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My last day in Amritsar I went to the Pakistan Border. Each
day the border has a closing ceremony that is set up for a large audience to
see. I went with 8 Indians and on the way stopped at a bizarre Hindu temple
that is set up like a McDonalds play land. You walked through narrow caved water
ways, turned corners that opened up into intricate detailed mirrored mosaic Gods
and you climbed through caves and drank holy water and ate sweets. Blessings
received! We also stopped at the Hindu’s version of the golden temple –
definitely not as impressive but blessings available there as well.
We got to the border, or 1 km from it, and walked our way to
the ceremony. When we arrived we were told to go to the women section. I was
tickled with the scene that was created around this daily event. There were
bleachers set up facing the India section of the road that leads to the border
gate. I felt as if I was at a homecoming football game as the crowd cheered and
chanted for their country and India’s top 40 songs were playing over the loud
speaker. Children from schools were running the large India flag back and forth
and a talk host was getting the crowd cheering and screaming and showing their
country pride. There were at least a thousand people there, and this goes on
everyday! You could look down the road and see and hear the same event
happening on the Pakistan side. It was as if India was chanting “we have spirit
yes we do, we have spirit how about you!” and Pakistan was responding!!!!! The
best was that girls from the bleachers started to come down to the road and
dance. It only took me about 5 minutes or so until I couldn’t sit anymore and I
joined in the Bollywood India hip hop dance party and gleamed at embraced the
unique moment of dancing at the border of Pakistan and India with beautiful
Indian Women whom were mostly dressed like high school girls. What a great way
to be ending my travels!!!!
The long ceremony began which involved 6 soldiers from each
side who had a unique march to do. One by one the did their march and holler to
the gate a did a routine with a rope attached to the flag. After all 12
soldiers did their act, the then did some demonstrations around the flag and
gate. One by one. And then, one by one each soldier did their galloping
marching chanting dance back to their original posts. It was quite a performance.
The day ended with eating street food that was shoved in my
mouth by my tour companions and lots of recognition from people in Amritsar who
saw me dancing! I took myself out to a meal in the city – had dosas a favorite
of mine from the south, circled the perimeter of the golden temple and gave
thanks for all my blessings, bought my nephew a sword then rested my head one
last night in the dorms and got up at 4 am to catch the train to Delhi. In
constant motion…….
