History of Tibet's sacred mountain casts doubt on Chinese claims on India's Arunachal Pradesh

History of Tibet’s sacred mountain casts doubt on Chinese claims on India’s Arunachal Pradesh : Report 16 Feb 2022

February 16, 2022

History of Tibet’s sacred mountain casts doubt on Chinese claims on India’s Arunachal Pradesh

India’s deep ties with the region reflect double standards in the interpretation of Chinese history

China’s recent renaming of its Indian province of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory has once again heightened tensions with Delhi and turned its attention to Beijing’s aggressive expansion into the Himalayas.

According to The Hindu report, a spokesman for India’s foreign ministry last month condemned naming China a “ridiculous exercise” that did not change Arunachal Pradesh’s status as an “indivisible part of India.”

Beijing claims that the entire province – almost twice the size of Switzerland – is in southern Tibet (“南藏”), claiming to have the Tavang Monastery, the second largest of all Tibetan Buddhism, for which there is ample evidence. The Himalayas are also an “integral part” of China’s sovereign territory.

Not only does Beijing lack administrative control or recognized power over the region, but the history of other shrines in the disputed Himalayan region shows how inconsistent and empty the basis for its claims is.

A great example is the hill of Mount Kailas. This mountain is located in the western corner of Tibet, and the Hindus consider it the home of Lord Shiva, the god of destruction. The mountain, which in ancient Greece is somewhat equivalent to the eastern part of Delphi, is also considered the navel of the world – a place that Hindu pilgrims have worshiped since pre-Buddhist times, academic researchers say.

The region’s civilization ties with India gained international recognition when, in 2019, UNESCO recognized the Indian side of Mount Kailas as part of its cultural heritage site. The Indian territory is part of the wider Kailash Sacred Landscape, which covers an area of 31,000 km. India is widespread in the border areas between Tibet and the Far West of Nepal.

Although UNESCO’s bid for India has not yet been successful (and is unlikely to happen due to Chinese resistance and external influence in the organization as a member of the UN Security Council), the region’s administrative history also confirms that it is historically Indian.

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Take note of the last Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, who decided to join the recently independent Republic of India in 1947. When Singh did so, his official name was “Shriman Inder Mahinder Rajarajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Shri Hari Singhji, King of Jammu and Kashmir and Tibet, etc.” Deshdhipati “gave him the right to rule over Jammu and Kashmir, eastern Ladakh and areas in Tibet, including Mensar Manor, according to an IDSA report.

Mensar Estate was a village enclave located at the foot of Mount Kailas and on the shores of nearby Lake Mansarovar, which is about 300 km deep in modern China.

However, history goes far beyond the Treaty of Temisgang in 1684, which was the result of the Tibetan-Ladakh war at the time. Temisgang handed over control of the Mensar villages to the ruler of Ladakh to give Indian Hindu pilgrims access to Mount Kailas and to cover their ceremonies.

Although Mount Kailas is sacred to four different religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon, Hinduism is the oldest living religion in the world and two of the other three religions that originated in the Indus Valley are known to India. a great historical cultural claim to India. The highest peak compared to China.

History of Tibet's sacred mountain casts doubt on Chinese claims on India's Arunachal Pradesh — History of Tibet’s sacred mountain casts doubt on Chinese claims on India’s Arunachal Pradesh

Despite these deep precedents of civilization, history and administration on the Indian side, Mount Kailas is still under the control of the Chinese authorities, who have repeatedly prevented Indian pilgrims from entering the sanctuary in recent years. If Tawang Monastery – the largest monastery in all of India – falls into the hands of the Chinese, the most faithful will certainly have the same fate.

Meanwhile, Beijing is continuing its efforts to occupy the largest region of the Himalayas. Not only is China pushing back on India’s Arunachal Pradesh, but new reports this year show that it has built hundreds of new buildings in the region, which is being challenged by Bhutan in its recent intervention in Nepal’s Humla district.

Beijing seems to be not only increasing its historic demands, but also accelerating the pace of so-called “salute-cutting” attempts to occupy additional territories without the use of military force. The long-term consequences for all the peoples of the Himalayas are dire.