The Border Closing Ceremony

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After a morning spent photographing the Golden Temple (we had forgotten the camera during our visit the day before), and a slow afternoon in a museum, we headed out in a shared jeep to the border with Pakistan to see the border closing ceremony. Having spent several hours trekking out to Attari on public transport the previous evening, we decided to cut our losses and pay for the shared jeep with others heading our same way. When we arrived at the border, it was filled with people milling about and the usual street vendors. We headed to the border (usually a strict passport checking station, open to the general public between 4 and 7pm) but we're caught when the soldiers in charge decided to close the gate to spread out to influx of people. Trapped between hundreds of pressing bodies and a gate, Jason and I tried to maneuver ourselves into a safe position, but to little avail. Thankfully, the soldiers soon re-opened the gate and we were free to go. Climbing the steps to the purpose built stadium, we were syphoned out of the crowd, told to go back the way we'd come, and climb the opposite stairs for "VIPs". Eventually, unable to fight the crowd back down the stairs, we were forced to climb onto the wrong side of the railing, and drop onto the grass below. Once in the stadium, we realised why so many people had been running to find seats while there were probably about a hundred people on the Pakistan side, separated by gender, many wearing burkahs, there were between 6 or 7000 people on the Indian side. Chants and songs were played over a loudspeaker for about an hour and a half before the ceremony began. During this time, a dance party broke out, and the whole stadium descended into chaos. Then the 10 minute "ceremony" began; the Indian flag was waved, antagonistically, at the Pakistan side, the Pakistan flag was waved, antagonistically, at the Indian side, and both sides yelled at each other. Then the soldiers speed-marching, half marched, half ran up to the gate, opened it, swung their legs into the air (gymnast style) so that their knees almost hit their noses, stomped around a bit and then glared at the Pakistani soldiers who were doing the same thing. More high kicks, more stamping, more glaring, while the stadium of Indians went beserk cheering, yelling, dancing, singing. The flags were lowered in a criss cross formation as the sun sank, so that the flags of the opposing countries crossed each other, the gate was closed and locked again, and everyone was sent home. It was ridiculous. But a lot of fun.

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