Everest climber Bhawna Dehariya who brought ecstasy and pride to Indians across the world and her hometown Tamia in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh not only climbed the highest peak of Mount Elbrus located in West of Europe on August 15 but also scaled the East peak of the mountain. She unfurled the Tricolour at the top of Mount Elbrus and celebrated "Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava" while on her expedition.
The iconic woman, by ascending to a height of 5642 metres (18510 feet) above sea level, has now more stories to tell that would inspire future generations.
She is one of the first women from Madhya Pradesh to scale the summit of Mount Everest on 22 May 2019. In addition, she triumphantly climbed Mount Kosciuszko in Australia the same year. Also, she scaled Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro, the continent's highest peak.
She had the perfect opportunity to celebrate Diwali and Holi, two of the most important Indian festivals at the highest peaks.
This time, the expedition was planned for this extraordinarily auspicious day of the Nation. But it was not easy for Bhawna as she had to leave her 15-month-old daughter at home in order to do this summit.
Sharing experience of her expedition, Mountaineer Bhawna told that on August 10, she and her team travelled from Moscow to Mineralny Vody, where they climbed Europe's highest peak.
"The next day was extremely strenuous due to bad weather and I had a blood clot in my nose while undergoing high altitude acclimatisation during the rotation for climatic adaptation at a height of 2346 meters. Thereafter, we established base camp with the group on August 12 at a height of 3888 metres, where we had a rotation for the following two days up to a height of 4500 metres. Notably, because this rotation is considered to be essential for protecting the body from acute mountain sickness and fluctuations in mountain air pressure," Bhawna said.
She further said, "On August 13, at midnight, I and my team left for Mount Elbrus. While, on August 15, at around 5:30 in the morning, I hoisted the Tricolor with grandeur at the peak of Mount Elbrus West, which is 5642 meters (18510 feet) high above sea level. The next day, I along with my team climbed the East peak of Mount Elbrus.
Bhawna says that this is definitely one of the most difficult expeditions as it was strenuous and physically exhausting.
The weather near the top of the mountain was extremely cold with winds blowing up to 35 km per hour making visibility dangerously poor in a freezing temperature of minus 25 degrees Celsius. It made difficult for us even to take a rest for few minutes amid the coldest weather.
Notably, Guinness World Record holder Bhawna is determined to complete the peaks of the seven continents as part of her "Seven Summits Expedition" and unfurl the Tricolor on these highest peaks.
