Three cups of tea , by Greg Mortenson . Viking .

The recent controversy surrounding Greg Mortenson’s book was unknown to me when I started reading it. A professionally qualified nurse, a mountaineer, a dreamer, champion of women’s education and a philanthropist the writer had all the right combination to motivate me to read his story. The story is about an American mountaineer who loses track in an attempt to scale Mount K2 and finds himself in a god forsaken land in Pakistan. The inhabitants of this remote region extend their warm hospitality to this strange American, nurse him for days and bring him back to life from the brink of death.  The American is overwhelmed by this experience and promises to build a school for the hapless inhabitants. The story then moves on to Greg’s fascinating journey through the interiors of Pakistan and Afghanistan, his dogged efforts to gather funds from rich American donors, his numerous encounters with local customs and traditions till he finally completes his mission by building not one but several schools and vocational centres  in the remotest parts of Pakistan.

The Baltis are mountain people who populate the least hospitable high altitude valleys in Northern Pakistan. They had originally migrated from Tibet six hundred years ago and their Buddhism was replaced by Shiite Islam. They retained their language an antique form of Tibetan. The book beautifully captures details of the Balti way of life . The people are extremely poor but warm and hospitable. Over the years Haji Ali the village headman becomes almost like a father to Mortenson.  Mortenson writes  ‘If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways. The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die. Doctor Greg, you must take time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated but we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time.’ That day, Haji Ali taught me the most important lesson I’ve ever learned in my life. We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly…Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them.”

Mortenson was in Pakistan during the the attack on twin towers. He ignored repeated government warnings issued to American nationals in Pakistan to move out of the troubled country and  continued with his travel and  work in the remotest corners of Pakistan .The atmosphere was all charged up yet the manner in which ordinary villagers welcomed him and women prayed for the well being of Americans terror struck in a “village called New York” by placing eggs on his palm touches your heart. For Mortenson these people were family .The words of the religious head, ashamed of such an un-Islamic act committed by the Talibans, addressed to the masses of tearful villagers, expressing his gratitude towards Mortenson and his fellow Americans ,can only reiterate one’s faith in the inherent goodness of the human soul. That true religion never preaches violence is reinforced once again through the simple gestures of these poor villagers and their wise leader.

Greg has been accused of falsifying facts, telling lies and misusing funds. However all that came much later .The story is about Greg’s initial days of struggle and the hardships he faced in chasing a dream and his final triumph over all adversities. Even if there is lot of fiction in what he wrote the story can be enjoyed just for the sake of the engrossing human narrative. The descriptions of the Karakoram ranges are haunting .No wonder it became such a bestseller and sold millions of copies. Read the book if you are interested in mountain life and believe in every woman’s right to education. A person like Greg Mortenson will always be my hero

Ref: Image above from

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Cups-Tea-Greg-Mortenson/dp/0141034262

To the end of the Earth: The race to solve Polar exploration’s greatest mystery/ Tom Avery, Atlantic Books

For a change I picked up this book on Polar expedition. Normally I am not too fascinated by sports writing and adventure sport is something far far removed from the staid and boring life I am used to. However not a bad choice given the atmosphere outside which at the moment resembles a raging furnace. Kolkata is boiling and at least in imagination for a while I was being transported to the land of ice and snow whenever I was travelling with Avery in the Polar terrain. Almost over hundred years ago after a daring explorer Robert Peary had announced his conquest of the North Pole and was widely disbelieved, Tom Avery a British explorer decides to make a bid for the North Pole following Peary’s route and methods. Avery being a Peary fan wanted to vindicate the great man’s position which to date is shrouded in mystery. He betters Peary’s record and returns convinced about Peary’s achievements. The tale is engrossing.

The first hand narrative captures in great detail – the “awe inspiring scenery “,”the deafening silence” ,”the raw beauty of Mother Nature” , the” wickedly cruel ,breathtakingly beautiful  wilderness” ,the numerous pressure ridges to negotiate, the extremely arduous nature of the trip, the extraordinary strength of the dog teams who pulled the wooden sleds , the spirit of teamwork and the bonding between man and animal , the occasional frictions amongst team members ,the resilience of the human body and its capacity to withstand extreme climatic conditions , the use of snow bath to cleanse the body and the use of a pee bottle by men  , the sudden encounter with dogs who run away with the toilet roll but lick up the man to clean him up in exchange and many  such captivating incidents fill up the book of  just over 300 pages. Equally fascinating is the story about Peary’s determination to be known as the conqueror of North Pole and the numerous spats between Peary and his adversary and fellow explorer Dr Frederick Cook, who tried to upstage and defame him on several occasions.

Why do some people undertake such hazardous missions in life? For people like Avery it is simple – he enjoys doing it. For people like Peary it was sheer ambition to become a trail blazer. North Pole is now promoted by tour agents who fly tourists to the spot for a fortune. At the summit Avery and his team were greeted by champagne swilling Portuguese tourists who had been flown in from the Ice Station Barneo. The eco-system that existed during Peary’s time no longer exists and the Arctic ice is fast disappearing due to increasing global warming. Avery raises his concern against this impending catastrophe faced by human civilization.

The book is a good read for people who want to know more about the North Pole and also for those who want to know more about adventure sports and about how such expeditions are planned and  organised. A literary writer can only do justice to the romantic beauty of the place.