Tongpen La View Point–A Himalayan Vista!

The high altitude Himalayan land always throws surprises at me in spite of me visiting different parts of them across different seasons. This time around, I was at the road that lead to the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh.


I had just crossed the ‘Y’ junction and was on my way to Bumla pass. I was standing at an altitude of 15,150 feet above MSL and that was when my heart skipped a couple of beats. Such was the beauty of this Himalayan vista.

 
I was at Tongpen La, a high altitude mountain pass that connected the army base of Y Junction to Bumla. The view from here was stunning. It was a splendidly blue sky and that shone on the Tongpen lake that stood in the centre of my view. And everything around the lake, including the mighty Himalayas were covered in fresh snow.


It was such a sight that can help you forget all your sorrows. No wonder all the yogis we read about, come to the Himalayas in search of nirvana.


Tongpen La view point can be accessed by jeep (4 wheel drive for snowy conditions) from Tawang in Western Arunachal Pradesh. It is at about 30 kilometres from Tawang. One needs permission from the District Commissioner and the army office to visit this place. Such permits can be made a day in advance, though final discretion is left with the officials signing on the permit. Only Indian citizens with valid proof are given these permits.