THE MYSTERY OF MAGNETIC HILL AND ROAD IN LADAKH

                                          
Magnetic Hill is located on the Leh-Kargil-Baltic National Highway in the Trans-Himalayan region. Sindhu river flows to the east of Magnetic Hill and makes the surrounding a picture perfect frame. Blessed with amazing natural beauty and mysterious magnetic abilities, the magnetic road in Ladakh is where travelers stop by to experience the strange, gravity-defying phenomenon. A yellow box marked on the magnetic road, few meters away from the Magnetic Hill indicates that the vehicle must be parked in neutral gear. It is from here that the vehicle starts to move at a speed close to 20 kmph. The strange world that we live in, there are plenty of theories backing this strange wonder of nature. All of them propose a different logic and are backed by strong reasoning, barring superstitions like ‘the magnetic road is a straightaway to heaven’. Here’s a look at what each of these beliefs and theories have to say.

 The superstition –

Villagers residing in Ladakh believe that there once existed a road that led people to heaven. Those who rightly deserved were pulled to the path directly while those who didn’t deserve could never make it there.

The magnetic force theory –

Next comes a sensible theory, which is also the most widespread. It states that there is a strong magnetic force emanating from the hill that pulls vehicles that are within its range. The strange occurrence on the Leh-Kargil highway has been experienced and testified by travelers from across the world. As a matter of fact, the notorious hill has caused planes of Indian Air Force to divert their route in the past to avoid magnetic interference on them.

The optical illusion theory –

Another widely accepted theory says that the hill is no source of magnetic force, rather it’s just an optical illusion that makes the downslope of the road leading to the Magnetic Hill look like an upslope. So, when you see the vehicle going uphill, it is actually going downhill.

Another theory is that false perspective might also play a role. Objects far away may seem smaller or larger than they really are. This is a remarkably common illusion that is found in numerous locations around the world. Usually, it is a stretch of road in a hilly area where the level horizon is obscured.

BY: E.KANMANI