Wagah border ceremony
| Wagah Border Ceremony ਵਗਾਹ ਬੋਰਡਰ ਚੇਰੇਮੋਨੀ |
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|---|---|
 Wagah is located on the international highway between Amritsar, India and Lahore, Pakistan. |
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| Dates | Every day |
| Years active | 53 (since 1959) |
| Inaugurated | Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers |
| Genre | Military display |
The Wagah border closing 'lowering of the flags' ceremony or The Beating Retreat ceremony is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959.[1]
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Overview [edit]
This ceremony takes place every evening before sunset at the Wagah border, which as part of the Grand Trunk Road was the only road link between these two countries before the opening of the Aman Setu in Kashmir in 1999. The ceremony starts with a blustering parade by the soldiers from both the sides, and ends up in the perfectly coordinated lowering of the two nations' flags.[2] It is called the beating retreat border ceremony on the international level. One Jawan (infantryman) stands at attention on each side of the gate. 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. The spectacle of the ceremony attracts many visitors from both sides of the border, as well as international tourists.[2]
In October 2010, Major General Yaqub Ali Khan of the Pakistan Rangers decided that the aggressive aspect of the ceremonial theatrics should be toned down.[1][3]
The ceremony has been filmed and broadcast by Michael Palin for one of his television around-the-world travel programs; he described it as a display of "carefully choreographed contempt."[2]
Gallery [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b Khaleeli, Homa (1 November 2010). "Goodbye to the ceremony of silly walks between India and Pakistan". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
- ^ a b c Frank Jacobs (July 3, 2012). "Peacocks at Sunset". Opinionator: Borderlines. The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
- ^ Doherty, Ben (2012-01-29). "Ritual dance between bitter brothers". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wagah Border |
- Michael Palin at the India-Pakistan border ceremony on the Pakistani side (from Himalaya with Michael Palin). BBCWorldwide video on YouTube.
- Sanjeev Bhaskar at the India-Pakistan border ceremony on the Indian side. BBCWorldwide video on YouTube.
