Mountain passes are
also known as notches, gaps, saddles, cols, hauses, bwlch (Welsh), bealach or
brennig (Gaelic). It is a path through a mountain range or above a ridge. If
you are going by the lowest possible itinerary, a mountain pass is locally the
uppermost spot on that itinerary.
Mountain passes are
similar to the geometric theory of a topological saddle plane where there is a
saddle point indicating the tallest spot amid two basins and the lowest spot
beside a ridge. On a topographical map, you will see that passes are typified
by curve lines with the form of hourglasses, which signify a low point in the
middle of two higher spots.
Passes are frequently noticed just over the
origin of a river, forming a type of bridge onto the origin of another river.
The length of passes may be small, comprising sharp inclines to the pinnacle of
the pass, or basins of extensive length, whose tallest spot can only be
recognized through investigation.
Nathula Pass
- The Nathula
Pass or Nathu La Pass is a mountain pass in the Himalayan Mountain Range.
It links the state of Sikkim in India with the Tibetan Autonomous Region
in China.
- The
elevation of the pass is 4,310 meters (14,140 ft) above mean sea level.
The Nathula Pass creates a portion of a branch of the old Silk Road.
- The word
“Nathu” refers to “listening ears” and La denotes “pass” in Tibetan
language. The famous pass is also known as Natu La, Ntula, Natula or
Nathula.
- The Nathula
Pass is one of the three business check posts between India and China. The
other two are Lipulech or Lipulekh in Uttaranchal and Shipki
La in Himachal Pradesh.
- Closed by
India following the Indo-China War in 1962, Nathula Pass was opened once
more in 2006 after a slew of two-sided business pacts. The opening of the
Nathula Pass once more is likely to strengthen the economy of the area and
play an important role in the increasing trade between China and India. At
present, pacts between the two countries restrict trade over the pass to
29 categories of commodities from India and 15 from China.
- In
addition, the opening cuts down the length of journey to major Hindu and
Buddhist religious hubs in the area.
Khbar Pass
- The Khbar
Pass or Khyber Pass connects Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- This pass
was an important segment of the old Silk Road.
- From time
immemorial, the Khbar Pass has functioned as a business route amid South
Asia and Central Asia.
- The Khyber
Pass is also an important site for armed forces.
- The
peak of the Khbar Pass is located at 5 km (3.1 miles) within Pakistan and
the name of the place is Landi Kotal.
- The pass
subsequently travels across the northeast portion of the Safed Koh
Mountains. These mountains are a stretch of the Hindu Kush Mountain Range
to the southeast. The elevation is 1,070 m or 3,510 ft.
Karakoram Pass
- The
Karakoram Pass is the tallest pass on the prehistoric caravan itinerary
amid Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Valley. The pass ascends to an
altitude of 5,540 m (18,171 ft).
- In Turkish
language, the word Karakoram stands for “Black Gravel”.
- The high
elevation and absence of foodgrains were the main reasons for the
casualties of innumerable pack animals.
- The
itinerary through the pass was infamous for the trace of bones scattered
beside the path.
- There is
nearly no foliage on the access ways to the pass. The southern portion of
the pass is more desolate than the north. Going over the lower Suget Pass
or Suget Dawan is comparatively simple.
- The
Karakoram Pass is in a ridge amid two mountains and the breadth is around
45 meters (148 ft). There is no icecap or foliage and it is usually
without snow because of the breezes.
- Temperatures
are low, there are frequently strong breezes, snowstorms are regular, and
the high elevation has an effect.
- Regardless
of all these, the Karakoram Pass was regarded a comparatively
unproblematic pass because of the steady climb on either sides and lack of
summer snow and ice for the most part of the year.
- As a
result, the pass was open for the most part of the year. There is no
drivable way over the pass, and the pass presently stays sealed to all
kinds of traffic movements.
Gomal Pass
- The Gomal
Pass is also known as the Gumal Pass.
- It is a
mountain pass on the boundary of Afghanistan and southeast part of South
Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.
- The name
has been derived from the Gomal River.
- It is
situated in the middle of the Bolan Pass and Khyber Pass.
Bolan Pass
- The Bolan
Pass is a mountain pass across the Toba Kakar Mountain Range in
Balochistan Province in West Pakistan. It is located at a distance of 120
km from the boundary of Afghanistan.
- Due to its
important location, aggressors, merchants and migratory ethnic groups have
also made use of the Bolan Pass as an entrance to and from Southern
Asia.
- The pass
has a lot of significance on the border of Baluchistan, linking Sibi and
Jacobabad with Quetta, which has always held a significant position in the
history of British Army operations in Afghanistan.
- Conventionally,
the Brahul of the Kurd clan are in control of the law and order condition
in the Bolan Pass Area. This clan is still surviving in the current
Balochistan region in Pakistan.
- In 1837,
intimidated by a probable Russian attack of South Asia through the Bolan
and Khyber Passes, a diplomat was sent to Kabul to get the assistance of
Dost Mohammed, the Emir.
- The British
Armed Forces under the leadership of Sir John Keane, guided 12,000
personnel via the Bolan Pass and moved into Kandahar in February 1839,
which was deserted by the princes of Afghanistan.
- From this
place, they would move on to invade and bring down Ghazni.
- In 1883,
Sir Robert Groves Sandeman parleyed with Khudadad Khan, the Khan of Kalat
and assured British dominance on the Bolan Pass in return of a yearly
charge.
Zojila Pass
- The Zozila
or Zojila Pass is a tall mountain pass in India.
- It is
situated on the Indian National Highway 1D in the middle of Leh in the
west Himalayan Mountain Ranges and Srinagar .
- In
contemporary languages of North India, 'Darra' and 'La' are both utilized
interchangeably to denote pass.
- Zoji La is
5.6 mi (9 km) from Sonamarg and offers an essential connection between
Kashmir and Ladakh.
- It is
located at an altitude of around 3,528 meters (11,575 ft), and is the
second tallest pass following Fotu La pass on the Srinagar-Leh National
Highway.
- The Zojila
Pass frequently remains closed throughout the winter season, although the
Border Roads Organization (BRO) is functioning to increase traffic for the
most part of the year.
- The Beacon
Force division of the BRO is in charge of cleaning and upkeep of the way
during winter.
- During the
India-Pakistani War of 1947, Zoji La pass was taken hold of by Pakistani
invaders in 1948 in their operation to seize Ladakh.
- Indian
military got hold of the pass on 1st November in a heroic infantry attack
with the code name Operation Bison, which accomplished victory mainly
because of the sudden use of protective covering, then the maximum height
at which protective covering had worked in warfare in the world.
Shipki Pass
- The Shipki
pass or Shipki La Pass is a mountain pass and boundary check post on the
border between India and China. The Sutlej River moves into India from
Tibet via this pass.
- The pass is
situated in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh in India and Autonomous
Region of Tibet in PRC (People's Republic of China).
- The Shipki
Pass is the third boundary post of India for doing business with China
following Nathula pass in Sikkim , and Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand. The pass is located
nearby Khab town.
Important Mountain Passes
in India
Given below are the names of the major mountain
passes in India with their elevations:
Name
|
State
|
Height(ft)
|
Asirgarh Pass
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
Bara-lacha-la Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
16,400
|
Banihal Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
9,291
|
Changla Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
17,800
|
Dongkhala Pass
|
Sikkim
|
12,000
|
Debsa Pass
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
17,520
|
Dhumdhar Kandi Pass
|
||
Goecha La Pass
|
Sikkim
|
16,207
|
Fotu La Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
13,451
|
Haldighati Pass
|
Rajasthan
|
|
Jelep La Pass
|
Sikkim
|
14,300
|
Indrahar Pass
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
14,473
|
Kunjum Pass
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
14,931
|
Khardung La Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
18,380
|
Lamkhaga Pass
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
17,336
|
Lungalacha La Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
16,600
|
Mayali Pass
|
||
Marsimik La Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
18,314
|
Nathu La Pass
|
Sikkim
|
14,140
|
Namika La Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
12,139
|
Rohtang Pass
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
13,051
|
Palakkad Gap Pass
|
Kerala
|
1,000
|
Sela Pass
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
14,000
|
Sasser Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
17,753
|
Tanglang La Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
17,583
|
Sin La Pass
|
Uttarakhand
|
18,028
|
Zojila Pass
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
12,400
|
Traill's Pass
|
Uttarakhand
|
17,100
|