|  Nathula
is a pass on the Indo Chinese boarder (La meaning Pass in
Tibetan). The place is 55 kilometers from Gangtok and passes
through Tsongo Lake. The place is covered with snow for most
part of the year. The pass was traditionally used by merchants
of India and Tibet for trading. This was part of the famous
Silk route connecting plains of Bengal with Tibet.
After Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1950
there were large scale migration of Tibetans from their homeland
to India through the Nathula Pass. Today Tibetan migrants
constitute a substantial part of the population of the Sikkim
and Darjeeling hills. During the 1962 Indo-Chinese war, the
Nathula Pass witnessed heavy fighting between the two countries.
Since then the boarder remained closed until recently.
The boarder opened on July 6th, 2006 after
prolonged negotiation between the two countries. Dignitaries
from both countries met at Nathula on this historic occasion
and trade between the two countries has already resumed on
a limited number of items. The future of this pass seems to
be bright as state governments of Sikkim and Bengal as well
as the Central governments plans big for the Nathula Pass.
Tourism may also get a major boost as the boarder is planned
to be opened for tourists as well in the future.
At present the tourists are allowed to get
close to the international boarder and the Chinese soldiers
can be seen protecting their side of the boarder. On specific
days the Chinese authorities also allows tourists to visit
the area and on those days the tourists of the two countries
can see one another.
Note: Tourists are allowed
to visit Nathula only on specific days of the week. There
is restriction on the number of vehicles that can visit Nathula
on a day. Tourists are advised to make reservation for the
Nathula visit well in advance to avoid disappointment. Foreign
tourists are not allowed to visit Nathula. They have to return
from Tsongo lake. |
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