Notes To Myself My Life Notes
Wagah town is famous for the Wagah border ceremony and also serves as a goods transit terminal and a railway station between India and Pakistan.
We have been thinking about the visit since several years to watch the ceremony and finally made it to Amritsar. An hours drive from there to Wagah Border.
The ceremony at the Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dance like manoeuvres and raising legs as high as possible.
The ceremony starts with a blustering parade by the soldiers from both sides, and ends up in the perfectly coordinated lowering of the two nations’ flags. It is called the Beating Retreat border ceremony. As the sun sets, the iron gates at the border are opened and the two flags are lowered simultaneously. The flags are folded and the ceremony ends with a retreat that involves a brusque handshake between soldiers from either side, followed by the closing of the gates again.
Truly an amazing place with full of energy and enthusiasm and patriotism. Hats off to the army and BSF for the tireless efforts. Would say a must visit place at least once in a lifetime.
