What did Major Ahluwalia and Phu Dorjee leave on the Mt. Everest respectively ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1):

Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia and Phu Dorjee were part of the historic 1965 Indian Everest Expedition, which was a landmark achievement, becoming the first successful Indian expedition to summit Mount Everest. The question asks what each of these prominent climbers left at the summit, respectively. The tradition of leaving a symbolic object at the summit is common among climbers, often representing faith, personal commitment, or a tribute to the mountain itself.

Major Ahluwalia, a Sikh, carried and left a personal item reflecting his faith: **A picture of Guru Nanak**. This act symbolized the deep connection between his spiritual beliefs and the physical feat he had accomplished. It is a powerful statement of faith at the highest point on Earth.

Phu Dorjee, a Sherpa climber on the same expedition, left a religious item consistent with his Buddhist faith: **a relic of Lord Buddha**. Sherpas traditionally have a deep spiritual reverence for the Himalayas and often place religious offerings, such as prayer flags or sacred relics, at high points as a mark of devotion and respect.

Therefore, Option 1, "A picture of Guru Nanak, relic of Lord Buddha," correctly pairs the item left by Major Ahluwalia (Guru Nanak's picture) with the item left by Phu Dorjee (Lord Buddha's relic). Understanding the individual climbers' spiritual backgrounds is key to answering this question, as their choices reflect their personal religious identities.

The incorrect option is (2):
Option 2 states that Major Ahluwalia left "A picture of Goddess Durga" and Phu Dorjee left "A Cross." This is factually inaccurate regarding both climbers. While a picture of Goddess Durga was indeed left on Everest during this expedition, it was left by another climber, Rawat, not Major Ahluwalia. Furthermore, Phu Dorjee, being Buddhist, would not typically leave a Christian symbol like a Cross.

The incorrect option is (3):
Option 3 suggests "A picture of Guru Nanak, A Cross, a picture of Goddess Durga." This is incorrect because it attributes multiple, unrelated items to Phu Dorjee in the sequence and does not maintain the required 'respectively' order. While Major Ahluwalia did leave the picture of Guru Nanak, the combined list of items attributed to Phu Dorjee (A Cross, a picture of Goddess Durga) is wrong, as he left the relic of Lord Buddha.

The incorrect option is (4):
Option 4 suggests that both Major Ahluwalia and Phu Dorjee left "A picture of Goddess Durga." This is definitively incorrect based on the historical account of the 1965 climb. Major Ahluwalia left a picture of Guru Nanak, and Phu Dorjee left a relic of Lord Buddha. This option fails to correctly identify the items left by either climber, leading to a factual error in the context of the expedition.