Punjab

Beating Retreat at the Wagah Border

When you are speechless and feel an adrenaline gush while watching the army parade, that’s when you are at Wagah Border, Amritsar. After fretting over not being there even once, this was the first visit for my husband. YouTube has endless videos of the beating retreat ceremony at Wagah Border, yet it is a different feeling to witness the same in person.

What’s special at Wagah Border?

The event called the beating retreat ceremony takes place every day at Wagah Border in the evening. The gates of two countries, India and Pakistan, are opened, and the respective flags are lowered. Prior to lowering the flags, security personnel from both sides march to the gate, thumping their feet, showing their aggression and pride for the country. The higher the foot in the air, the louder the cheers. This military practice takes place between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistani Rangers, amidst a huge cheering crowd on both sides.

The synchronized march

Exactly where

The town of Wagah lies on the historic Grand Trunk Road between Amritsar and Lahore. Merely 24 km from Lahore and 32 km from Amritsar, Wagah also serves as a good transit terminal and a railway station between both countries. Since the bordering village of Attari is 3 km from Wagah, it is also called the Attari border.

Beateting retreat ceremony begins

Getting there

For the record, I had visited Wagah Border twice, and each time I witnessed something new. This time (on my third visit), I witnessed new construction, more seating capacity, and, of course, longer queues. Reaching the venue is a task in itself. If you do not have a pass, it is advised to reach the venue as early as 2 p.m. If you have a pass issued by any Army "connection" of yours, you have to patiently wait for your pass number to be called out. Our pass number was called out around 3:15. When we reached the Attari Border, our worst nightmare came true, disguised as traffic. You also have to pay a toll before reaching border parking. 

Wagah Attari border

It was quarter past four, and we were unable to park the car. It seemed an entire country was here to watch the beating retreat ceremony. The husband parked the car at a crammed-up roadside spot, like a thousand others had. We jumped into action and fled through the numerous VIP checkpoints, flashing our ID cards and confirming our names on the list. The security personnel at Wagah work round the clock, and managing crowds of thousands is not an easy job, for sure. The least we can do is cooperate with them and not argue when they ask to maintain discipline.

The crowded amphitheatre

The VIP pass is not a guarantee of a fixed seat or a closer view. That’s exactly what happened to us. By the time we entered the amphitheater, the front seats were full. We got a spot somewhere in the last few rows. It was difficult to watch the parade, and taking pictures was next to impossible from there. But the vantage point gave a good view of the Pakistani side. This is how we find positive things among the negatives.

Crowd on both the sides

The ceremony

Lady officers opening the Beating Retreat ceremony

The show started with lady officers marching towards the gate, followed by cultural programs, a canine unit march, and a BSF soldiers’ parade.

The K9 unit

The show emcee, clad in white, encourages the crowd to cheer up and give a tough competition to Pakistan. The decibel level reaches a new high with every hand signal. As the crowd goes berserk, competing with hoots from Pakistan, you can feel the contagious energy gripping you.

The Indian strength

The star of the ceremony- The energetic emcee

The soldiers march ahead in perfect sync, saluting the national flag and standing tall with pride at the border gate. In come the BSF officers to face the Pakistani Rangers, raising their feet high in the air and thumping with full might. The thump is followed by caressing the mustache or adjusting the cap with an air of smugness. The officers show their aggressive side, which is also meant to warn the rival country of what we are capable of. They convey the "mess is not with me" message through their eyes and body language.

Pakistani rangers

Meanwhile, crowds from both sides cheer up with slogans praising their country. At sundown, the flags are lowered, representing peace and harmony in spite of the conflict between both countries.

Lowering of flags

Adieu

With that, the beating retreat ceremony at the Wagah Border came to an end. As the crowd prepared to leave, all my enthusiasm died when I saw so much garbage left behind. Is patriotism only shown with slogans and cheering up the BSF? What happened to basic civic sense? It is extremely sad and disturbing when fellow countrymen behave so. The plastic and garbage littered by the crowd are cleaned by the BSF administrative staff. What’s patriotic about it?

Keeping security in mind, BSF security personnel ask people to leave ASAP. They did not let us contribute by cleaning up the staircase. It was against the protocol.

Since the streets were jam-packed, it took us more time to leave than it had taken to arrive.

Keep in mind

Ø  You are not allowed to carry your handbag. Keep them in your hotel or car. Phones and DSLRs are allowed.

Ø  Phone networks remain jammed for obvious reasons. Large groups should stay together. For those who get separated, they can request free announcements at dedicated booths.

Ø  Carry your own water bottles because bottles sold inside are expensive and unhygienic. Please trash them in trash cans. Littering is a common sight there. Please refrain. 

Ø  Let the traffic clear before you make your way back. The noise, pollution, and warm weather can create a lot of confusion, stress, and temper. The return way is more confusing and not the same as the one you take while arriving. All you need is patience and to stay calm.

Ø  Unbearable heat during the summer can make your visit here difficult. Carry caps, hats, eyeglasses, sufficient water, and comfy cottons. page.

To reach Amritsar

Railheads from major cities connect with Amritsar. Tourists from nearby states can hop onto a Vovo bus or drive to Amritsar. It takes 8 to 9 hours from Delhi NCR to Amritsar by road. Public transport options are available from Amritsar for the onward journey to Wagah. You can drive, too.

By the way, this post made it to the most popular list on the Indiblogger home page.