The following is an important write-up regarding the reopening of trade routes between India and China. The article points out the strategic role of Kalimpong and the Jelep La route before the Sino-Indian War and makes a case for reopening of the Jelep La along with Nathu La.

An interesting and provoking read. -Admin

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The Forgotten Way: Recalling the road to Lhasa from Kalimpong
Vimal Khawas

The recent publication of the official maps by China shows Sikkim as part of India. The recognition of Sikkim by the Chinese Government almost 25 years since this small Himalayan Kingdom became a part of the Republic of India has thrown before us tremendous challenges and opportunities. The reason why China came up with such decision after 25 years and why not in 1975 itself is a matter of varied historical perceptions and high level of geo-politics between India and China that is beyond the scope of this write up to examine. However, having come to a broad mutual understanding on Sikkim and Tibet last year when the then Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Behari Bajpai visited China, India and China are now poised to move away from the sterile geo-politics of the past to a new emphasis on geo-economics.

In this connection we have been repeatedly talking about the reopening of the old (silk) trade route from Nathula Pass in Sikkim through Lhasa to the Chinese market, tourism across Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet/China, and future development prospects of the state of Sikkim. Opening up of the Himalayas for trade and tourism will lead to rapid economic development on both sides of the border and reconnect economic and cultural spaces that were torn asunder by the Sino-Indian hostility. There have been serious discourses on the up gradation of the present Jawaharlal Nehru Marg between Gangtok and Nathu La to facilitate the commercial traffic. An expert committee has been set up by the Government of Sikkim in this respect consisting of senior civil servants and academicians headed by a well-known economist and professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Dr. Mahendra P. Lama who is also incidentally the chief economic advisor to the Chief Minister of Sikkim.

We however, have failed to bring in the national policy discourses the old trade links between Kalimpong and Lhasa in Tibet through Jelep La. This historic trade route between Kalimpong and Lhasa was responsible for building Kalimpong as one of the most prominent trade center of Indian and Tibetan goods and raw materials till the early 1960s when the route was unexpectedly closed following the Sino-Indian war. In fact, the emergence of the present Kalimpong Town to its present status can in many ways be attributed to the trade links between Lhasa-Kalimpong-Calcutta and vice versa. In other words, Kalimpong flourished as a trade center of Indian and Tibetan/Chinese goods. The frequent Tibetan Inscriptions on the rocks along the Kalimpong-Jelep La-Lhasa route is believed to be the route mark for the travelers and traders so that they would not lose their way.

A selective linear survey of the elderly Marwari and Tibetan traders along the R.C. Mintri Road and Relli Road highlight that almost all the basic goods and raw materials like clothes, shoes (Tibetan boots), spices, sweets, watches, candles, cottons etc were traded from kalimpong to Lhasa. Further, a traditional Tibetan dress locally called Bakhu and its associates like Chuba and Pangde were tailored in Kalimpong and transported to Lhasa. From Lhasa, raw materials like wool of the sheep, crude silver and gold were brought to the market in Kalimpong. Mr. Satya Narayan Agarwal, aged 75 years old, still vividly remembers how he as a young retailer used to sell clothes and other semi-finished textiles to the Tibetan counterparts during the 1950s. In those days there were hardly any vehicles in Kalimpong. Hundreds of ponies used to trek down from Lhasa via Jelep La to Kalimpong and vice versa. Sitaram Chawrasia, aged 63 years, of Bagdhara Road profoundly recalls how he as a young boy enjoyed the dances of the Tibetan traders while they brought hundreds of thirsty ponies to Bagdhara to feed them water. Mr. D. S. Khawas of Suruk Dong Busty, aged 66 years, is still to forget those days of late 1950s when he as a teenager used to witness hundreds of ponies in and around Bagdhara while he visited Kalimpong Bazar with his family elders during week days.

Survey also highlights that most of the people including traders in Kalimpong have no knowledge about the reopening of the border through Nathu La. When this writer informed the old Marwari and Tibetan traders about the recent talk of the Government of India and the excitement and enthusiasm of Sikkim particularly the Chief Minister Mr. Pawan Chamling to reopen the old silk route of Gangtok-Nathu La-Lhasa they pointed out that the trade route of Kalimpong-Jelep La-Lhasa is easier, shorter and smoother than the former. Moreover, they recalled that the latter route was more important during the pre-revolution days than the former with larger volume of goods and raw materials and the corresponding traders finding their place through Kalimpong-Jelep La-Lhasa route.

It is, however, something uncanny that Kalimpong has not found place in the national and regional policy discourses as a major trade center of Lhasa till the early 1960s and that the resumption of the trade between China/Tibet and India (Sikkim) should also benefit Kalimpong and its surrounding. Besides, Kalimpong and its surrounding hills are not less picturesque than the Sikkim Himalaya. Kalimpong hills have tremendous tourism potential particularly nature tourism if it is properly planned and rationally structured. In this connection mention should be made that while Sikkim has been pressing New Delhi to open up the historic trade routes with Tibet, West Bengal has been relatively quite in this regard considering Darjeeling Hills as a vulnerable choke point.

It is high time that the leaders of Darjeeling Hills, activists, academicians and the general public deliberate on the above discussed issue and demand the recognition of Kalimpong in the policy debate as a historic trade center with strong trade link with Lhasa (Tibet) and that the reopening of the boarder for trade and other economic activities mainly tourism need also to be considered via Kalimpong-Jelep La as Kalimpong along with its counterparts Darjeeling and Kurseong Hills also deserve to benefit the fruits of the audacious venture of the Government of India equally as that of Sikkim. Further, opening up of the Jelep La would check the commercial load to the carrying capacity of Nathu La and it’s surrounding and hence would share environmental fallouts due to heavy human and vehicular traffic in the region.

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This article was published in The Statesman, December 31 2004