There is a very nice comfortable airconditioned train running from Delhi to Amritsar. I was there on time, found the ticket counter without too much trouble and had a very pleasant relaxing trip - a morning paper, a bottle of water, a breakfast snack and nice vegetarian lunch were provided. I was seated next to an interesting young man on his way to do some work in Ludhiana - fantastic. I even got to read my book for a while which for the past few trips had been much to bumpy. I arrived in a very good mood.
I found a guest house in Amritsar without much trouble - again thanks to the Lonely Planet and was settled in to my room my about 3:00 in the afternoon. I wasn't intending to stay very long perhaps only one day - so I splurged again and got a private rickshaw to a small town called Attari which is on the India / Pakistan border. Each evening at the border crossing there is a comic performance by the border guards - something like a "changing of the guards" perhaps where on both sides of the border strangely dressed army officers do a strange dance and race towards their foes on the other side threateningly and staring them down - before finally the men in charge of both sides shake hands and they raise their respective flags at exactly the same time.
Meanwhile thousands of onlookers chant national slogan lead on by an official with a microphone - I couldn't understand exactly what they were chanting . "Hindistan" "blah blah blah" and so on - a bit like "Aussie Aussie Aussie" "Oi Oi Oi". It seemed to me that they were using the same chant on the otherside with "Pakistan" "oi oi io" - but I couldn't hear it very clearly. It seemed to me that despite their religious differences these two sides are more alike than they are different. Like football fans - regardless of their team they all seem to act the same way at the game.
It reminded me a bit of a sporting game as I was sitting in the stand. Instead of there being any game they were just doing the National Anthem and "Har-ka" bit at the start. Touts were selling small flags and drinks and everyone seemed to be having a grand old time.
The man on the microphone and those in the crowd seemed to be making a big deal about everyone sitting down. I was in just the right spot for this to be an issue as those to the left of me wanted to stand up and those on the right wanted them to be sitting down so they would get a better view. "Think of the Children" I am sure someone was yelling.
The problem of course is for the next few people sitting next to those standing up - they can't see , so what do they do - they either stand up them selves (which will mean the next column will to and so on until everyone does) or they yell at those next to them to sit down.
I was watching it - amused. When the man on my right stood up , I had to to or I couldn't see , so the man on the left abused me until he stood up. Then the man on the microphone and the guards tried to make everyone sit down again- which many did, except two well dressed, good looking women whom I think were worried about getting their dresses dirty (don't know just speculating - but for some reason they wouldn't) and so amidst much yelling to sit down, column after column stood up again.
There is some kind of "game theory" about this - weak stategy , strong strategy stuff. Because in the end what can you do - if every sat down all would be fine but you have to respond to what your opponent is doing.
I was thinking a lot about this as I sat/stood in turn listening to the chants. I was thinking about Ghandi, Martin Luther, John Lennon - non violence works if the other side respects it, but in the end its a weak strategy because they can just shoot at you and in the end you either die, run away or shoot back.
Communism, The Accord - they all work if everyone is prepared to play the game by the same rules, but when it is in an individuals interests to break the rules they often do. So those in power have to use force to keep the rules and in doing so they break the rules themselves and it all falls apart.
Countries do it, Political Parties do it, Families do it, Clubs do it...
The next day I visited a place called Jullianwalla Bagh which is a park in which the British opened fire on a group of Indian non violent protesters in 1919 killing about 350 including a baby and wounding 1500 more. There is a touching memorial and the "gallery of Martyrs".
It was very sad and I sat there for a while wondering if there is any hope for mankind.
