Nathula Pass, Sikkim

^{Tsomgo lake enroute to Nathula Pass}

Soon after we crossed the snow line we noticed that mountain ranges that faced the east and south had considerably less snow on them than the ones facing north and west. A little more receptivity to the trajectory of the sun can make a telling difference in the eastern Himalayas. 
 

^{Landscape before crossing the snow line}

We were on a journey from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, located at an altitude of about 6,000 feet to the Nathula Pass on the Indo-China border at 14,200 feet. The road, about 50 kilometres runs almost a third of its course in snow country. It's an enchanting world. Initially it is streaked in snow and the scenery seems two-toned, the white snow and brown-black boulders. A little higher up it becomes predominantly white with the land almost entirely covered in snow.  

The only prominent green cover in these parts is of the army trucks that move about in large convoys. The Indian Army presence above the snowline is pronounced. Its rugged and cold terrain is otherwise almost uninhabited. The Border Roads Organisation is responsible for maintaining this road, the lifeline to the Indo-China border and road maintenance is the most visible form of industry and employment. Mountain sides frequently bear signs and slogans to boost the morale of our forces such as death before dishonour and duty above all.

The snow can narrate a faithful account of the wildlife that inhabits the area as it captures the tracks of anything that moves on it for a relatively long duration. And yes, even at these heights tracks of small animals in the snow could be seen infrequently. 

Some distance above the snow line along the road is a spectacular lake, Tsomgo. When the weather is calm and the sun is out, as it was when we arrived, the lake's still waters provide a perfect reflection of the snow capped ranges around it and it looks gorgeous. By early April its waters had melted. 

The Tsomgo lake has a market around it that tends to tourists. Locals ply yaks here and one can ride a yak too. It was a delight to see the large hairy beast of the mountains in real life. I found a black yak tethered to a stake next to a gazebo at the market. It was a first real life encounter with the yak of which I had read from the earliest days in school when the alphabet book would edify us with a Y for yak. At the market, during tourist season, shops rent out snow gear such as gloves and boots to visitors on their way to Nathula.
 

^{Yak tethered to a gazebo at Tsomgo Lake Market}

A little further up in the mountains are a pair of lakes one besides the other. There was no noticeable habitation here. Curiously, one of the lakes was still frozen though it was only a few meters away from the other and on slightly higher ground.

^{Beautiful twin lakes}

The weather changes frequently in these parts and a spell of sunshine could change into snow fall within the hour. It is after three fourth the journey to Nathula is done that one receives the final clearance from the Army to visit the pass based on weather conditions that exist then. Many are forestalled on this journey. Our chauffeur told us that given the sun shone clearly when we arrived we would have about half an hour before it began to snow to walk about and sight see. And indeed, on the way back we witnessed snowfall. Snowfall can make the roads dangerous to travel and most taxis are eager to get back before it snows heavily. Army vehicles are better equipped to handle snowfall with snow chains around their tyres to prevent skidding.

^{The Nathula Pass range}

Nathu means "listening ears" and La means "pass" in Tibetan. The pass stands on an offshoot of the ancient Silk Route. At the Nathula pass a two storied Indian military border post and a slightly larger Chinese one stand shoulder to shoulder. A simple barbed wire runs between the two marking the border. A contingent of soldiers from Madhya Pradesh, Central Command, Jabhalpur had been deployed here to guard the border at the time we visited. It was likely to be a three year stint here until the contingent was rotated to a peace time posting at a different location. A memorial stone marks the first Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to Nathula in 1958 and another displays the names of our martyrs. The Indian tricolour stood hoisted at the border post. In the 1965 war, between India and China Nathula was a battlefront. However, since 2007 one does not witness army hostility along this border and one can strike a conversation with the jawans and also venture up to give the Chinese soldiers a handshake. I was surprised by the number of Indian tourists that had come visiting this remote though scenic pass that day.
 

^{Border outposts and soldiers in a friendly moment}

At 14,200 feet the Nathula pass is perpetually covered in snow. There are snow covered ranges as far as the eye can see. It is a world that is bright and beautiful when the sun is out.

^{Updated:  April 30, 2011 
Photographs:  Ami, Kumud, Ruchir and Vinay Bansal
Author:  Ruchir Bansal
References:  Wikipedia}