to climb a mountain

[cd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Posting for pleasure only, here, please delete if not interested. Its
not Burma, but shows what one man, or woman can do, young or old, to
move mountains. In heart with Suu Kyi's spirit. Tenzing's story that
actually, in part, in a most odd kind of way, saved my life, some time
ago. sometimes i wonder whats harder, to fight for freedom or climb
Everest, or in a way, is it the same thing. If I correctly recall, it
has been written that Tenzing was first on top, but the glory went to
the englishman...check out the dates...

Dawn Star, EuroBurmanet


On top of the world with Tenzing, again
By  Daraen Yawar - Darjeeling - The Telegraph - 26th March 1997

A moment preserved for 47 years in history came alive today as the famed
New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary, who had conquered Mount Everest in
1953 along with his erstwhile colleague, late Sherpa Tenzing Norgay,
unveiled the latter's statue and posed for a photograph beside the
larger - than - life likeness.

Brass bands and bagpipers heralded the arrival of the now 77 - year -
old, craggy - faced mountaineering legend.  Sir Hillary paid a tribute
to the late Sherpa's indomitable spirit.  "He was always different from
other Sherpas," he recalled, admiring the spirit of the man who tried
until he succeeded in cresting the peak on the seventh attempt.

"We spent 15 minutes at the top.  Tenzing and I then returned to the
base camp.  George Lowe, a British climber, was waiting for us with hot
tomato soup," said the Knighted man - of - the - mountains, later.

"George asked me: `Ed, how did to go?' and I said: `George, we knocked
the b...... off.' My mother was a very strict lady.  And it wouldn't
have done to let her know I could use bad language too. But George went
to London and the BBC aired our dialogue, with George repeating it.  My
mother was horrified.  `Ed, you really said that?' she asked.  And I
said `Yes, I'm afraid I did.' That was when I went home after the
Everest adventure," said Sir Hillary.

Regret and tenderness was evident from his tone as he reminiscede about
his last meeting with Tenzing.  "He had come to Delhi to get medical
treatment for a chest complaint.  I was High Commissioner of New Zealand
at Delhi then in 1986.  And later I heard he was no more."

Sir Hillary, who was accompanied by his wife, Lady Joan Hillary,
recalled how he had rushed to Darjeeling to attend his erstwhile
colleague's funeral.  "There was a lot of trouble.  The hill people were
demanding a separate state.  It was May 14 and that day Tenzing was to
be cremated.  Then, those accompanying me and my wife began shouting:
`This is Hillary saab who climbed Everest with Tenzing'."

The Crowds parted and the people screamed, "Shri Hillary zindabad,"
allowing Sir and Lady Hillary to attend the Sherpas last rites.  Yet, no
one blocked his way this time.

Instead, more than 1,000 people, including students from the Himalayan
Mountaineering Institute (HMI), where Tenzing spent his sunset years,
awaited him.  Buntings, flags and streamers added colour to the HMI
premises and a kilometre before to greet Sir Hillary.

The tomb of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay at the HMI is now overshadowed by his
own huge statue, a recast of the famous pose on Mount Everest clicked by
Sir Hillary.

The inscription on Tenzing's tomb reveals the month of May was the most
significant for him, both in life and in death.  Tenzing was born on May
29, 1914; climbed Mount Everest on May 29, 1953; died on May 9, 1986,
and was cremated on May 14, 1986.

Sir Hillary and other mountaineers present today, especially Captain M S
Kohli, the 1965 Everester, and who had organised today's ceremony, and
the HMI president, Colonel H S Chauhan, said Tenzing represented the
best of the Himalayan men, with a remarkable personality.  "He liked to
be at the top," said Sir Hillary.

Born on May 29, 1914 in Solokhumbu, in Thamay region of Nepal, Tenzing
gravitated to Darjeeling which was the hub of mountaineering activities
in 1935, 1936, 1952, and 1953.  After the Hillary - Tenzing conquest of
Everest in 1953, the HMI was established.

Tenzing spent his post - Everest days at the HMI here as adviser and
guide to budding mountaineers.  His son, Jamling Sherpa, who also
followed in his father's footsteps to the top of Everest, also trained
at HMI.  However, eyebrows were raised when he was not felicitated at
today's function, though HMI dignitaries were.

Sir Hillary, who is scheduled to leave for Delhi tomorrow, said his own
days of climbing were over.