Atari Wagah Border

Atari-Wagah is the road border between India and Pakistan which lies on the GT Road between the cities of Amritsar and Lahore. The Border is located 28 kms from Amritsar and 22 kms from Lahore and is named after Atari village located in Amritsar and Wagah village located in Lahore. When India was divided into two nations as India and Pakistan, the demarcation line was drawn through Atari and Wagah villages in Punjab. Today, the eastern half of the Punjab is in India and the western half is in Pakistan.

The 1947 partition of India and Pakistan saw a long white line drawn as the Atari-Wagah Border which is also known as Radcliffe Line. The two neighbors are separated by two heavy gates about two meters apart. This Border is the only open road border that crosses India and Pakistan and is officially accessible by both the nations. It is the only point between the two nations which is open for the tourists round the year as it has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in Amritsar for Indians and also in Lahore for the people of Pakistan.

The Border is also famous for the flag ceremony that occurs every day since 1959. There is a flag raising ceremony every morning and a flag lowering ceremony every evening. The flag lowering ceremony is more popular as it is done with full patriotic character on each side of the Border by the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers).

This ceremony takes place every evening and as the sun starts to set, the atmosphere at Wagah Border becomes energetic with enthusiasm and passion. The show starts off with the patriotic songs and remembering the brave soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. Hundreds of tourists visit this historical place to see the grand changing of guards along with the hoisting and retreat of the national flag. Soldiers from both the countries march amidst the rising nationalistic feeling. The highly skillful ceremony is impressive and one of its kind.

The ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony starts with a marching parade by the soldiers from both the sides in a synchronized manner. One soldier stands at attention on each side of the gate and two soldiers approach each other and exchange looks once the heavy gates at the Border are flung open. They salute and shake hands and begin to lower the Indian and Pakistani flags flowing on the high poles at the respective gates.

During the ceremony, spectators at the Border remain quiet and calm with respect. The only sound heard is that of the pounding of soldier’s boots and trumpets on both the sides. The flags are nicely folded and carried back into the respective camps with honor and esteem. There is a final handshake between the soldiers from both sides followed by the smashed closing of both the gates and sound of trumpet to mark the end of the grand ceremony.

There’s a huge gate on the Indian side of the Border with an encryption ‘Swarn Jayanti Dwar’, from where a beautiful view of the Border can be enjoyed. This is an important army outpost having Amritsar and Lahore in its nearest proximity on either side of the international border. The ceremony invokes nostalgia among the visitors and offers something that one cannot afford to miss.

People from this area have seen a lot of politics, wars and hatred and they are saddened with such emotions because the beautiful landscape, the grazing wheat fields and the herd of cattle were at one time same on both sides of the border. People belong to different faiths and religion but they are same and speak the same language. In the times of modern technology and internet, people are just a click away from their friends and relatives residing in any corner of the world. But for the people of both the Punjabs, there’s a huge wall that hinders them to meet and greet each other nevertheless the birds fly freely from one side to other unaware of the man made fences of physical and emotional partitions.

India and Pakistan have been trying to soften their relations in the recent years and the governments have been talking to open the border so that there can be improved and better social, cultural and business relations between the people of both the Punjabs and countries. But whenever there are times of materializing such hopes, an act of intimidation holds everything back. Today, the people sincerely hope and wish that both the governments would rise and think above the means of politics and take some considerable decisions and steps for the future of both the sides and would break the wall that divides the two countries since 1947.