The Pakistani Border Spectacle

Trip Start Jul 08, 2008

Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of India Amritsar, Punjab, India
Saturday, August 16, 2008

I had come this far and if I wasn't going to visit Pakistan the least I could do was make a trip to the border to witness the border closing ceremony. During my stay at the Golden Temple I broke away for an afternoon taking a shared taxi to the border. As each evening approaches Indian and Pakistani soldiers must meet at the border to lower the flags of their respective countries and over time the ceremony has become a spectator event. I was let off about a half mile from the border and was reminded of a football pep rally as I maneuvered through the crowds passing vendors selling miniature Indian flags. This was the day following India's Independence Day so the patriotic fever was still brewing like a drunken binge that had not quite wore off. I followed the crowd to some stadium-style seating where there must have been at least five thousand people and from this point I could see the Pakistani side, where there was a far less impressive turnout and the stands were segregated by gender.

The crowd began to stir with chants of "Hindustan Zindabad!!" (long live India!!) led by young Indians in the front with the help of amplifiers and giant speakers. People were taking turns running at full throttle towards the border with the Indian flag as if charging into battle kamikaze style. Soon enough the dance music started throbbing and everybody was getting psyched for the upcoming confrontation and at this moment I could see into the backyard of the customs building where some young Indian soldiers were decked out in full class-A garb, stretching and practicing their kicks. A soldier in the crowd got my attention and pointed to the section in front, where a number of Westerners were sitting and I gladly accepted the seating upgrade.

After some time the moment had arrived. With bugles blaring a couple of Indian soldiers emerged from the customs building unleashed like wild hounds lunging towards the border. Their arms were locked straight swinging like pendulums in full range while their legs were similarly locked with kicks so high Jean Claude Van Dam would be put to shame. The soldiers marched back and forth and the crowd roared as this posturing continued for a few minutes. Eventually the iron gate near the border was opened and the Indian soldiers met their Pakistani counterparts, who wore black uniforms and had full beards. There were some confrontational foot stomps preceded by back-slapping hand motions and hilarious kicks; the timing of the moves was so precise the opposing soldiers appeared to be mirror images of each other.

The ropes were untied at the base of each flag pole and flung graciously to the opposite side so the lines criss-crossed in an "X" manner. In short pulls the Indian and Pakistani flags were simultaneously lowered diplomatically remaining at the same height. The flags were received by the soldiers on either side, folded, and marched back to their respective countries. As the enemy soldiers parted ways the iron gate was slammed shut as if to say "...And stay out!!"