Leh left out
Editorial of Greater Kashmir
Dt 24.6.2006
Preparations are in full swing to re-open the trade route between Tibet and India through Nathu La in the North East after a gap of 44 years. An Indian delegation is in Lahasa, the capital of Tibet, finalising various details for restarting trade between China and India. The road is being readied for the event. Custom houses are being installed on the two sides of the border. At 14, 400 feet, probably these are the highest custom houses in the world. The roads are hardly suitable for motorised traffic and have in fact been always mule tracks. The Government of Sikkim is envisaging a trade of $1 billion by 2010. Indian Government is predicting a tourist boom for the reopened border as well as trade. It will provide a direct route between the former Himalayan kingdoms of Tibet and Sikkim - lesser known, but every bit as exotic. It will also allow tourists to travel directly from Buddhist Tibet to the great Buddhist shrines in Bihar, in India. Already, the newly completed trade zone has been outfitted with tourist infrastructure, including the world’s highest cash point, a cyber-café, and long distance telephone lines. The route is being claimed to be the revival of ancient Silk Road. However, historically this route did not figure in the known branches of the main Silk Road. In fact, one of the southern branches of the route entered India through Nepal. The Nathu La route was opened by the British in 1904 only to forestall advance of Russians into Tibet. Lord Curzon the then Viceroy of India had sent Francis Younghusband along this route to negotiate a deal with the Tibetans but he failed in his mission. On the contrary, the most important southern branches of the Silk Road traversed through Ladakh and Kashmir. Leh was always supposed to have been on the cross roads of all the caravan routes. It was hub on the ancient trade routes between Chinese Turkistan, Tibet and India. Caravans upon caravans of Bactrian camels used to halt in Leh on inbound as well as outbound journeys from Kashmir. Apart from trade involving Silk, dry fruit, tea, spices and a host of other things, the route was used by Hajj pilgrims from Yarqand, Kashgar and other places. They would come to Kashmir on way to Hajj and would stop in Srinagar for sometime both while going to Saudi Arabia as well as on return. There were a couple of very famous inns (Yarqandi Sarais) in down town area for the stay of pilgrims and traders. In addition to this route, Leh had another connection to Tibet through Demchok. The Tibetan caravans used to come to Tsokhar lake for salt and would do a lot of trading with Ladakhis. Leh has also had a very strong spiritual connection with Lahasa because of Dalai Lama. A large number of monks would travel to Lahasa for advanced studies in Buddhism in ancient times. Recently Pakistanis have started a direct non-stop bus from Gilgit to Kashgar thereby fully reviving their side of Silk Road. It is really a pity and in fact gross injustice for Ladakhis that their side has been completely neglected and left out for reasons best known to Government of India? This has been done in spite of repeated pleas both from the public figures as well as the State Government to the highest authorities in Government of India including the Prime Minister. Opening of the Leh route would not only benefit Ladakhis but give a tremendous boost to traders in Kashmir valley also by renewing the ancient Northern Connections of the State. Now that the Nathu La route is slated to open shortly, it is the moral duty of the Central Government to get the Leh town reconnected with its historical routes so as make it the most important hub it used to be in the past.
Source: Greater Kashmir)
Source: Greater Kashmir)
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