A surveyor’s journey through mountains, purpose, and a warming world
Few books in Himalayan literature feel as honest, grounded, and powerful as Pandhraun Chuli (The Fifteenth Peak), written by Khimlal Gautam and published in 2021 by Fineprint. While it tells the story of mountaineering, it goes much deeper—exploring themes of life, identity, love, national pride, and the pressing threat of climate change. More than just a climbing memoir, it reads like a spiritual and personal journey—part autobiography, part reflection, and part quiet protest.
Gautam isn’t an outsider admiring the mountains from afar—he’s a son of the soil, a government surveyor, and a thoughtful observer. As he stands on Everest with a GPS device in hand, he measures not only the world’s highest peak, but his own growth, purpose, and place in the world.
From Barefoot Childhood to Mount Everest
Gautam’s story begins in the hills near Machhapuchchhre, where he grew up barefoot, swimming in mountain rivers. He later becomes the youngest Nepali civil servant and surveyor to reach the summit of Mount Everest. The “fifteenth peak” in the title is not just Everest, but a metaphor for the many personal challenges he’s faced: dreams, doubts, hardships, and triumphs.
His storytelling isn’t linear—it flows like the rivers of his childhood, moving from school memories to Himalayan expeditions, from village surveys to calibrating high-tech instruments on Everest. Throughout, he reflects more on inner growth than external conquest.
Philosophy on Ice
Unlike many mountain memoirs that focus on adrenaline and achievement, Gautam’s tone is quiet, humble, and deeply philosophical. Even in moments of danger—like a near-blindness caused by frostbite—he avoids drama. He accepts both the risks and rewards of his journey with calm.
One of his key insights is about the fleeting nature of success:
“Anyone can reach the top, but no one can stay.”
For him, the summit is not the end goal, but a moment of reflection—just like in life.
He speaks to the mountains as living beings. When describing Machhapuchchhre, he writes:
“You are not just tall; you are alone. You don’t stand in a range. You stand with self-respect.”
This poetic moment shows how, in Nepali culture, mountains are not just physical structures but spiritual guardians.
A Quiet Spirituality
Gautam’s connection to faith is personal, not preachy. His spirituality comes from nature itself—the rivers, rocks, and snowfall. He references Hindu stories like the Matsya Purana and Lord Vishnu saving humanity through Everest, but only as reflections, not doctrines.
The Sherpa rituals, base camp pujas, and references to sacred landmarks like the Yellow Band (likened to Lord Shiva’s forehead line) show how mountaineering in Nepal is deeply spiritual, not just physical.
Witness to the Climate Crisis
What sets this book apart is Gautam’s first-hand observations of climate change. He speaks of melting glaciers, changing snowfall patterns, and growing piles of garbage left behind by climbers. At Everest Base Camp, he writes with sadness:
“Nature made the mountains clean and snow white. People polluted even these sacred places.”
He also references the symbolic 2009 climate cabinet meeting held by the Nepali government at Kalapathar, where he was tasked with measuring its exact height. It’s a powerful reminder of how his work as a civil servant is tied not only to science, but also to national integrity and global responsibility.
Love and the Heart of a Surveyor
Amid the serious themes, Gautam also shares his love story with Hema, a colleague he met through his work. Their connection is shown through small, tender moments—scooter rides, stolen glances, shared ideals. It’s a reminder that behind the man on the mountain is a human being full of love, vulnerability, and longing.
A Nepali Voice in Global Mountain Literature
Gautam’s book stands apart from famous mountaineering classics like Into Thin Air or Annapurna. His voice is not that of a foreign adventurer, but of a Nepali who climbs with a deeper purpose: for mapping the nation, for truth, for pride, and for inner clarity.
He belongs to the growing wave of Nepali mountain writers—alongside names like Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa and Nima Doma—who see climbing not as a conquest but as communion with the land.
Final Thoughts: Mapping More Than Mountains
Pandhraun Chuli is more than a book about reaching the top of the world. It’s a powerful reflection on what it means to climb—with purpose, humility, and awareness. Gautam teaches us that the real peaks aren’t just on maps, but within ourselves. His story is a reminder that greatness isn’t in standing above others, but in standing for something.
At a time when climate change, political challenges, and cultural tensions threaten the Himalayas, Gautam’s words echo like a prayer: that the mountains may remain tall—not just in height, but in meaning.
This book deserves to be read widely and translated globally. It doesn’t just speak to climbers. It speaks to anyone trying to understand who they are, where they belong, and what they stand for.
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