A 22-year-old man from the city of dreams, Mumbai, wanted to conquer the Himalayas by reaching mount Everest. How did he succeed?
Charkha Features / written by Alka Gadgil
“Do you sleep well at night? Do you dream in your sleep? You probably do. But, do you strive to make all your dreams come true? Not always! I am going to try to live my dream though. I am embarking on my exciting journey from Maharashtra to the Himalayas. One step towards my goal,” shared 22-year-old Siddhant Ragini Mahesh Ganai on WhatsApp, when he was finally ready to embark on his mission to conquer the Himalayas.
In March 2020, Siddhant was perusing a bachelor’s degree in botany, from Bhavan’s College in Mumbai’s Andheri, when he decided to launch his trip. At that point he had no money, but he had started collecting resources for it.
Then, the national lockdown was announced, and his plan was grounded. In July 2021, when the lockdown was lifted, Siddhant set out for his journey from Mumbai.
Onwards And Upwards!
“I thought that I would be able to conquer mount Everest, but when I researched, I learned that it takes about anywhere between 30 to 50 lakhs. The wings of my dream were cut off by the scissors of reality. I had to quash my dream, but that’s okay, not everything is in your reach. But, someday, I will definitely think about it,” he said.
Many young people like Siddhant have to abandon their dreams due to their economic circumstances. But, it’s also a fact that your imagination and resolve can take you anywhere.
For a Himalayan trip, you need woolen clothes, shoes, sunglasses, and money, among other things. Siddhant’s friends helped him, and they were able to put together the paraphernalia and money required for his Himalayan adventure.
“Many small and big adventures will happen, they will live with you through Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube,” wrote Siddhant on social media the day he started his Himalayan journey.
Overcoming Abuse And Poverty
Siddhant had always faced a resource crunch. He narrated:
“My past was very turbulent. My father was an alcoholic. My mother abandoned us. We had nothing left with us, hence, we had to seek shelter under a bridge at Andheri. But soon, the police picked us up. Then my maternal aunt came to my rescue. She took me with her and I started going to school at Karwar, in Karnataka, where she lived.”
Siddhant returned to Mumbai when he was in the eighth standard and started living at Maitrakul. He sought admission in a near-by government school.
Along with that, he also started teaching younger children (Bag Shala) from the bastis around the neighbourhood. Bag Shala is a local, informal, coaching class for children from disadvantaged families.
Maitrakul was founded by activist Kishor Jagtap. It is a hostel for children from the weaker sections of society, who find it difficult to pursue school-education due to challenging circumstances at home.
Travelling On A Shoe-String Budget
Siddhant said, “I decided to start my journey with my backpack, foldable tent and very little cash. Why do you need money? I had decided not to spend money on food and stay. When you are travelling, you make friends and they offer you shelter and food—that’s been my experience. I travelled for three months and not once did I buy food. Mine was zero budget travel, and I did a trial run of my plan before setting out for real.”
He added, “I traveled in my area for two days and I was able to secure two meals a day. During my travel to the Himalayas, when people saw me walking, fatigued, tired and thirsty, many of them helped me on their own. I didn’t have to consume any medicines during the entire trip as I didn’t fall sick even once.”
Siddhant walked for 20-30 km every day.
“I didn’t take the highways on purpose. I chose mud roads which passed through villages. The journey was not just about reaching the destination, I also wanted to have a dialogue with the people. I wanted to know more about their culture and world view,” he said.
The expedition took him a total of 80 days.
Good Samaritans Helped Him
“We all need oxygen, but we don’t really care for our environment. I used to hold discussions with people on the way. I saw filth and squalor in almost all places. Then, I decided to take part in seed bombing, where seed balls are dropped in a barren area. The first two weeks were very difficult. My feet were strained and I got fissures on them. But, after a few days, they healed on their own,” Siddhant informed.
Siddhant didn’t get breakfast or lunch on certain days. But, he did manage to get shelter during the nights and supper on most days. The kind souls who helped him didn’t belong to the middle class, but to the class which lives on the edges.
He used to hold discussions with people on issues such as the Coronavirus, environment, and about life and living in general.
Did he manage to get food and shelter without being probed about his caste? Most Indians would not give shelter to a person from a caste they consider to be inferior. Indians still conduct their social lives largely within caste hierarchies.
What was Siddhant’s experience? “Well, in Maharashtra I was never asked about my caste, but in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, people asked me for my caste almost everywhere.”
A Pair Of Shoes And A Bittersweet Ending
Finally, Siddhant reached the Gangruk Kokra river in Nepal after walking in snow for several hours. From there, he had to go to Annapurna: the base camp for Himalayan mountaineering.
“I was supposed to reach a place where a group was going to host me. But, I just lost all my energy and I decided to halt for a while. I was dead tired and famished. I was in my tent when a man came looking for me. I couldn’t understand the words he was saying, but I understood what he meant. He offered me a sumptuous meal. He also noticed that my footwear was not suitable for the terrain, and gave me a pair of shoes. I received a warm welcome in Nepal,” shared Siddhant.
When he reached the Annapurna Base camp in Nepal, located on the foothill of the Himalayas, he was ecstatic. That was his journey’s end. But, there was a mixed feeling. Shouldn’t there be a sense of accomplishment at the end? Siddhant nods and signs off with a smile.
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The author is a development worker and writer from Maharashtra. Share your feedback on features@charkha.org