Prejudice

It was the very last week end of 2016, we had planned to do a guided rock-climbing. Although I have done this before, it was a first time experience with the family as a whole.

We booked the tickets and reached the down hill by morning 6am. There were no body, except a person, appeared like a boy from distance. I crossed the person and started looking for guiding group, rock climbing kits and started climbing towards the mountain. The person called me by phone and said, "pl wait, I am the trainer" . I looked back and realised the person is a girl with the boy-cut hair style, ~aged close to 45 and I started thinking, how come a girl could guide me and that too rock-climbing. For a while, I thought I wasted money by calling guided rock-climbing with this trainer. She said, "let's start, we need to claim this small mountain to reach the rocky patch up and camp there to do the training". I said, "Ok, let's go, this seems a small mountain, so don't have to rest in the middle" and we started. She walked front and we followed.

Within 15min, I realised I could not follow her, as she was climbing very fast, breaking all the plant branches on the way, creating way for us and was very cool & strong. I told her, "can we little slow down?". She smiled at me and started walking slowly. We reached the rocky patch and she opened her big bag and started dismantling the kit. I didn't realise that she carried full climbing kit for 10 people, weighing ~15 kg. She started taking the theory class for about an hour. Amazing explanation about the principles of climbing; 3/4 point contact with the rock; pressure holds, hand/leg holds; body position/endurance; how to use the kit/knot/rope/hammer; drift; breathing.. etc. My god, it is a big science and a graduation can be set on that. Then she started setting up the rope/clamps and demonstrated level 1 (she planned to do 3 levels on that day for training).

I thought I can easily do this, I started first. Within 10% of climbing I realised, it was extremely difficult as there is nothing to hold. We need to lift the entire body only by the power in finger, holding very tiny grooves in the rock. Although I was tied with rope from top, I could not cliam. She claimed (without rope) and holded my leg and helped to go up further. With the great difficulty (with the thought of giving-up on every second) I reached to the top. My kids had the same difficulty, although soumitha is extremely good in climbing. Viji could not do herself, but with the help of rope and push she also completed level 1. We took rest for about 15 min.

Level 2 is basically 75 degree slope with very few grips, where one has to use only power-hold to claim up. In level 2, I was only thinking I should never do claiming in life time. It really took my blood out. Several times failed with lots of scratches . But all the time, the trainer was giving a hope to figure the way use the tiny grooves and power holds. When I complete level 2, I realised that was a too much for the family members. However, Soumitha did level 2, while Viji and Kavin decided not to level 2. Then we all did level 1 multiple times.

After about 15 min rest, the trainer called us, "Guys, let's do level 3". We all shouted, "No way, we are done for the day". Level 3 basically 80 degree slop, but without any grooves. One has to use only power hold to claim. Unless one is able to lift the entire body only with the 2 fingers, this is impossible to do. However, the trainer demonstrated Level 3 climbing to all of us, but none of us could imagine doing that. We returned to down-hill.

While leaving, I went to her with the guilty feeling and asked, "how come you could all these?". She just smiled and said, "Started as passion, but I have been the national trainer for ice-rock climbing in Himalayas for the last 1 decade! Now, moved to a small corporate (dealing with adventure trips) for her living". I was speech less. One thing I realised is, there are "Dangal" girls all-over the country.