Lesson 5 • The Summit Within — Bilingual Summary
Class 8 • Honeydew • Author: H.P.S. Ahluwalia
About the Writer — H.P.S. Ahluwalia
H.P.S. Ahluwalia (Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia) an Indian mountaineer and author, was a member of the historic 1965 Indian Everest Expedition. He wrote about courage, discipline and inner strength, and later worked extensively for rehabilitation of people with spinal injuries (founding and guiding institutions in New Delhi). His writings often connect outer adventure with the idea of an inner summit—self-mastery, humility and maturity.
Concise Summary (English)
- The author describes the mixed feelings on reaching Everest—jubilant yet humble before nature’s grandeur.
- He says every mountain has two summits: the outer peak and the inner peak (self-control, courage, willpower).
- Climbing teaches discipline, teamwork and humility; the struggle within is often tougher than snow, wind and rock.
- On the top, climbers leave symbols of reverence (religious images/objects) to express gratitude.
- Real achievement is not fame; it is the deep fulfilment and maturity gained by conquering oneself.
संक्षिप्त सार (Hindi)
- एवरेस्ट पर पहुँचकर लेखक के मन में खुशी और विनम्रता दोनों भाव आते हैं—प्रकृति के वैभव के सामने मन छोटा लगता है।
- हर पर्वत की दो चोटियाँ होती हैं: बाहरी चोटी और भीतरी चोटी (आत्म-नियंत्रण, साहस, इच्छाशक्ति)।
- चढ़ाई हमें अनुशासन, टीम-वर्क और नम्रता सिखाती है; भीतर की लड़ाई अक्सर बर्फ़-तूफ़ान से भी कठिन होती है।
- शिखर पर पर्वतारोही श्रद्धा-चिह्न (धार्मिक प्रतीक/चित्र) छोड़ते हैं—कृतज्ञता का संकेत।
- असली उपलब्धि यश नहीं, बल्कि आत्मिक तृप्ति और परिपक्वता है जो स्वयं को जीतने से मिलती है।
Characters / Figures Mentioned
- H.P.S. Ahluwalia — Narrator/author, Everester; reflects on outer vs. inner summits.
- Teammates — e.g., Rawat and Phu Dorji (mentioned as leaving symbols of reverence).
- Earlier climbers (reference) — e.g., Edmund Hillary (not a character in action here, but cited).
- Spiritual figures (as symbols) — Guru Nanak, Goddess Durga, the Buddha (images/relics left on the summit).
Key Themes / Exam Hooks
- Humility before nature • Willpower & endurance • Internal summit (self-mastery)
- Symbols of reverence left on Everest (gratitude, spirituality)
- Adventure ≠ fame — real reward is inner growth & fulfilment
Class 8 • Honeydew • Lesson 5: The Summit Within
Original NCERT Questions + Options + Bilingual Answers (English + Hindi)
Comprehension Check
1) Standing on Everest, the writer was — (Choose the right item)
- (i) overjoyed.
- (ii) very sad.
- (iii) jubilant and sad. ✅
2) The emotion that gripped him was one of — (Choose the right item)
- (i) victory over hurdles.
- (ii) humility and a sense of smallness. ✅
- (iii) greatness and self importance.
- (iv) joy of discovery.
3) “The summit of the mind” refers to — (Mark the item(s) not relevant)
- (i) great intellectual achievements.
- (ii) the process of maturing mentally and spiritually. ✅ (relevant)
- (iii) overcoming personal ambition for common welfare.
- (iv) living in the world of thought and imagination.
- (v) the triumph of mind over worldly pleasures for a noble cause.
- (vi) a fuller knowledge of oneself. ✅ (relevant)
Working with the Text
1) Answer the following questions.
(i) What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?
(ii) Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?
(iii) What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irresistible?
(iv) One does not do it (climb a high peak) for fame alone. What does one do it for, really?
(v) “He becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe.” Which emotion?
(vi) What were the “symbols of reverence” left by members of the team on Everest?
(vii) What did his experience as an Everester teach him?
2) Write a sentence against each statement (explain it). (Bilingual)
(i) The experience changes you completely.
(ii) Man takes delight in overcoming obstacles.
(iii) Mountains are nature at its best.
(iv) The going was difficult but the after-effects were satisfying.
(v) The physical conquest of a mountain is really a spiritual experience.
Working with Language
1) Fill in the blanks with suitable phrases
Phrases box: at hand, at once, at all, at a low ebb, at first sight
- Teacher: Go to the principal at once and submit your explanation. | तुरंत
- Ila: No, not at all. Why do you ask? | बिल्कुल नहीं
- Mary: Almost every Indian film has an episode of love at first sight. | पहली नज़र का प्यार
- Asif: Why are your spirits at a low ebb today? | मनोबल कम होना
- Shieba: Your big moment is close at hand. | निकट
2) Write the noun forms by adding -ance/-ence
-ance/-ence ⇒ Noun (spelling may shift). | स्पेलिंग बदल सकती है।- endure → endurance धैर्य
- persist → persistence दृढ़ता
- signify → significance महत्त्व
- confide → confidence आत्मविश्वास
- maintain → maintenance रखरखाव
- abhor → abhorrence घृणा
3) (i) Match A with B
- remote → far away from ✅ दूरस्थ
- means → method(s) ✅ साधन/तरीका
- dominant → most prominent ✅ प्रधान/प्रमुख
- formidable → difficult to overcome ✅ दुर्जेय
- overwhelmed → be overcome/overpowered ✅ भाव-विभोर
(ii) Fill in the blanks
- (a) There were formidable obstacles on the way, but we reached safely.
- (b) We have no means of finding out what happened there.
- (c) Why he lives in a house remote from any town or village is a mystery.
- (d) Overwhelmed by gratitude, we bowed to the speaker.
- (e) The old castle stands in a dominant position above the sleepy town.
Speaking & Writing
Task: Write a composition describing a visit to the hills / any beautiful and inspiring place.
Sample (Bilingual)
English: Last year I visited the hills. The pine-scented air and snow-capped peaks filled me with peace. Standing on a high ridge, I felt the majesty of nature. The climb was tiring, yet the silence of the mountains brought humility and inner joy.
Hindi: पिछले वर्ष मैं पहाड़ों पर गया। देवदार की महक और बर्फ़ से ढकी चोटियाँ मन को शांति देती रहीं। ऊँची रिज पर खड़े होकर प्रकृति का वैभव महसूस हुआ। चढ़ाई थकाने वाली थी, पर पहाड़ों की निस्तब्धता ने नम्रता और आंतरिक आनंद दिया।