Phurba cry too. When I finally made it to the top, after almost giving up a zillion times, I fell and didn't stand for 15 mins. Everybody left by that time, and I cried. I didn't see the view or the summit even. But when I stood up, I didn't feel anything and hugged Phurba, thanking him.

However, he said nothing. He just pointed towards Mount Everest and said that I have to go there next. His thought stays with me till today. I wish I am able to reach the top of Everest, I hope. I am crowdfunding if there is anybody who would wish to help.

At the end of the day, we are women and we have periods. Nothing can stop that, so why don't we slowly start pushing ourselves? I know it is hard, but it isn't impossible. I climbed Ama Dablam, imagine. And there are many women who have climbed Everest and many more big mountains too. We got this. Just a little push and we can be on the mountains quite literally or metaphorically as well. Don't let periods stop you from doing anything, not just climbing mountains.

If you too have an inspiring story to tell the world, send us your story at mystory@thelogicalindian.com