Everest’s pull

The death of some climbers on Mount Everest recently reminds us that such expeditions have turned into a craze, often becoming an ego issue rather than being pure adventure. Unlike in Sir Edmund Hillary’s days, today’s overzealous climbers think it is a route to fame and money.

It’s true, of course, that sherpas earn a livelihood by helping climbers and mountaineering is Nepal’s only stable industry. But to save lives, there are really two options for Nepal: one, to restrict the number of expeditions; and two, to take experts’ help and keep novice climbers away from dangerous peaks.

Biswanath Ghosh Kolkata