Exploratrice • Inde
Ultimately, we do not conquer Antarctica. It can never be so. We conquer our doubts, our negativities, our sorrows
Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu is the first Indian woman to ski from coast of Antarctica to South Pole covering a distance of 900 kilometers. On 29 December 2009, Dharmshaktu made the historic ski-run as part of an eight-woman Commonwealth team, « the Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition », which crossed an Antarctic ice trek to reach the South Pole
One fine day in the summer of 2008, I read in newspaper that Felicity Aston an adventurer and a writer from UK was leading an expedition to South Pole and was looking for members to join her team. I applied for it and that was the turning point of my life. She selected members from 7 commonwealth countries i.e Cyprus , Jamaica , Singapore , India , Brunei , New Zealand , Ghana . The final selected members of the team underwent strenuous training in Norway. We were taught how to winter camp, ski , first aid , cook food , etc. My husband Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu being an accomplished mountaineer was a huge help for me. My favourite memories of Antarctica when I felt experiencing special energy are the vast endless sky stretching out to meet the earth in the distant horizon. I had never seen such infinite sky. The diamond dust are small particles of snow twinkling like diamonds. One fine day I got out of the tent and the diamond dust falling on me felt like showers of blessings from the heavens. Being from India, we believe that all forms of nature like wind, snow, water, sun, etc. are gods and if you believe and revere them then they are loving allies and not obstructions. Ultimately, we do not conquer Antarctica. It can never be so. We conquer our doubts, our negativities, our sorrows. To the future polar exploration aspirants I would like to say that keep on fanaticizing and dreaming … Do all the research … go for it … Amidst all this harsh exterior of the nature may you find peace, love, joy. May you find yourself. May you connect with your soul. The reality of who you really are. I found all of that.