THE  ATARI - WAGAH  BORDER 

         The Radcliffe line dividing Indo-Pak territories on map between Amritsar and Lahore runs north-south between Atari (India) and Wagah (Pak). It is three km to the West of Atari, the last Railway station our side on the rail line connecting Amritsar and Lahore. Wagah, a small village in Pak is half a km West of this line. The famous GT Road grazes the northern edges of the two remote places, made famous due to the daily Colours (Flag hoisting at morning 8am)  and Sunset (Flag lowering) ceremonies conducted jointly by the BSF and Pak Rangers in a huge Arena, witnessed by the enthusiastic spectators from both countries, separated by fence and a robust gate that opens for half an hour for the Flag ceremony, even as the BSF jawans and Rangers strive to out-do each other in smartly conducted military drill amidst the roar of spectators from both sides in individualistic National fervor. The Jawans from both ends march towards each other in singles/ pairs and halt towards each other at striking distance, separated by a White line on the tarmac, but they do not cross either this line or the line of ethos and discipline ingrained in them, despite yelling their battle-cry and stomping their feet. The dual continues till the flag ceremony when the spectators rise to the National Anthem.  

     Last year when Meena and I visited Amritsar Golden Temple on 19 Nov, we gave a miss to Wagah. This year we assembled again at Ambala for Mom’s demise Barsi puja after which we decided to visit Wagah. More so since Capt PS Mehta had recently visited it with an encouraging feed forward. I rang up Capt Pranav Bhatt at Patiala and he arranged 8 passes for us (my brother Surinder, sister Anusuya, BIL Rameshwar Das, 3 nieces and Meena)  through his course-mate posted at Amritsar. My brother-in law, who’s a manager in PNB arranged for his friend’s SUV, for all of us to enjoy the trip in company. I went Live during our drive to Wagah. The Sunset ceremony was sort of a National Festival in the Arena, the glimpse of which you may savor in the pics/vids below.

          Our Wagah visit would have been incomplete without a visit to Harmandar Saheb at the Golden Temple. We absorbed some peaceful and serene moments beside the sacred and beautiful Harmandar Kund, before queuing up for the Darshan and prayers. The langar Prasad was divine and delicious. Hundreds of sevadars feeding thousands of people round the clock, year after year, can only be seen in the world at this Temple of faith. We left Amritsar at 2300 hrs to reach home at 3 am, after having received the  blessings of our Sikh Gurus.

        Both, the Golden Temple visit and Wagah ceremony are out of the world divine experiences to be savoured by one and all….Regards.