Sela Pass at 13,800 feet, is one of the Arunachal Pradesh’s high mountain passes that connects the Tawang district to the rest of the state. This pass is known for its atrocious weather and that is why there is a very high probability to see here.
About Sela Pass :
The Sela Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass located in Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It has an elevation of 4170m (13,800 ft). It connects Tawang Town to Tezpur and Guwahati and is the main road connecting Tawang with the rest of India. Tawang is situated at a distance of 78 km from Sela Pass while Guwahati is at a distance of 340 km.
While Sela Pass does get heavy snow in winters, it is usually open throughout the year unless landslides or snow require the pass to be shut down temporarily. Sela Pass is the main route to access Tawang town, and given the proximity of Tawang District with China, Border Roads Organization (BRO) of India works hard to keep the pass open throughout the year. While summers at Sela Pass are not very cold, temperature in winter can dip down to -10 degree Celsius.
Attractions Of Sela Pass In Arunachal Pradesh :
Sela Pass is a high altitude peak of about 4,176 meters (13,700 feet) above sea level. It is the only gateway to reach Tawang. A steep climb up takes you to Sela that gives a feel of looking down on earth through the clouds. The green trees, dense forests and snowcapped high hills with exotic valleys of Sela covered with clouds take you to the paradise called Tawang.
There is a natural lake on the pass called as Paradise Lake with some amazing views and small tea stalls.
After crossing the Pass visitors need to go down the hill, cross a small stream and climb the opposite hill that leads to Tawang.
History :
Sela pass has quite a history. At times of 1971 war when Chinese were coming ahead, two girls Sela & Noora were helping by ammunition supply to the lone soldier Jaswant Singh who kept holding the accession of the chinese army. Chinese first tortured Noora. Jaswant Singh laid his life after killing many chinese soldiers. Chinese then ran after Sela, who climbed to the peak of the mountain and jumped to her death. The pass and the peak is named after Sela and there is a memorial nearby for Jaswant Singh. His washed uniform and polished shoes are still provided to him everyday. It is a known fact that his spirit still protects this pass.
