When people hear about Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, they picture a majestic, snow-covered mountain and the mountaineers who have conquered it. However, it is known that this summit was never called Everest.
In the 19th century, when a British exploratory group determined the height and location of this mountain, it was initially named 'Peak XV'. At the time, in Tibet and surrounding areas, it was called 'Chomolungma'. The name was later given in honor of Sir George Everest, the General Topographer of the British Survey.
Interestingly, George Everest himself did not support the idea of naming the peak after him. He insisted that the names of mountains and other geographical features should be preserved according to local languages and traditions. Nevertheless, in 1865, the world's highest point was named Mount Everest.
In the early 1800s, with the support of the British government, the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India began. The goal of this survey was the precise cartographic mapping of the land, mountains, and other geographical features of the Indian subcontinent. During this work, researchers conducted measurements and calculations in various regions over a long period.
As a result of this activity, in 1852, the team identified a massive peak near the border between Nepal and Tibet in the Himalayas. Its height was then measured at approximately 29,035 feet. Initially, this peak was not given a specific name, but was called 'Peak XV'. Later, Andrew Waugh proposed naming it after his predecessor, Sir George Everest.
Sir George Everest was born on July 4, 1790, in Wales. He received education in English military schools and spent a significant part of his life in India. He worked for the British East India Company and joined the Great Trigonometrical Survey in 1818. Within this project, he worked for about 25 years. In 1823, he was appointed head of the survey, and in 1830, became the General Topographer of India. After retiring in 1843, he returned to Great Britain and was knighted in 1861 for his work. However, his own opinion regarding the naming of the mountain now known by his name differed.
George Everest placed great importance on local names during the surveys. He believed that the name of a place should be the one used by the local inhabitants for a long time. Therefore, when Andrew Waugh proposed naming the highest peak 'Mount Everest', George Everest objected. His argument was that local names should be prioritized. He also noted that the pronunciation of his name might be difficult for local people.
However, the British surveying group did not have complete information about the local names of this peak. In Tibet, it was called 'Chomolungma', which means 'Goddess of Peace' or 'Mother of Peace'. Information about the names used by Nepal was also unavailable to the team, as Nepal at that time did not permit the British surveying group entry into its territory.
Andrew Waugh informed the Royal Geographical Society in a letter addressed in 1856 that he had learned from his predecessor George Everest the necessity of naming geographical features by their true local names. But finding the local name of this peak proved difficult, and the probability of discovering it was low before obtaining permission to enter Nepal.
Despite this, discussions about the name continued. Ultimately, in 1865, the Royal Geographical Society decided to name the world's highest peak 'Mount Everest'.
The irony is that George Everest did not approve of this decision. He died on December 1, 1866, at the age of 76. It is unclear whether he ever saw this mountain with his own eyes, which is now known by his name. Thus, the Himalayan peak registered as 'Peak XV' became Mount Everest. Nevertheless, the history of its local names reminds us that the identity of a place is connected not only to its name on the map but also to its people and their traditions.
