essay on holi festival in nepal

  

Mt. Everest

Sagarmatha

          Mt. Everest which towers to an altitude of 8,848m high from the sea level is the highest mountain in the world. Mt. Everest lies in the Nepalese part of the Himalayas, the highest mountain range of the world. Mt. Everest is the fifth furthest point from the center of the earth. Mt. Everest is a major attraction for mountaineers from around the world. It is an exclusive gift of nature and a symbol of pride and attraction for humans.

          Mt. Everest is called Sagarmatha, 'forehead in the sky' in Nepali, and Chomo Lungma, 'holy-mother' in Tibetan. Its Nepali name was given by historian Baburam Acharya while the official English name was given after British surveyor Sir George Everest. Earlier the mountain was known as Peak XV.

             Mt. Everest is a pyramid-shaped horn with three major ridges. Mt. Everest is hugely covered by glaciers. The coldest winter temperature on the summit may be as low as -60° C. It's a bit warmer in summer which is the main season of climbing. There are several other neighboring peaks such as Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, and Pumori around Mt. Everest. Namche Bazaar is called the gateway to the peak. South Col, the southeast ridge route, is the major route to the peak of Mt. Everest.

The ascent expeditions to Mt. Everest started in the early twentieth century. But the first successful attempt was made on 29 May 1953 jointly by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Since then more than 5,000 people have reached the world's highest summit. Many of them have scaled it without supplemental oxygen. Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi of Nepal have set a record by reaching the summit 21 times, the most times so far.

People from different walks of life have attempted to climb Mt. Everest. Many people have set world records. Some climbers including Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali lady climber, and porters have lost their lives in their ventures.

Mt. Everest area has been badly polluted with plastic, glass, and metal. In 1976 AD, this area was turned into the Sagarmatha National Park in order to protect its nature and culture. The park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989 AD. It is rich in flora and fauna.