Arunima Sinha comes to Sydney on Novemebr 29
It was a story of utmost courage and determinations against all odds. Arunima Sinha from Uttar Pradesh, India became the first female amputee to scale the Mount Everest on May 21sr, 2013.
Arunima, a national volleyball player, had lost one leg after she was thrown out of a moving train by robbers two years ago. But the amputee decided to conquer the Everest even as she was on her hospital bed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.
Arunima ”˜s brother Omprakash Sinha motivated her to follow her dream.
Says Swami Nikhileshwarananda about Arunima who is a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda that she had placed a picture of Swami Vivekananda on the peak besides the Tricolour after conquering it.
In his article in the Global Vedanta Magazine, Swami writes about Arunima and the darkest period in her life that shraddha (faith) entered her heart when she said to herself ”“ “No, I’ll never admit defeat; I will prove that my well-wishers’ concerns are wrong.”
On Januray 23rd, 2013 she visited one of the branch centres of the Ramakrishna Order where she was presented with a few books of Swami Vivekananda and a small photograph in which pictures of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda are depicted side by side. She was instructed by the monks to read the books and regularly pray whenever she was in distress as she followed their instructions sincerely.
On April 1, 2013 Arunima started her journey and reached base camp on April 17. For one month she stayed there to acclimitize herself and made a small make-shift shrine of the holy pictures and prayed regularly. On May 16 she set herself onthe arduous journey. People from the back would say to her ”˜move on move on’ when once her artificial leg came off. How could she as there was no safe place to attach her artificial leg.
Writes Swami Nikhilswarananda in the article, “While climbing Arunima would often shout loudly ”˜Jai Swamiji’ (Victory to Swami Vivekananda). At times she saw dead bodies on the way. One time about 700 metres away from the summit red light showed on her oxygen cylinder it being almost exhausted. But she saw the summit right in front of her and ignoring the warning from her Sherpa she braved and walked ahead and finally reached the summit on May 21st, 2013 at 10.55am. She placed the flag of India and also placed the holy photograph of Swami Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda in a make-shift altar.”
Arunima Sinha will visit Sydney and stay at Vedanta Centre Mission at Rydalmere along with her brother on November 29. We are sure Arunima will inspire everyone with her story of great courage and her faith in Swami Vivekananda and his words.
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