THE less common tourism in border areas of India offers an exciting view of nature and experience of travelling along rushing torrents and singing breeze. People live close to nature and display captivating hospitality. The flora and fauna changes from sub-tropical to cold Tundra like desert in a few hours. In these historic sites, every stone is embedded with the blood of brave hearts who have ensured the safety of the nation.
Ladakh
Ladakh is the coldest desert in the world and lies on the crossroads of the ancient Silk Route from Sinkiang to West Asia. At an altitude of more than 9000 ft, it has a breathtaking landscape of extreme deserts, glaciers and sand dunes. It is known as the mysterious land isolated by high mountains. It is a unique experience to drive on its roads or walk on trekking paths in biting winds. The thin snow tops on the mountains are a majestic view.
The best time to visit is from April to October. Festivals are held in winter. There are regular flights from Delhi. Tourists may also opt for road travel from Srinagar or from Manali- Rohtang Pass – Khardungla Pass. Adventure oriented young people have been making trips on motorcycles. Buses serve the whole area from Kargil and Leh. No permits are required for both Indian and foreign tourists except to visit the inner line. No border crossings are allowed from Ladakh. Leh has a large selection of hotels.
The places to see are the beautiful valleys and monasteries. The Takse monastery is the largest structure in central Ladakh. The 15 metres high statue of Maitreya (future Budha) is a marvel. Leh palace has eight stories and is similar to the Potala palace at Lhasa. Ladakh has a range of trekking and rafting options of varying degree of difficulty. The most difficult and exciting option for rafting is on the River Zanskar. An interesting option is to drive along the River Indus from Leh to Dungti where it enters India from Tibet and travel back via Chushul- Changla Pass to Leh. At Razang La, Major Shaitan Singh MVC and his soldiers fought a hard battle till the last man and last bullet. Chushul is one of the four Border Personnel Meeting points for Indo-Chinese talks.
Wagah
Thirty kilometres from Amritsar on the Grant Trunk Road, Wagah village was initially the only transfer point for personnel and goods between India and Pakistan. After 2005, three more transfer points have been agreed upon for limited traffic. It was established on 11 October 1947 by Brig. M. S. Chopra of the Indian Army and Brig. Nazir Ahmed of the Pakistan Army to build up peace and harmony when large scale riots had broken out. The two officers were responsible for peace along the border and had belonged to the same regiment.
The purpose of the site has not been forgotten. Border Security Force (BSF) of India and Rangers of Pakistan man the site and the Retreat ceremony of lowering the flags is conducted daily. All drill movements, lowering of flags and closing the door are carried out simultaneously and true feeling for the nation rises from the events. It has become a popular site for tourists including foreigners and the Government has decided to upgrade it. It is planned to increase the seating capacity from the present 5000 to 13,525. It will have a museum, covered waiting area for visitors and barracks for the guards. The BSF has inducted ladies also in the guard.
The border is open from 0900 to 1530 hours daily and can be reached by road or railway. People wanting to cross over must obtain permits in advance. The six feet tall jawans have cordial relations and exchange sweets on festivals and Independence Day. There has been only one incident of exchange of hot words in May 2011 and it was quickly resolved by intervention of senior officers. There was a blast on the Pakistan side on 2 November 2004, killing 52 people and injuring about 200. It was revenge for the killing of people by the Pakistan Army in North Waziristan. Pakistan Rangers wanted to suspend the ceremony for three days as a mark of respect to the dead but later decided to continue the drill. Even during the days of terror acts in Punjab, there was no tension here.
Trade is a good recipe to promote peace and understanding. Formal trade between the two countries at Wagah is about USD 2.7 billion. Trade through third countries is about USD 10 billion. This is due to Pakistan limiting trade only for 137 items and not granting Most Favoured Nation Status (MFN) to India. There is also significant trade through unrecognised channels.
Poonch
Situated at an altitude of 3200 feet, it is separated from the Kashmir Valley by the Pir Panjal mountains. Earlier, there was only one approach road from Jammu-Rajouri. The old Mughal trek has recently been developed into a road from Poonch to Shopian in the Valley. It has a small air strip which was well used by the IAF to supply arms and ammunition in the 1947-48 War.
Summers are short and pleasant. The best time to visit is from April to June. Good hotels are available. Movement and trade across the border has been permitted since 2005 in order to improve the economy of the region. The trade is mostly barter of vegetables and fruits. In 2013, trade was closed down for a few days due to tension and in 2015, due
to transportation of drugs by a Pakistani trader in a vehicle. It was resumed after discussions and checks.
A popular site for visitors is the fort built by Raja Rustam Khan in 1713 in the style of Mughal architecture. The front block was constructed by Raja Moti Singh. There are holy sites for Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Some other tourist spots are Noor-e-Chamb waterfall, Swai Kote Valley and Krishna Ghati, which have a natural landscape.
Nathu La
At an altitude of 14450 ft, Nathu La is 56 km from Gangtok and was a major route for travel and trade between India and Tibet. The Dalai Lama had used this route to travel for the 2500th birthday of Gautam Budha. Prime Minister Nehru and Indira Gandhi had used this route to travel to Bhutan in 1958. It was an off-shoot of the ancient Silk Road. It was closed in 1962 and reopened in 2006.
Foreigners are not allowed and Indian citizens can visit on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. They have to take permits from the Sikkim Tourism and Civil Aviation Department through a recognised travel agency. Flow of visitors is regulated to save the environment. Visitors can stay at hotels in Gangtok.
Approach to the pass is along the Tsomgo Lake on one of the highest roads in the world. The climate varies from the sub-tropical at the base to alpine climate as you go along, and on to cold Tundra desert at the top. The drive exposes the visitors to breathtaking beauty of snow clad mountains and varying vegetation. On a clear day, one can see the Chumba Valley in Tibet. The best time to visit is March to November, and the pass is closed in winter.
It is one of the four Personnel Meeting Points. Numerous trade agreements were signed when the route was reopened on 6 July 2006. Delegations of one hundred traders each from the two countries crossed over to respective trading sites. Presently, trade is limited to 29 items. Recently, agreement has been reached for a journey to Mansarovar by road. It takes only two days and some pilgrims have already completed the journey.
Moreh
Moreh, 130 kms from Imphal, is situated on Manipur- Myanmar border. The climate is moderate and the rich forests, watered by eight rivers, offer a stunning landscape. There are regular flights from Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata. The nearest railway stations are Dimapur and Modpur from where good road transport is available. The road transport of the state is efficient.
Moreh is famous for its foreign market. It is a dream destination for visitors wanting to buy clothes, electronic goods, household goods and canned food. It is the commercial capital of Manipur and a railway to Imphal is being planned. It will be connected to railway networks of Thailand and Myanmar.
People wanting to cross to Myanmar have to obtain permits. It is likely to develop into a major trade centre due to the Modi government’s Look East Policy. The Government of India has plans to upgrade the post to an Integrated Check Point.