In terms of Sikkim’s perspective, the first three
expeditions holds special for a person by the name of Gyalzen Kazi, who was a
landlord but played an important role during the expeditions. Gyalzen Kazi was
the interpreter for the 1921 Everest Expedition and had worked both as
interpreter and Sirdar (Chief Climbing Sherpa) on the 1922 and 1924 Expedition.
It is well said that Gyalzen Kazi and Karma Paul (another interpreter from
Darjeeling) were the first ‘Sherpas’ to have helped the Everest Expeditions. Gyalzen
Kazi was known more for his role of interpreter and Sirdar but to my findings he
was the first mountain explorer of Sikkim.
Another
interesting finding that came to me was the page of Aritar Dak Bunglow Visitor
Book that has the name of five mountaineers of the 1922 Mt Everest Expedition. Charles
G. Bruce, Edward "Teddy" F. Norton, Dr Arthur Wakefield, C. John
Morris and C. Geoffrey Bruce had signed at the visitor book during their stay
at the Dak Bungalow on July 29 and 30, 1922. Thou I felt little sad not to find
Mallory’s name on the book nevertheless those five names was enough to rub my
excited heart. Charles G. Bruce was the Expedition leader with a Brigadier rank
while Morris and Geoffrey Bruce were responsible for translation and organizational
tasks. Norton and Wakefield were mountaineers with medical background. Apart from these people there were eight
other expedition members in the 1922 ascent to Mt Everest.
 |
| Gyalzen Kazi and Karma Paul |
Thou
it had been mentioned in different accounts that the first three Mt Everest
Expedition team (1921, 1922 and 1924) did stay at Aritar Dak Bungalow but I have
not come across the 1921 and 1924 records on the Visitor Book.
Coming back to Mallory, ever since his dead body
with his face down on the snow had been recovered the assumptions of whether
the two missing mountaineers reached to their ultimate goal has been running
high. Although it was Hillary and Tenzing who took the crown of being the first
mountaineers to successfully return back after reaching the summit after 30
years of Mallory’s sudden disappearance.
Everest has deep secrets under its calm silence and
in between there are stories that keeps on popping did they reached at the
top. Mallory had a photograph of his
wife and he had promised to her that he would click the photograph of himself
with his wife’s photograph at the summit. When the search team found the body
they failed to recover the photograph from the pocket of his cloth. Some
believe the photograph might have been left at the summit. The camera which the duo had been carrying is
still to be recovered and no one knows if it is found in near future we might
witness the lost moment of human heroics.
If speculations are to be believed, the presence of
snow goggles found on the on Mallory’s pant pockets throw a different
perspective of the event. It could be that they were returning after achieving
the summit after sunset when the snow goggles are not needed. Irvine’s snow axe
had also been recovered.
These theories related to George Mallory had made
him a legend and we are still awaiting more findings that could end up the
speculations to its end. Irrespective of all these the efforts of George
Mallory needs to be appreciated. It was his fantasy and ‘only him’ that made
the thought of reaching the summit of Mt Everest fascinating and appealing to
all.
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