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My Voyage to the North Pole
Gurpreet Singh Anand

In times of stress and strife, when there is very little to cheer, the news of some Sikh, living a normal life in Delhi and suddenly taking wings to go to unseen lands, raising his head high with the turban, comes not only as a relief but as a matter of humble pride to the entire Sikh community.

Life is a journey, from one path to another, from pilgrimage to another and I am destined to do that, says Gurpreet Singh, who along with his wife Gurmeet Kaur, is the first Sikh couple to travel to the North Pole, the South Pole and the base camp of Mount Everest.

Though a private person, whose remarkable achievements have not been widely recognized, he has made the Sikh world proud. Anyone who reads his account will be inspired, like him to take a journey to unknown seas and lands, which may turn out to be a pilgrimage in search of truth and self.

World Sikh News proudly presents an exclusive first person account by Gurpreet Singh along with an exclusive interview with the pilgrim of new lands, a journey the like of he proposes to continue. World Sikh News wishes him well and hopes that readers will be encouraged to be as and more adventurous than him.

Why North Pole? It seemed like a prize, like a summit on the super mountain, right on top of the world. The dream that we were fed with was of the view of the Earth spinning below you around its pole as you were on its top most locale. Mankind has always wished to see this sphere, visualizing that you are on top and the earth is turning around.

It was this that made my wife Gurmeet Kaur and me embark on a journey from humdrum of the Delhi metropolis to the eerie silence of a frozen ocean, risking not just money, but possibly life, even though, throughout the journey we were to be ensconced in the comfort of the world's most secure ice breaker. .this fear was the last thing that came to mind ....clearly a bit of dare devilry ... a bit of hero inside overtook us. The conquest of the Pole is a sporting stunt and we were ready to do it.

The Voyage to the North Pole began by embarking at 4 p.m. on 10th July from Murmansk (Russia) onto the world’s largest and most sophisticated ice breaker –“50 Years of Victory”, the first of the Arktika class Nuclear powered Russian nuclear fleet that took more than 15 years in the making. It is not a passenger ship but a working nuclear ship that weighs an impressive 75000 tonnes.

On board were 120 passengers from 24 nations including four from India and another five of Indian origin, who have now made USA their home. On 11 July, passing through Barents Sea, the giant ship sailed towards the frozen wastes of the planet, that for millions of years had eluded man's footprints. On 12th July landings were made by helicopter at Cape Tegetthof as the ship sailed through Austrian Channel. Outside the wind roared ...then died ....suddenly sprang up again, dropped and ....blew again even as we held the scene around all dressed up for the location. Our fingers were frozen.

"We are no more than human beings with human fallings" wrote the legendary North Pole adventurer Nansen ....and so this is what we felt, hundred years later, during our quest of the North Pole.

On 13^th July 2009, we had landed on Franz Josef Land. Here we were told of how we were amongst the few hundreds, who in the past 100 years, since the North Pole was conquered, to set foot on Franz Josef Land. One of Nansen's contemporary -Hjalmar Johansen got to the heart of the matter, when he observed in his diary that they had challenged the power of Nature and learned that mankind is a miserable insect ---and yet it is wonderful to be a human being.

The next day as we were northbound through the pack ice when floes took hold of the ship even while it went through cracking frozen ice as like a knife through butter. It was not the feeling of sailing on sea but drifting on ice. No more birds were visible and all around were sheets of white from the frozen Arctic Ocean to the all white sky. It was as if we were on another planet.

There were icebergs around and some with frozen air bubbles looked amazingly blue. In the icy region here the sun shines day and night and one would think of everlasting summer but for the chill in the air and ice and desolation. Nothing grows here in colour…only sheets and miles and miles of white ....ice. Even the bears and birds are white.

On 15^th July, as we were approaching our destination, we were treated to a talk by Bob from the Scott Polar Institute UK about "Those who preceded us".

This was also the day we saw Polar Bears, including an encounter with two Polar Bears having a feast of seal they had caught and were eating with relish even while running from the ship and leaving behind a trail of blood on the white ice they were reluctant to part with their kill. And suddenly from, almost from nowhere scavenger birds were picking up dropped flesh pieces a few feet from the Polar Bears. It was a scene right out of the National Geographic Channel.

There was ice here, there, everywhere. Ice and more ice, ice was all around. Even as all passengers were on the bow of the ship watching the phenomenon of reaching the North Pole and the ship was cracking the ice as it sailed to the pole and the ice growled and roared and howled with ice blocks tumbling around us some as big as 50 feet big!.

There is no one place the pole is ..there is no physical place of the North Pole, it is only identified by 90 Degrees North and even as the Earth circles around its axis the Pole keeps moving. When the ship reached 89.90 Degrees North we expected to be there soon .But it was not to be it took close to 2 hours to have ship's GSM record 90 Degrees North. Amidst great jubilation all around, champagne was served to celebrate the occasion.

The surface across which we were moving was itself a moving surface -on a planet that was spinning about on its axis. The time was 11.57 hours on 15th July 2009. In couple of minutes, the ship sailed again to find solid ice where passengers could be lowered down for the photo opportunity and for the BBQ on the ice. One seemed to have reached the very end of the world…land without form or expression with nothing beyond. It was a solemn moment, marked by silence of 60 seconds as we all stood still, matching the stillness of ice around us.

All passengers were asked to hold hands and make a circle. A red pole with 90 degrees North written on it was planted in the centre. By holding hands, we symbolised 'one world'. Soon we removed the Indian Tricolour we had carried and held it aloft along with Arvinder Singh Bahal from Boston, Mr and Mrs Badri from Mumbai, Dr Rao from Las Vegas and Mr and Mrs Rama from Indiana. As the flag was fluttering and we were having goose pimples relishing the moment, the eleven Chinese passengers on board were quick in taking out the Chinese Red Flag.

It suddenly dawned on us what a momentous occasion it was for each one of us with Turbans. We had our moments of humble Sikh pride and we prayed to Waheguru for a successful journey.

The adventurous were quick in taking a polar plunge in the icy cold water even as they were held by cord. We were busy clicking pictures and before we could realize it, we were all back on the ship for the return journey.

The next day most of us slept well even though there was excitement all around. The next 4 days we journeyed though Cape Norway, Franz Joseph Land and Tikhaya Bukhta -the abandoned Russian North Pole Station. We were sailing back to Murmansk as the birds flew along with us.

Amongst the icy wastes we could see the spears of weak sunlight falling through and piercing the icy mists. We reached Murmansk on 21st and stayed in its waters before disembarking on 22nd July at 7 am to catch our flights back home.

For the past 14 days no night had come it was continuous day light for all these days. It was not hard to imagine how depressing and difficult, it may have been for those adventurers who walked the journey, which we made by ship.

All three Sikhs on board had travelled to the North and the South Pole to the Antarctic and to the Base Camp of the middle pole ....Mount Everest. Looking back, we could not help recalling that the journey was even more interesting and fascinating than the destination.

As we reached home, I could not help but recollect TS Elliot’s words, “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time"......we couldn't agree more.

Till we meet again, before, during or after another pilgrimage in the journey of life.

Internet activist and young WSN writer Harjinder Singh tracks down Gurpreet Singh Anand, who alongwith his wife had recently reached the North Pole. He conducts this interview with Gurpreet Singh through the internet and phone. He brings out the flavour of the trip of Gurpreet Singh and the moments of pride and love of Sikhi amongst the couple, which will certainly be shared and enjoyed by the Sikh world.

North Pole under the Sikh belt
Harjinder Singh

WSN: Sikhs are a martial community and adventure is part of the tradition. Exploring new lands has been the forte of those inclined in sports as well as those political leaders who wanted to conquer new territories. Tell us, what made you go to the North Pole?
Gurpreet Singh: No, I had no such ambition to conquer new territories. If at all, after many years of traveling, it was just a wish to fill the blank spaces in my travels on the world map. After traveling to the Antarctica near the South Pole last year, the North Pole was the obvious next destination.

WSN: After the Indian Navy men who reached the North Pole in April 2008, you are the next set of people from South Asia to reach there. Is that right? How many Indians have conquered the North Pole so far?
Gurpreet Singh: Not more than five individuals apart from the Indian Navy men.

WSN: What is the fascination of going to icy lands, where spending day, night, eating, drinking, daily chores is like fighting a battle?
Gurpreet Singh: Every new destination, particularly to the far off lands is like putting oneself up against targets and then going out to attain them.

WSN: How much preparation did you put it? How did you prepare your children for the risks involved? How did you think of going to the North Pole? How did your voyage become real? Can you please narrate the sequence?
Gurpreet Singh: If you think too much what you are doing the enormity of the task can stop you from getting it done. Hence didn’t think much on it. To prepare for the voyage we first went in another ship that goes upto the Artic Circle 82 degrees north to see what kind of conditions we will face in our main journey. Most of the preparations involved reading about the voyage by adventures and explorers in the last 200 years and the hardships and constant struggle for their survival. As our journey was not like a journey of an explorer since we went up to the North Pole on Nuclear Ice Breaker and in comforts of the ship, readings enhanced and perception of the great explorers getting all proper gear for the North Pole like Arctic clothing, shoes, caps, mittens, leg warmers, and also extra batteries and memory chips for camera’s was another task as these things are not available in India at present. Yes, we did plan in case we eventually never returned to our son.

WSN: What was your inspiration for all these travels?
Gurpreet Singh: From childhood, I used to read a lot about explorers. When in my teens, I pursued philately so much that I became the editor of a stamp magazine. I represented India in many philately events and won several awards. At 18, I wrote a book on Stamp Collecting. Every stamp in my collection would conjure images of far off lands from where the stamps came. I think somewhere in that period the seed of travel was sown, though I was not aware of it that one day I will travel so far and wide and chase my dreams.

WSN: Since when have you been traveling? Tell us more about where all you have been?
Gurpreet Singh: I have been travelling since 15 years but real traveling has been in the last four years. Like everyone’s business, my work was also affected by recession. I thought this is the opportunity Waheguru ji has given for me to have time to chase my travel dreams and so I ventured on trips to the remotest areas of Siberia, Mongolia, Tibet, Yunnan, Syria, Turkmenistan , alll countries on Silk Route like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Burma.

My journeys have mostly been earlier to places where Islam has taken over as major religion and recording in pictures and videos the customs of earlier layers of religion in such places so as to make some kind of a record of what existed before people changed their religions. In a sense the turmoil of a minority religion and its persecution as also links with India in the past has been my motivation in going to such places against all odds of visa denials and so on.

WSN: It has been almost a month since you reached the North Pole. Has any Sikh organisation, any government body recognized your feat?
Gurpreet Singh: No one has contacted us thus far. Please understand it is like just another journey and it happens to be the North Pole, this time. It is an enterprising endeavour in itself, but it is not an exploration or discovery as such.

WSN: It is remarkable that all three of you –Gurpreet Singh, your wife Gurmeet Kaur and your Boston friend Arvinder Singh have joined the select band of 300 people from across the world that have scaled the Base camp at Mount Everest and have been to the South Pole and the North Pole? How does it feel?
Gurpreet Singh: We met Sardar Arvinder Singh Bahal only in Murmansk, Russia when we boarded the ship. During our stay we exchanged our travel experiences. We were certainly aware and conscious that “we three Sikhs” had traveled all the three poles- north, south and the middle. It does give great satisfaction that the Almighty ordained that in this lifetime we could see so many places.

WSN: I understand the mission to North Pole was for World Peace. Tell us how does going to the North Pole uphold world peace?
Gurpreet Singh: No, there was no such mission as such. There was no organization supporting such cause and each individual paid for his or her own travels. It was only when we reached the North Pole that the Chief of Expedition Mr. Jan Bryde announced that when we land on ice at the North Pole we will form a circle symbolizing Earth with the red color 90 Degrees north written in the centre. Each passenger joined hands with the other and walked on circle of earth symbolizing rotation on Axis of earth. We then stopped for a minute of silence for peace on earth. By going to the North Pole, citizens of the 24 nations that were represented signified that it is our common heritage and we must uphold the charter of AECO -Association of Artic Expedition Cruise Operators that ensures that we leave the Arctic region in the same position as it was before we reached there. We must not contribute to its decay or pollute the virgin areas. We must understand that while we are on top of the world, it is a fragile region and its remains must not be tampered with.

WSN: Please describe the ship "T50 Lyet Pobyedi" you traveled in detail?
Gurpreet Singh: T50 Lyet Pobyedi in Russian, in English to “50 Years of Victory”. This is the most advanced Nuclear Ice Breaker of the Russian Nuclear fleet that only in summer takes two expedition form Private charters of us and German companies to the North Pole. The ship is first in Arktika class of ice breakers and took 15 years in building. It first sailed in 2007 and it is powered by two nuclear reactors. This 75,000 tones ship has a top speed of 21.4 knots in open waters and is registered in Russia by Rosatomfiot. With crew strength of 140 the ship has 64 cabins to accommodate 128 passengers, though we were only 120 in our journey. The ship is 159 meters long and 30 meters in breadth. In its first voyage in 2007 it broke records as it is larger, heavier and faster than any ice breaker in the world.

WSN: Did you have any problems adjusting to the whole routine as Sikhs, with your turban and beard?
Gurpeet Singh: It wouldn’t be true if I said no. The foremost problem is one of acceptability. With televisions channels portraying Taliban everyday few know the difference between a Sikh and a turban attired and bearded Taliban. Once this was explained we had welcome company. Each one of whom we exchanged notes during our sittings- the first thing they knew of Sikhs was their valour.

Going out in biting chilly winds required woolen caps to be worn during day time and with winds blowing my beard was haywire and I was quite conscious of tying it very often in a day.

WSN: Did the turban and beard give you any advantage? Tell us more about your experiences when you interacted with more than 100 of your co-travelers and apprised them of the importance of the turban and showed them the way to tie it.
Gurpreet Singh: A day before our disembarkation, Sardar Arvinder Singh Bahal gave demonstration on how to tie a Turban. When he asked for a volunteer to tie the turban a Columbian lady volunteered and kept turban the whole day on her as everyone complimented on her looks with the turban on.

During the journey one Mr. Nanda from Amritsar (settled in US for 40 years ) who had never put turban in life requested Arvinder ji to put one on him for captain’s welcome party and was appreciated by one and all. On last day of Journey he himself put on another of Arvinder Singh Ji’s turban. It reminded me of our Principal Late Sardar Gurdial Singh Dhillion who in one of Divinity classes told us how Sikhs with the turbans on their head are ambassadors of the faith and the country. None symbolizes a person from India better than one with a turban.

Even as the demonstration of tying the turban was in progress I explained to the gathering the importance of turban in Sikh faith. I told them how our Guru ordained that with the attire of a turban on his head a Sikh can be recognized in an assembly of 125,000 people. And if any one is oppressed by any other person, it is the duty of a Sikh to go to the aid of such oppressed person by the oppressor without thinking he is a Hindu or Muslim or of any caste or religion.

This was received with a thunderous applause.

WSN: In the early seventies, Paramjit Singh Sehra spent 18 months in the South Pole, doing research. Do you have any proposals by you for a long stay at the North Pole, South Pole or elsewhere?
Gurpreet Singh: I am a mere traveler, not an explorer. To compare us with Paramjit Singh Sehra would be belittling his achievement. We cannot speak two people in one sentence – one who climbed Mount Everest and one who has air dropped at Mount Everest.

WSN: What is your profession? What are your interests besides adventure? How do your familiy members react to such risk-filled life?
Gurpreet Singh: I am in Fashion Export business. My Interests besides traveling are reading, photography, religion and philosophy. I am fortunate that my life partner shares my passion for traveling. So does my son who has traveled widely even though he is merely 20 years old.

WSN: Monty Panesar was the first Sikh to play cricket for England. Manmohan Singh is India's first Sikh PM. I put you in the league of FIRST Sikh men and women who have done something commendable and made the community proud? What is it like for you?
Gurpreet Singh: Thank you for this privileged status, but I am too small a person to be even spoken of in the league of such illustrious Sikhs. For me personally it is just another destination. I am just a pilgrim for life is only a pilgrimage.

WSN: The first three Sikhs to reach the North Pole have opened up a whole new realm of possibility for Sikhs. Arpinder Kaur is the first turbaned Sikh woman pilot. I desire that soon a Sikh should land on the moon. What do you think? What is in Sikhism that drives a person to go to dizzy heights? Is it a dream too far to see a Sikh on the Moon?
Gurpreet Singh: Yes I too look forward to soon see a Sikh on mission to the moon. And it will certainly put focus on us Sikhs when such an opportunity arises.

WSN: How often did you pray during your trip?
Gurpreet Singh: We did pray and thank Waheguru ji for making this journey safe and sound. We prayed often during our trip.

WSN: Do you propose to write a book on the basis of your experiences at the North Pole, South Pole and the Himalayas?
Gurpreet Singh: I am preparing a website to write my experiences of travel so it could be accessible to the people of the world. In the coming months, it will go online at www.apilgrim.com.

WSN: Would you like to talk about your experiences to young Sikhs and others to excite the spirit of adventure, which is generally missing in our training in schools and colleges with overemphasis on marks and competition for getting into the best colleges?
Gurpreet Singh: Yes certainly. We will be too happy to share what we have experienced over the years.

WSN: Would you like Adventure studies to be part of the curriculum of schools and colleges?
Gurpreet Singh: It is very important to channelise youth to creative pursuits. It must be encouraged. Sikh religious institutes and educational institutions must come forward to sponsor adventurous journeys as every such achievement will open new doors. More and more people will get to know about Sikhs and Sikhism.

WSN: Not many people know about your achievements. Are you publicity shy?
Gurpreet Singh: I am very private person and I think this life is one’s own journey – A pilgrim’s progress and each such landmark are mere milestones on this Journey.

WSN: What next? What more would you like to say?
Gurpreet Singh: Yes, this is a very pertinent. After Antarctica I had this question what next… The answer came in the Journey to the North Pole. After North Pole – well I wish to do Kailash Mansrover Yatra. And so the journey continues….

I would say going to such far off lands is a very different spiritual experience in itself – earlier books opened my mind and eyes to how man change for ever when they returned from such far off lands. Inside me I do not know what has changed. And then I think what it is... I only hear echoes. This (life) is your own journey and you are mere wanderer and all alone on this path. Every journey has loosened my bonds to people and things around me perhaps this is how HE ordained.

All explorers, adventurers, moon-walkers and inveterate travelers (like me) change for ever from their journeys.

WSN: We wish you all the best in your future journeys.
Gurpreet Singh: Thank you very much.

WSN: When did you go to the South Pole and the base camp of Mount Everest?
Gurpreet Singh: I went in December 2008 to the Antarctica, in 2007 to the Base Camp of Mount Everest from the Chinese side when I travelled from Lahasa overland in Tibet.

WSN: Have you seen Guru Nanak as a traveler?
Gurpreet Singh: Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Udasians were in a sense to me travels to such distant lands to understanding people of the other cultures and assimilating their best things and fusing them into Sikhism. Nishan Sahib , Chhaur Sahib and Chandova Sahib, for example are very similar to what I found in Tibet in Budhissm and since this is an older religion, I could co relate that this must have been imbibed from there in Sikhism. While travelling I could only grasp a little of the enormous difficulties it must have been to travel 500 years before with no modern means of travel available then.

Harjinder Singh is pioneer of the Sikhi Message Seva network. He is an avid researcher for World Sikh News. He may be contacted at singhlions@gmail.com

19 August 2009

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