The Wagah Border

“The Wagah Border”.
-.C.S. (Chetana Sharma)

Enough has been spoken about the wagah. But in effect do the people of the nation really know what it’s all about to visit the wagah and to be part of the border’s daily evening parade? Don’t think so. For most indians, going abroad for a visit or holiday is the IT thing. Indians are probably the only people who ape everything else besides their own grounds and people and it’s a wonder to watch this increase everyday.
I knew about the wagah’s daily evening ceremony but i never really went to see it until a few weeks ago. A sudden trip to Amritsar and to the wagah to watch the evening guard-change ceremony made me, for the 1st time in my life feel overly patriotic and proud to be an Indian, and as i stood on the Indian side of “my” country watching my Pakistani counterparts cheer their nation on with probably the same emotions i wondered deeply what the fuss between the 2 of us was really about. A piece of land. To put it simply. And alot of ego’s thrown in.
Living within the army and military these past few years/months and working in the army in the background has made me open my till-now shut eyes. A metropolitan life can give you what you think you need, it’s only the wonders of travel and new experiences and cultures that can actually give you satisfaction.
Entering the wagah area means security checks at every 5 m or so, you cant have a bag with you, nor water, nor nothing. Just 1 camera, if at all. A long line and several frisks later you can enter the seating points from where you can watch the guard-change ceremony. Which of course involves both sides of the border forces loudly challenging whilst screaming their own respective nation’s slogans mixed with a smart soldier march mixed with the taking down of both the nation’s flags. One can feel, deeply, the patriotism on both sides. Indian and Pakistan are so close but still so far apart. It’s a big let down to watch this, live this and see this but not be able to do anything about it. As a freedom fighter’s grand-daughter, it kind of hurts, to see 2 nations now in place of one that was.
And of course the people (the majority people) of India dont feel the pain anymore because the fight between Ind and Pak has gone on for far too long now. Time makes one indifferent, usually.
Internal conflicts within an India will continue, one can co-exist , but there are just too many different cultures and beliefs to coexist peacefully. Every community, minority will eventually want their own state to show case an identity that each will be made to feel they are loosing because of the diversities in the cultures. Together as one can happen , possibly, if people know how to hold on to their beliefs without needing to justify or impose it on the face of others!
The wagah experience made me feel happy in the sense of peaceful happy, if that makes any sense, considering the situation the 2 neighbours live in. It’s a puzzle in itself.

p.s: If you would like some original pictures of the Wagah ceremony, please feel free to ask me for them.