Unless we hadn't considered going to India through Pakistan at the beginning of our trip, we might have never known about this border and never experienced it.
As most things in India, it was just another, that made us shake our heads, widen our eyes and think "it can not be real !".
After British left India and the country was violently parted into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1947, the relationships between India and Pakistan have not been the best.
The border ceremony, which was initially called "lowering of the flags" has been held since 1959 when connection between India and Pakistan was restored.
Till now, it is possible to notice some sort of rivaling between the both sides, each wants to be better, nicer, stronger and louder.
Men queue to the ceremony area (the very few places in India, where the word queue actually served its meaning).
Masses of Indians waiting for the show. (Foreigners were immediately guided to the VIP zone.)
Women section on Pakistan side.
Men section on Pakistan side.
Indian troop in his marvelous uniform.
Before the ceremony starts, people are turned on with national slogans and other symbols. You can hear "Hindustan, Zindabad !!!" on Indian side and something like "Shia, Shia, Pakistan !!!" on Pakistani side. Of course the atmosphere on Indian side is ten times vivider than on Pakistan side. The etiquette and manners do not allow as much freedom to Pakistani people than they do in India. So, because of this, Indians are even more eager to show to Pakistani people their ultimate freedom through the border gate bars. Indian women are dancing, cheering and running with Indian flags, at the same time when Pakistani women have to sit quietly, heads covered, apart from their husbands.
Flag run
People waiting for their turn to run with Indian flag.
Ceremony starts with soldiers screaming a monotonous tone into the microphone.
After soldiers walking here and there for some time with their special walk, flailing their hands and legs high above heads, giving honor to each other, opening and closing the gate with sharp movements.....it is time to lower the flags. Both flags, Pakistani and Indian, has to be lowered at the same speed, in order to keep the flags at the same height all time to show that one country is no better or worse than the other.
Lowering the flags at the sunset
When flags are lowered, there is a quick, almost unnoticeable handshake between the soldiers on each side, gates are quickly closed and ceremony has ended.
You see crowds cheering and clapping their hands with incredible amazement and you feel like something has just woke you up from the most funniest dream that you have ever seen.
Branko with an Indian troop.
After the ceremony is over, masses are moving back to the cars and buses.
On the way back, you just can't stop wondering, how something like this exists and you can't imagine that this show is actually taking place every day, 365 days a year with the same grandiose manner, as you had just seen.
India really can amaze you on each step !
Once again we entered into the huge country with the largest democracy in the world, as the billboard said.
But it did not say that also the country with the largest poverty and largest variety and largest absurdity......
It should have definitely said "country with the largest absurdity" !
1 comment:
gudluck.......
Post a Comment