Jelep La - History

History

Jelep La was in use from early times as trade was flourishing between India and Tibet. After the appropriation of India by the British, the British started to construct roads into Sikkim around 1884. This was viewed with some apprehension among the Tibetans and in 1886 a small Tibetan militia occupied the region around the pass. In May 1888, they attacked the British but were warded off. Later in September the same year the British regained the area around the pass.

With the growing Russian influence in Tibet, a British expedition was sent via Jelep La to Lhasa in 1904 led by Colonel Francis Younghusband. This expedition was met by hostile Tibetan forces which were defeated by the British. A trade agreement was then forced on the Tibetans in the absence of the 13th Dalai Lama, who had fled to Mongolia.

After India's independence in 1947, Sikkim, which was then a monarchy, agreed to a special protectorate status and gave India the status of a suzerain nation and its defence and foreign affairs were managed by India. After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950 and suppression of the Tibetan uprising in 1959, the passes into Sikkim became a conduit for refugees from Tibet before being closed by the Chinese. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, there were border skirmishes between the Indian and Chinese armed forces in and around the passes of Jelep La and Nathu La - this was despite Sikkim still being a separate Kingdom at that stage. After the war the two passes were closed permanently.

Sikkim became a part of India in early 1975 following a referendum. With the recent thawing in relations between India and China, plans are afoot to reopen the Jelep La Pass (following the July 6, 2006 reopening of the Nathu La Pass) which is projected to result in an economic boom for the region.

Indian mountain pass
Rail
  • Bhor Railway Ghat
  • Kasara Railway Ghat
Road
Himalaya
  • Banihal Pass
  • Bara-lacha la
  • Bilafond La
  • Borasu Pass
  • Chang La
  • Chanshal Pass
  • Debsa Pass
  • Diphu Pass
  • Dongkha La
  • Fotu La
  • Goecha La
  • Gyong La
  • Indrahar Pass
  • Jelep La
  • Karakoram Pass
  • Khardung La
  • Kongka Pass
  • Kunzum Pass
  • Lipulekh Pass
  • Lungalacha La
  • Mana Pass
  • Marsimik La
  • Nama Pass
  • Namika La
  • Nathu La
  • Pangsau Pass
  • Pensi La
  • Pin Parvati Pass
  • Rohtang Pass
  • Rupin Pass
  • Saach Pass
  • Sasser Pass
  • Sela Pass
  • Shendurjana Ghat
  • Shingo La
  • Shipki La
  • Sia La
  • Sin La
  • Tanglang La
  • Zoji La
Western Ghats
  • Amba Ghat
  • Bhor Road Ghat
  • Chorla Ghat
  • Goa Gap
  • Kasara Road Ghat
  • Kumbharli Ghat
  • Malshej Ghat
  • Naneghat
  • Palakkad Gap
  • Varandha Ghat
Others
  • Asirgarh
  • Haldighati Pass

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