Adventure is lethal however it’s beautiful. You come closer to the nature only when you risk it. The decision to start the 1st day of 2017 at the Indo – China border Bumla pass got vanished in the air when our travel agent in Tawang said, “We’re unable to get the permission because of India – China border meeting. We were struggling to get the permission as we had only 2 days left however the travel agent managed to give us the permission for the 2nd day of the New Year 2017.
The travel agent gave us the call time of 6 Am. We all were excited to visit the border covered with snow hence we got ready on time next morning. Our driver started with the journey after 1 hour as the vehicle was not starting because of the extreme cold weather during night. The journey was breathtaking as we could see all the military battalion & soldiers’ vehicle running with us. There were various gates which had different names such as Maratha warriors, Punjab warriors & many more with the state names.
After a point of time, our driver said, “I feel, we can not go up because of heavy snow fall!” & we looked at him saying “Please, do whatever you want to do but we want to visit the border!” He said, there is no chain on the wheels which we generally use to control the vehicle on snow paths. I asked him surprisingly, “So if the wheels don’t get a proper control then?” So He said, “Then nothing more will happen, we all will go down & die”. I looked at him in a sarcastic way & said, “You’re so damn funny”. There was a grand feeling of fear in mind now as the vehicle was indeed going here & there on Ice. After, the dancing session of the vehicle, we reached our destination – Bumla pass.
Bumla pass – height 15, 200 Ft, Temperature -4 Degree. There were military personnel’s to help the tourist with the border brief & guidance. They welcomed us with Chai & Rava halwa which was extremely delicious. They took all of us in one warm room which is there conference room. We sat there for a while to feel warm. There were military soldiers to tell us about the border specialty & how the 1961 Indo – China war took place. We were discussing about the current border situation & they said, after few more days, the temperature will come down till -15 degree. They also mentioned that they all have to wear the military cap during those days too; they can not roam around only with winter caps.
After the intense discussion, I went closer to the check post of India at Bumla pass border. They had kept binoculars to see the China check post. The border had manifested the charismatic creation of the nature. The 1st Dalai Lama had come from these mountains, everything seemed like a History books where pages were flipping with every past incidents. How China captured the whole Tawang during 1961 & the war situation sounded extremely awful.
We were at the altitude of 15,200 ft, surrounded by frozen lakes, snowcapped mountains & Ice-covered narrow paths however the journey was magical. How nature takes different shades within a spur of the moment. The Tawang road trip is incomplete if you miss the road journey to Bumla pass.
