Silk Road Set to Reopen, Paving New Openings for Buddhist Pilgrims

June 29, 2006

Source: Tricycle

http://www.tricycle.com/issues/innews/3482-1.html

On June 29, 2006 Tricycle reported, "Closed for 44 years, the Nathu La Pass on the ancient Silk Road is due to re-open on July 6th. The Silk Road is an ancient trade route that ran from China to the Mediterranean, providing passage for goods, people and ideas. Not really one road but rather a collection of routes crisscrossing Asia, the Silk Road played a critical part in the migration of Buddhism out of India. The pass at Nathu La is on a southern branch of the road, linking India and Tibet via Sikkim. The opening of the border signals a very slight warming in Indo-Chinese relations... Once the road reopens, the Indian Tourism Ministry hopes that tourists and Buddhist pilgrims will travel along it. Sikkim, once largely Buddhist but now primarily Hindu, depends heavily on mountain-climbers and other tourists for revenue."