Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 23: Rigzin Spalbar, Chief Executive Councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh today urged the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to take up with the Central Government the opening of Kailash Mansarovar route from Demchok area of Leh district.
“The Mansarovar Lake locally known as Tsomo Mapham has historical and spiritual tangible bond with the people of Ladakh since time immemorial”, Mr Spalbar said in a communiqué to the Chief Minister, adding “Buddhists associate Mansarovar with Anotatta Lake where the Buddha was mystically conceived”.
Stating that Buddhists of Ladakh had a long tradition of visiting Mansarovar lake till 1960 when Chinese occupied Tibet, he said that opening of Kailash Mansarovar route from Demchok is a persistent demand from the people of Ladakh since last many decades and has been relentlessly taken up with previous Governments at centre.
“Yatra to holy lake and Mount Kailash via Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La (Sikkim) is very difficult but from Leh it is very easy without encountering any major pass along the route”, the CEC said, adding “opening of Demchok route will act as a catalyst in the economic and overall development of this region and will give a new dimension to the tourism pilgrimage in the State”.
“Moreover, long lost historical and spiritual relations will be revived on the same pattern as the Chief Minister has endeavored to open ties with people on the other side of border”, the CEC said and requested the Chief Minister to take up with the Union Government the opening of Kailash Mansarovar route from Demchok.