Where is Roberg?

Amritsar Part 3: The India-Pakistan Border

Yesterday, I made a trip to the India-Pakistan Border with a couple of Canadians (they just aren’t staying in Canada anymore! ) who I encountered earlier in the day and an Israeli we encountered while waiting for our Jeep to leave.

Here are Marta, John (Israeli), and Derrick… a couple friends we made as we traveled to the border.

From what we’d heard and read, the Indian and Pakistani military put on quite a show when they officially close the only open border crossing between the two countries late in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, there is no way to put the experience into words. The atmosphere is a mixture between the Super Bowl and a high school cheer leading competition! As we arrived, we piled out of the Jeep and waited with about 200 Indians to be let into the border area. Once the gates were opened, people started running and jostling for position to be first in line and first to claim a good seat.

The first obstacle were two metal detectors which everyone squeezed through, beeping incessantly because they were carrying cameras and other metal objects. Ironically, no one was standing on the other side, so we just continued to pile through. Next, we came to an area that had been roped off, so people filtered along the rope and waited to be let into the next area, all of their running and jostling from earlier having come to naught. After this rope was let down, people ran and jostled, just like before, but this time pushed through an area wide enough for three people and surrounded on both sides by rails. I felt like part of a herd of cattle as we plunged our way through the walkway.

After a hundred yards, the walkway opened up to a half circle of stadium seats set up to face the border. As people found their seats, my partners and I made our way to the VIP section (we had read that foreigners were allowed into this section!). As we waited for the ceremony to commence, Indian music started to come out of the speakers that had been set up and about 100 girls flowed out of the stands and began dancing like they were at a high school dance in the cafeteria.

After about 20 minutes, the music ended and the girls found their way back to their seats. The real entertainment was about to begin. Soldiers, who had been warming up with jumping jacks in the back, came out with all the pomp and circumstance of a prom king and queen, dressed to the nines (I think that’s a real expression) and ready for action.

During this time, I asked a couple of the soldiers to pose for a picture with me, which they did graciously. It was obvious that they did it all the time. They were a combination of police guards at a county fair and mascots there to have their picture taken.

Here I am flanked by some very tall Indian soldiers!! (nice hats, huh! I my try to get one of those for myself before I leave India )

What happened next was impossible to describe. The best I can do is direct you to this, or one of the other You Tube clips:

It was one of the most hilarious, impressive, ridiculous, and entertaining displays of nationalism I’ve ever seen. If you ever come close to the border, you should experience it for yourself.

Filed under: India, Travel