The Wagah border post on the India-Pakistan border is the only place where officers from the Indian and Pakistani armies have shaken hands every day for 60 years to the applause of spectators.
A deserted highway sticks into a small square, right behind it is a road closed by a barrier, going under an arch. On top of the arch is a Pakistani flag and an inscription in Urdu: “Bab-e Azadi” - “Gate of Freedom”. In the opening behind the gate you can see what looks like a small stadium with stands and another gate, only this one shows the “tiranga” - the Indian national flag. The surrounding area is quite deserted.
Wagah Post is one of the few through which you can get from Pakistan to India. The two huge countries are connected by only four buses and two trains, and even this was achieved only in recent years: until quite recently, the divided Indian subcontinent was connected by only one bus and one train, which periodically stopped running during regular exacerbations in the region.
Wagah is the most famous point on the Pakistani-Indian border; indeed, two bus routes and one railway pass through this town to India. And most importantly, this is the only place where a citizen of one country can simply walk to another - if, of course, he has a visa, which is not easy to obtain.
“For some reason, the buses and trains that pass here are usually called symbols of the developing friendship between our countries,” says Pakistani journalist Afshak. “But for me they are a symbol of tragedy and partition. Judge for yourself: buses do not even have the right to cross the border!”
Indeed, in the meantime, a bus approached the gate, a small group of passengers, about 15 people in total, got out with their things and walked on foot to the customs building standing at a distance.
“After all the passport procedures and customs control, another bus will be waiting for them on the other side. Can this be called a full-fledged bus service?” asks Afshak.
It will take passengers about an hour to cross 300 meters from the Pakistani province of Punjab to the Indian state of the same name.
The town of Waga also saw crowds of thousands running along the highway built by the British. Exactly 60 years ago, in August 1947, British India, having gained independence, split in two: the last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten, agreed to divide the state into independent dominions: India, where the majority would be Hindus, and Pakistan, with a Muslim majority.
The news that the state was about to collapse caused real panic: millions of people rushed to different sides of the peninsula, fearing that they would end up in the “wrong” country. The roads were crowded with carts carrying refugees, and the last departing trains were stormed.
The disintegrating British India was gripped by a wave of monstrous religious pogroms: Muslims were killed in Hindu areas, Hindus were killed in Muslim areas. Fear and hatred, old complexes made themselves felt, nationalist groups of all stripes became more active, simply bandits.
According to various estimates, from half a million to two million people died, and up to 14 million were injured. Perhaps no state in history has known such a bloody collapse.
The tragic circumstances of the emergence of two young countries had a strong impact on their relationship, and territorial disputes and problems were added to this.
India and Pakistan have fought each other three times in six decades - the first war starting just weeks after independence. And today, two parts of what was once one state see each other as rivals.
After the collapse, the town of Waga near the city of Lahore, the capital of the ancient principality of Punjab, became a border post, and Punjab itself was cut in two. But Vaga is also famous for the fact that every evening the so-called Flag Lowering Ceremony takes place here.
“This is also part of the history of relations between the two countries, but also popular entertainment,” says Afshak.
Indeed, towards evening, lines of cars pulled towards Vaga. People began to gather in the stands built right at the transition point - women and men were accommodated separately. The RIA Novosti correspondent is allowed to sit in the seats for honored guests - next to the scene of action.
“Soon after the collapse of British India, the border guards of the two new countries began to hold a demonstrative ceremony of lowering the flags in front of each other every evening. People came to watch this. Gradually it became a spectacle,” explains officer Zahir from the local border detachment.
“You probably won’t see such a ceremony anywhere else in the world,” he notes proudly.
There are also stands built on Indian territory; spectators on both sides, craning their necks, try to look at each other. “You can only shout patriotic slogans here - no attacks towards the opposite side. We do not allow any provocations,” says Zahir, pointing to the machine gunners standing at the stands.
While the spectators are gathering, music is playing: famous patriotic songs. Speakers on both sides try to shout over each other. “This is our Pakistan, our beloved Pakistan!”, a male voice sings in the left ear; “Our India is better than all other places!” rushes from the right. Everything merges into a loud cacophony.
Then an old man in a green robe with the inscription “Long live Pakistan!” runs out onto the road in front of the gate. and a flag in his hands. “Pakistan grandfather!” the stands explode.
This old man is also part of the ceremony; no one remembers how many years he comes every evening to raise the patriotic spirit of the crowd. In recent years, a young guy has been assigned to help him - in the same uniform and also with a flag.
The two of them wave banners and encourage the crowd in the stands to shout “Glory to Pakistan!” One by one they run up to the gate to India to show their flag. From the Indian side, figures with banners are also visible running in front of the spectators.
Suddenly everything calms down, a guard appears in front of the gate - huge, all selected, border guard guys with lush mustaches in black uniforms and with ceremonial plumes on their heads. The guard commanders address each other with a long, drawn-out cry. And now the gates open - ancient Punjab again becomes united for minutes.
From the Indian side you can see the same guard: tall guys, sultans on hats, only the sultans are red, and the uniform is khaki.
Pakistani and Indian guards demonstrate drill techniques, apparently competing with each other to see who can raise their leg the highest. The guards from both sides approach the open gates with a solemn step and shake hands - the stands explode with applause.
“Previously, unfriendly shouts were sometimes heard from the stands. But in recent years, more and more often you can hear people shouting “Aman!” (Peace!) to each other,” notes journalist Afshak.
Meanwhile, the flag guards, to the sound of trumpets, begin lowering the state flags, making sure that both panels move down from the flagpoles at the same time. The banners are neatly folded, the officers salute, the gates are closed.
Spectators begin to disperse, exchanging impressions. Opinions vary. The flag lowering ceremony has long been a topic of discussion; some believe that it is a demonstration of complexes and confrontation, others say that this is simply a beautiful tradition.
Be that as it may, Wagah is the only place where officers of the armies of India and Pakistan shake hands with each other every day to the applause of the spectators.
(the eastern part of the village is in India, the western part is in Pakistan).
Wagah
Wagah is located on the ancient great wheel route between the cities of Amritsar and Lahore. The controversial Radcliffe Line passed through Wagah in 1947. The part of the Indo-Pakistan border located at Wagah is often called the "Berlin Wall of Asia". Every evening a ceremony called “lowering of the flags” takes place here, the first of which was held in 1959. The Indian Border Security Force is responsible for maintaining order at the border. (English)Russian and Pakistan Rangers (English)Russian.
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Notes
Excerpt describing the India-Pakistan border
Helen, having returned with the court from Vilna to St. Petersburg, was in a difficult situation.In St. Petersburg, Helen enjoyed the special patronage of a nobleman who occupied one of the highest positions in the state. In Vilna, she became close to a young foreign prince. When she returned to St. Petersburg, the prince and the nobleman were both in St. Petersburg, both were claiming their rights, and Helen was faced with a new task in her career: to maintain her close relationship with both without offending either.
What would have seemed difficult and even impossible for another woman never made Countess Bezukhova think twice about it, and it was not without reason that she apparently enjoyed the reputation of being the smartest woman. If she began to hide her actions, to extricate herself from an awkward situation by cunning, she would thereby ruin her case, recognizing herself as guilty; but Helen, on the contrary, immediately, like a truly great person who can do whatever she wants, put herself in the position of rightness, in which she sincerely believed, and all others in the position of guilt.
The first time a young foreign person allowed himself to reproach her, she, proudly raising her beautiful head and turning half a turn to him, said firmly:
- Voila l"egoisme et la cruaute des hommes! Je ne m"attendais pas autre chose. Za femme se sacrifie pour vous, elle souffre, et voila sa recompense. Quel droit avez vous, Monseigneur, de me demander compte de mes amities, de mes affections? C"est un homme qui a ete plus qu"un pere pour moi. [This is the selfishness and cruelty of men! I didn't expect anything better. The woman sacrifices herself to you; she suffers, and this is her reward. Your Highness, what right do you have to demand from me an account of my affections and friendly feelings? This is a man who was more than a father to me.]
The face wanted to say something. Helen interrupted him.
“Eh bien, oui,” she said, “peut etre qu"il a pour moi d"autres sentiments que ceux d"un pere, mais ce n"est; pas une raison pour que je lui ferme ma porte. Je ne suis pas un homme pour être ingrate. Sachez, Monseigneur, pour tout ce qui a rapport a mes sentiments intimes, je ne rends compte qu"a Dieu et a ma conscience, [Well, yes, maybe the feelings he has for me are not entirely paternal; but from for this I should not refuse him my home. I am not a man to pay with ingratitude. Let it be known to your highness that in my sincere feelings I give an account only to God and my conscience.] - she finished, touching her hand to the high-raised beautiful breasts and looking at the sky.
We promised to write in more detail about the Indo-Pakistan border closure show: what the Indo-Pakistan border closure show is and where its legs come from. We promised - we tell you.
First, a little history
I will not describe in detail the history of the Indo-Pakistani conflicts, since I am not a historian or political scientist; there are plenty of books and articles on this topic. But nevertheless, it is necessary to give a brief historical background to make it clearer where the show of closing the Indo-Pakistani border came from, why it is so important and what role it plays for mere mortal Indians and Pakistanis.
So, in 1947 The division of British India occurred, as a result of which two “independent” states appeared: India and Pakistan. This division actually took place along religious lines: Muslim territories went to Pakistan, and Hindu and other territories went to India. Everything would have been fine if it weren’t for Kashmir; this traditionally Muslim settlement, for an “unknown” reason, went to India, not Pakistan. And for more than 70 years, Kashmir has been a stumbling block and the main cause of discord between the two neighboring states.
Today, the problem is not only and not so much that political leaders cannot agree among themselves, but that people are so “involved” that this can easily result in open conflict. Largely in order to prevent clashes between Indians and Pakistanis and at the same time to somehow give vent to accumulated aggression, this daily show of closing the Indo-Pakistani border is carried out.
How is the Indo-Pakistan border closing show going?
The show should start at 17:00 (details about where the Indo-Pakistan border closing show takes place, how to get to the show and how much it costs are described in).
You should arrive at the Indo-Pakistan border closing show well in advance, since you will have to stand in line for inspection for at least an hour.
After all the formalities with the inspection have been completed, you find yourself in the “Colosseum”, where you are actually segregated by race: whites get conditionally safer places, but the view from there is much worse (columns are in the way) than from the Indian places.
So, everyone sat down and national music was blasted at full blast from both sides (Indian and Pakistani). It gives the greatest “pleasure” to foreigners, since they are at the epicenter of this sound attack.
After a short time, the flags “come onto the stage.” For the right to run with the flag of their favorite country, a queue of people forms to the border of a neighboring state.
The raging crowd is not afraid of heavy rain, hail and other obstacles of the elements, Show Must Go On under any circumstances.
Since there are few flags and not enough for everyone, the whole action gradually moves into the second phase, code-named “spontaneous dancing”.
Each side strives to demonstrate the best of what it can do. The entrance includes traditional dances, ballroom and breakdancing. Everyone dances at their best. Moreover, with such inspiration and dedication, because he, in fact, defends the honor of his country. After the energy of the crowd dies down, the military come out onto the parade ground.
First they demonstrate the skills of their anti-terrorist dog ☺.
Then the mastery of chasing a step and other intricacies of a military march. It looks very comical, especially in comparison with the honor guard show in Moscow. But it’s probably not entirely appropriate to compare here.
After all the military have demonstrated their skills and, by means of facial expressions, gestures and articulation, have shown the enemy what they think about him, and what they will do to him if the adversary tries to attack the object entrusted to them, the flags over the border are lowered and the border is considered officially closed until the next day.
Here is a simple event called “The Indo-Pakistan Border Closing Show.” Did we like it? Let's just say it was quite funny and interesting. You can and even need to watch the show of closing the Indo-Pakistan border once, but I wouldn’t go a second time.
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It turned out that 30 km. from Amritsar, in the Indian state of Punjab, there is a peculiar attraction. The India-Pakistan border lies near the village of Attari. Every evening, before sunset, Indian and Pakistani border guards stage a purely theatrical border closing ceremony here. I’ve certainly never seen anything like this anywhere, so I went to have a look.
On both sides of the border, which is marked by a gate, there are stands for spectators. There are a lot of people, locals come here with their children, and they give schoolchildren rides on buses. It seemed to me that there were much more than 500 spectators on the Indian side, and the Pakistani stands were packed. Even VIP seats are allocated for foreigners. New stands are being built while the ceremony is going on!)))
While spectators are gathering, dance music is turned on and Indians are dancing, ordinary people (today they were girls, apparently high school students) are running between the stands with the flags of the state, in our case, India. The ceremony is a kind of demonstration of courage combined with posing, which is shown by the brave young border guards of both states. Despite the difficult relations between Pakistan and India, the military performance looks very harmonious. The main action takes place near the state gates, initially closed. The border guards walk at a fast pace to the gate, and there, they throw their leg up and forward so that they touch their head, which is wearing an unimaginable cap, similar to the brightly colored tail of a male bird trying to seduce a female.
All this is accompanied by drum music. The entertainer stirs up the patriotic fervor of the crowd, they begin to shout “Hindustan Zindabad” (Long live Hindustan!) Near me there were especially active young people, at some point I was ready to take them for “radical-minded”))).
On the Pakistan side, the same thing happens, except that men and women sit in different stands, and during Ramadan the stands are empty. Pakistanis are Muslims; it was on religious grounds that this part of India was separated into an independent state in 1947.
Then the border gates open, the commanders march towards each other, shake hands and greet each other.
After this, the synchronized lowering of state flags begins; Indian and Pakistani soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder, they differ only in the color of their uniform. The Indians have it sand-colored and have a red cap on their heads, but the Pakistanis, as far as I could see, had everything in black. The flags are taken to the guardhouses, and the border is closed at night.
May 12th, 2016 , 04:02 am
One of the cities I visited in India, Amritsar, is located near the border with Pakistan. As you know, in the late 1940s, when the British left these places, the two young states started a war (partly over disagreements about cows!) Since then, relations between them have been rather strained, and there is only one place where you can cross the border between neighbors. It so happened that this place, Wagah is located 30 km from Amritsar.
Every day there is an elaborate border closing ceremony in which selected border guards from both sides perform ridiculous movements in sync.
Wagah is one of the few points of contact between India and Pakistan. Hundreds of trucks pass through the town on the road every day. But every day, at two o’clock, the border is closed so that the closing ceremony can be held at four. Yes, yes, they close the border first, and only then hold the closing ceremony! (However, during this ceremony, the border is temporarily reopened.)
There are only two main attractions in Amritsar. One of them is the Golden Temple of the Sikhs (a separate story about it and its bloody history.) And the second is the closing ceremony of the Wagah border. Why am I saying this? Moreover, as soon as you go out into the street in the city center, taxi drivers and tuk-tuk drivers will immediately start pestering you with an offer to take you to watch this ceremony.
It's worth going, it's a unique spectacle. Why else would you come to Amritsar? The main thing is not to overpay for a car or tuk-tuk. We managed to rent a spacious minivan for four of us for 1,200 rupees (that's about $17.50). It's about an hour's drive from the center along gorgeous Indian roads. All cars drop off passengers near the first checkpoint with a good sign to the border.
You should leave everything here except your mobile phone, passport and camera. Don't make the same mistake I did by thinking that an external battery will also be allowed through. They will find you during the search and force you to take him back. Verified.
The military presence here is very intrusive. There was a terrorist attack here in 2014, so everyone is on alert.
There are many people who want to watch the ceremony, mostly domestic tourists who came to Amritsar. Indians go to the spectacle as if it were a holiday. There are dudes standing in front of the entrance, ready to paint an Indian flag on the faces of tourists for pennies, to aggravate the patriotic fervor.
Closer to the checkpoint, people line up. This is one of the few queues in India where you will not be allowed through just because you are a foreigner.
All visitors undergo two to three thorough searches. Border guards fumble back and forth with their hands, looking for weapons and USB batteries. You can't even take cigarettes with you.
There is a separate line for the girls; they are checked inside the booth so that no one watches the border guard aunts paw them.
In general, there are a lot of soldiers everywhere, although it is not entirely clear what role they play here in such numbers. Many people just stand still and do nothing. Only sometimes they tell tourists not to linger.
Borderline self-PR: “We are the best!” The silhouettes are truly impressive.
Here we come directly to the border. It’s best to get here around 3:30 in order to have time to take good places from which you can at least see something. This is where the famous Indian racism against one’s own begins. All local residents, and even those who are at least somewhat similar to them, are turned into common stands. They are the furthest from the border, and people are packed here long before the ceremony begins.
It looks like this.
A little closer to the border gate, one section of these stands is allocated for the so-called VIP gallery. It is no different from the other stands, just not so far away. But obviously not everyone is allowed there, so it’s somehow more spacious for people to sit here.
Even closer to the gate there is a section for foreigners. We were sent here. By the way, watching this ceremony is free, which means Indians can’t even pay extra to get into this trump part. Pure apartheid!
There is a separate VIP area right in front of the gate (not to be confused with the VIP gallery, which is much further away). There are chairs here, and the names of visitors are checked against the list. I don’t even know what I need to do to get there. But there were about 50/50 foreigners and Indians there.
The aunt tried to get in there, but the young guard showed her to her place. Right next to us by the way.
There is even a special area for schoolchildren. They are brought in whole classes at once.
There are so many people who want to watch this daily ceremony that the authorities are building new stands. In general, the mood here is like at a sports match - people come to cheer for their country, as if they can win in this ceremony. (Actually you can't.) On the Indian side, patriotic music is playing loudly - the speakers very rarely go silent.
But when they take a break between songs for a second, the sounds of Muslim music can be heard from the other side. Both countries play loudly to outshout each other. It’s not good if your fans suddenly hear foreign music in the midst of a surge of patriotism. Just beyond the fence you can see the stands on the Pakistani side. There they also have some kind of clever division, but people sit in a semicircle, maybe they can see what’s happening better from there than we can. For example, we can’t see the gate very well.
But you can clearly see the costumed border guards preparing for the ceremony. It is said that both sides choose the tallest and most impressive of their border guards to take part in this performance. To make them even more impressive, these guys are wearing hats with very funny red combs. They walk around in them like overdressed peacocks.
There are also military men here wearing simpler caps. Girls aren't allowed combs either. They are given berets.
The most interesting participant in all this turned out to be dressed in a tracksuit and Adidas sneakers, like a real gopnik. This was the ringleader. His microphone was connected to huge speakers and right before the ceremony began, he began shouting some patriotic slogans in Indian.
"Hindustaaan!!!" he screamed, and the audience echoed him.
But as soon as they calmed down a little, screams were heard from the other side of the border: “Pakistaaaan!!!” This is exactly how I imagine fans at any football or hockey game.
And then the drummer began to beat, soldiers in caps lined up... The ringleader started up even more... It seems it’s about to start...
First of all, brave commandos with serious guns at the ready march to the gate. Just like from some Bollywood action movie.
Then the girls. We have already seen them. What's that on her hand? Cane? Umbrella? Sword? So unclear.
Well, the first of the red scallops have finally arrived. They are certainly the most colorful and funny. Look at these pants with snow-white gaiters sticking out from under them!
The guys march with the important air of turkeys, waving their arms widely and walking in a funny way. In general, this spectacle is very ridiculous.
Although it's hard to see in the photo. Look, I made a GIF for you:
I must say that the audience loves these guys the most. Everyone takes pictures of them, clap, and take selfies against them.
The main trump move of red scallops is lifting their legs up to their heads. They only know how to do this with their right hand; no one ever lifted their left hand during the ceremony. And so they walk, walk, suddenly stop, and rrrrr! right to the head. And they move on. I wonder who came up with all this choreography, and how much they drank before it.
This beautiful photo was borrowed from dobriifin
As I already said, the border is closed at two o'clock in order to prepare for this ceremony. The ceremony consists mainly of marching, during which the gates are padlocked. There are gates on each side, of course; the Indians open into the country, while the Pakistanis simply slide apart, like subway doors. And after a few minutes of marching, both sides simultaneously open these gates wide open! The “fans” on both sides burst into applause and boos.
An authorized Indian border guard shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart. This is done very arrogantly, pointedly without looking into each other's eyes.
After this, the parties show off to each other for a long time to see who can raise their right leg higher. Here the audience understands that on the other side of the border there is an absolutely synchronized show - with the same scallops, high border guards, and funny marching. Only the color of the forms is different.
"I'll bully you!" (photo from the network)
And then the main part of the ceremony begins - the lowering of the flags. According to the strange rules of the border guards, the flag can only be raised in daylight, so they are lowered at night. This must also be done simultaneously, so that God forbid our flag does not go down before their flag, thus demonstrating the cowardice and inferiority of our nation. If anything, then it’s better that they lower theirs first.
Although, as a rule, everything comes out very simultaneously. The flag is folded and the honor guard carries it inside its home territory.
This concludes the show. The gates are quickly closed and people disperse.
If it’s not very clear from the photos, here’s a 2-minute video, you can clearly see the funny gaits in it.
On the way back to India, there is a poster: "Beware of anti-national elements!" - here they are also fighting the fifth column.
There are no anti-national elements in the border zone. And there is the usual dirt, garbage, fires and poverty.
