Sela Pass Revisited

After three weeks on the bicycle into the Himalayas we headed to our next base, Itanagar, to prepare for our second sector. The journey back in a Bolero pick up vehicle took us back via Sela Pass, giving us a chance to film it, this time in better weather and visibility conditions. We were happy to meet Manoj Singh again at the Pass. For him the most important thing in life is to connect with each other as humans and he had countless tales to tell of how he and his contingent of the SSB guide and support people going over the pass – some arrive drenched with improper clothing, some get ill due to high altitude sickness while others have breakdowns etc. Sela Pass, is a formidable mountain pass, shrouded in clouds and master of unpredictable weather patterns, holds tremendous significance for the indigenous communities here. The local legend story is that the hero of the Indo- Sino war of 1962, Jaswant Singh Rawat, who single-handedly held the post for 3 days and killed over 300 Chinese soldiers, was helped by two Monpa sisters – Sela and Nura. Sela after whom the Pass is named, was in love with Jaswant and after his death ( he was beheaded by the Chinese army according to the locals) ended her life and Nura, was killed by the Chinese army. The famous Nuranang falls are named after her. The captivating ruggedness of the terrain leaves a lasting impact, made more poignant by this powerful story.