Aritar Tourism, Sikkim India

Lampokhari Lake Phushrey Lake Mankhim Temple Mankhim Top Aritar Gumpa

Aritar gained its significance with the signing of Indo-Tibet trade convention in 1904. This convention, under the leadership of Lord Younghusband resolved to establish a trade mart at Yatung on the Tibetan side of the frontier.However, the task was no bed of roses, when the Britishers started building roads in Sikkim, it was suspicion for Tibet and in 1886, some Tibetan militia occupied Lingtu in Sikkim near Jelepla pass. In May 1888, the Tibetans attacked Gnathang below Jelepla but were driven away. In September of the same year the British called for reinforcements and the Tibetans were pushed back from Lingtu. A memorial was built at Gnathang for the few British soldiers who died in the engagement.The British sent an expedition led by Col. Younghusband to Lhasa via Jelepla in 1904. The expedition met with resistance from the Tibetan army, which was defeated, and a treaty was dictated by Younghusband on Tibet. The Treaty secured monopoly-trading privileges in Tibet for the British The route started from Kalimpong, Pedong which is located in Darjeeling Distraict and further to Nathula via Rhenock, Aritar, Jaluk. When the first expedition was lunched to find the trade route to Tibet, it became an essence to establish a police outpost, hence Sir.James Claud White the first British political officer of Sikkim, established the first police outpost is Sikkim at Aritar, on the due course a rest house was also built for a night halt, therefore, it is known that Aritar had its commercial significance more than that of Gangtok in the past. It is said that three of the British had died in their way to the expedition, whose cemetery can still be seen at Aritar. The Lampokhari Lake ar Aritar served to quench thirst of the mules and merchants on their tiresome journey to Tibet. Goods were usually packed in black tarpaulin in order to protect from rain and snow, hence the term Kalo Bhari in Colloqual gained popularity among the people. It is said that people were often dragged from their home by the despotic heads, they had to work reluctantly for construction of the mule tracls else they were put behind the bars or faced heavy penalties.