New Delhi: The majesty and awe of Mount Kailash revered by both the Hindus and Buddhists through the breathtaking Nathu La pass in North East was unveiled through different colourful programmes in the Chinese Embassy here on the occasion of its first anniversary of its opening on Tuesday.
The progrmme in the sprawling Embassy of China also assumed significance since the annual Kailash Manasarovar Yatra scheduled to commence from June 12 for four months through Nathu La (Sikkim) and Lipulekh (Uttar Khand) . The film showed photo exhibitions and unveiling of prototypes of the massive black rock of Mouth Kailash and cultural shows marked the occasion.
Mount Kailash is the source of some of the longest rivers – Brahmaputra, Sutlej, Indus, and Ganges deep inside the Tibetan Autonomous Region. It is believed that Lord Shiva is seated in a never ending meditative posture on the sacred mountain, which soars to over 22,000 feet and it is also called the Axis Mundi, the centre of the universe, the navel of the world.
Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of China Le Yuncheng said that opening of the Nathu La pass to the holy Mount Kailash symbolizes the peace and friendship between two giant civilizations- China and India. The first Chinese to cross through Nathu La when it was opened last year, Le said that the mountainous region once dotted with gun totting soldiers now is full of pilgrims and monks.
This is nothing but the sea change in the relationship between the two great nations who are also neighbours next door, an emotional Le said. Under Le’s stewardship, the pass was opened last year with much fanfare following visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to China and Chinese President Xi Jinping to India.
Tarun Vijay, M.P. and president of the Indo-China Parliamentary Forum who was the first Indian to cross Nathu La the same day last year described the unfathomable beauty of Mount Kailash and its astonishing route through the pass. The sacred place is a confluence of Hinduism and Buddhism and symbol of peace and friendship of two most populous counties of the world who are also among the fastest growing economy.
Wholly motorable unlike the Lipulekh route, Nathu La was also one of the two open trading border posts between China and India, the other being Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh. At 14,420 feet above sea level, one is struck by the sheer history that surrounds this strategic mountain pass which connects the Sikkim to the Chumbi Valley in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
An off-shoot of the famous Silk Road which networked trade routes since 500 BC, the “listening ears pass” or Nathu La is about nature, history, beauty and sheer ingenuity all rolled into one.
