Ahead of Int'l Mountain Day, films to be screened, mountains to be worshipped

Mumbai: Coinciding with the International Mountain Day festivities and events, films on two daring and pioneering expeditions to Mount Meru and Mount Sudarshan would be screened to imbibe love among students towards nature and engaging in adventure activities.

To mark the occasion, mountains would also be worshipped.

December 11, which this year falls on Monday, is celebrated as International Mountain Day across the world.

On December 10, Sunday, the screening of short films would be done to highlight the exhilarating journeys of mountaineers who achieved the world’s first successful ascent on the western face of Mount Meru and the triumph of female mountaineers who climbed Mount Sudarshan, the first-ever summit from the women’s team from Maharashtra.

“The event aims to honour organizations and individuals working towards preserving mountains and related ecosystems in Pune, aligning with the concept of International Mountain Day,” said veteran mountaineer and Director of Guardian Giripremi Institute of Mountaineering Umesh Zirpe, who is the the President of Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh, the apex body of mountaineers in the state.

Colonel Anshuman Bhadoria, the Principal of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering Uttarkashi, the premier mountaineering institute in India, and Vice Principal Major Deval Bajpai will be the chief guests for the event in Pune.

Since 2003, December 11 has been celebrated globally as International Mountain Day, focusing on various initiatives to restore mountain ecosystems. This year, the theme declared is “Restoring Mountain Eco-System”.

Following this theme, multiple events will be organized worldwide.

On Sunday, a mountain worship ceremony will be held at Hanuman Tekdi near Fergusson College in Pune.

“Mountains hold invaluable significance on Earth and demand our efforts for their conservation, a concept that the organization aims to propagate to future generations. On December 11, short films discussing information about nature and mountain conservation will be showcased in 50 schools across Pune, initiating dialogues among students about the importance of mountains in shaping human civilization,” said Zirpe.