By Mukti Sharma
We were told – its the rough terrain. What we found was totally
different – it was very beautiful – till we reached the
destination – Nathula Pass. Surviving at a height of more than 14,000ft
is not a easy task. The daredevils stay here – the men and women in the
Green Dress amongst the Green. By being difficult it does not mean the sun
is the scorchiest here or the sands here is the deepest. In fact, these two
are the rare ones to be found. What you find here is the Green Grass, the
beautiful flowers, the harsh mountains and the snow claded lands. Welcome to
the land of harshiest mountains – the Nathula Pass.
Nathula Pass stands as the Indo China Border. A thin Barbed wire divides
the two lands – India and China. 45 years have passed since the Sino –
India War, when this Border has been again opened for the common man to see.
Rain drips at the window panes of our cab which is there to take us to the
heights of Nathula Pass. The Red and Purple flowers bliss themselves across
the Army Area which is throughout the road to Nathula Pass. The clouds are
dancing to their own tunes as they move near us and then slowly and
gradually pass over the seemingly near mountains. Its a beauty to see. We
can see the small hut or the House from a distance. This red colored wooden
creek can be seen from our window – with our Cab Driver shouting - “
See that – that is the Indo China Border Hut. That small red colored
structure. On the one side of this Indian are there and on the other side of
it there are Chinese. A lot of Checking is there Sir”.
Queued and Checked we reach the Nathula Pass – the Hut above the
Ground and the Barbed Wire. We can also see a Chinese Major standing on the
other side of the barbed wire. What a apathy – a single wire, cutting
across the two Borders. The climate changing dramatically from sub –
tropical, temperate, dry alpine and finally tundra. This is the beauty of
the place – how a man can survive in such drastically changing weather
conditions.
Reaching here is also not easy, there is one place where you can sit down
and rest, eat and drink tea - The Tosmgo Lake. One of the most beautiful
lakes of
Gangtok,
its get closed in the months of November to January end due to heavy
snowfall. Then comes the other stop - Baba Harbhajan Singhs Samadhi –
the subedar of ARMY REIGMENT WHO LOST HIS LIFE BRINGING SUPPLY FOR THE
REGIMENT. Thousands of people come here to seek the blessings of Baba.
Going up and down the hill is the main thing – its the eternal beauty
of the place which calls the people from world over. Unlike the other Hill
station of Eastern India like –
Tezu,
Tawang,
Kalimpong and
Darjeeling, a
trip to Nathula Pass of Gangtok offers something Unique – a place where
everyone must go.
