“Chasing angels or fleeing demons,
go to the mountains.”
–Jeffery Rasley– 2008
Hundreds of climbers have lost their lives trying to conquer Everest. The tallest mountain in the world is not actually the most lethal. Approximately 3,000 climbers have successfully reached Everest’s peak, including a 13-year-old, a blind person and a 73-year-old woman. Despite Everest being the tallest mountain, there are five other notorious peaks. Nanga Parbat, also known as the ‘The Killer Mountain’ is one of them. Situated in Hunza Valley of Pakistan, Nanga Parbat, with one of the highest death rates in the world, earned its grisly nickname after more than 30 climbers died trying to conquer it before the first successful summit in 1953.The mountain has claimed 62 lives, with a death rate of 5.5%. Nanga Parbat is the ninth-largest mountain in the world.
Myths about the peak are incorporated in local folk stories in the region, but the mountain is not hidden from mainstream media. A movie with the name ‘Nanga Parbat’ was released in 2010. Christopher Nolan in his movie ‘Batman Begins’ also used a peak named ‘Nanda Parbat’ in which lead villains hide out due to its mythical significance.
Despite its deadly reputation, Nanga Parbat and the surrounding areas have become popular tourist attractions in Pakistan.