Trade between India and Tibet in the Colonial Period

Nathu-La has played a noteworthy role for the endorsement of British trade in the colonial era. It not only served as an access to Tibet for the British merchandise but from this very doorway the British haNathu-La has played a noteworthy role for the endorsement of British trade in the colonial era. It not only served as an access to Tibet for the British merchandise but from this very doorway the British had been able to set up an amiable relation with the sleeping giant i.e. China. The picture shows how trade and communication were undertaken by both the parties. The chief means of transportation (as shown in the picture) in those days was of the mules. We can clearly notice the condition of roads probably constructed by the British Government for their trade and commerce in the far flung land of Tibet. It is to be mention here that, after having their upper hand in the administration of Sikkim, they started to construct the roads and bridges from the Himalayan Kingdom which connected British India with Tibet. Even I was told by Mr. A.D. Moddie that, before the triumph of Communist China over Tibet, the similar trading features were prevalent between the two countries. Regarding the transportation system that was available in Sikkim in 1957 he writes:-

“…As there were only two ways, a trader’s or a pilgrim’s permit, I opted for the former. I wrote to our agent in Gangtok, Sikkim, to arrange a mule and a muleteer for me; I would walk. When I arrived in Gangtok and enquired about the mule arrangement, the Agent prevaricated. He shyly disclosed he had arranged twenty mules. He was taking advantage of a sahib-type, who also knew the Political Officer, Gangtok, to send his mules train in, for greater security, under my leadership. When I met Apa Pant, the P.O. for my permit in English, Hindi and Tibetan, I thought I would amuse him with the story of one mule becoming twenty. Apa Pant saw no humor in it. In serious official style, he advised me to take all twenty mules saying, “One mule no status, twenty mules status”.

The writings of Moddie are justified by the documentation preserved by Das Studio Darjeeling. It probably is the only document potted in India associated with Tibetan trade. We are grateful to the proprietors of Das Studio for preserving the antiques which are so prized to peep inside our past.