Subject: Ceremony at India-Pakistan border
Date: Jun 04, 2004 @ 16:30
Author: Andy Lim ("Andy Lim" <andylkl@...>)
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Found an article about an unusual ceremony which is held every sunset at th=
e border town of Wagah. Enjoy. =)
Parade of pride
In Wagah on the India-Pakistan Border, soldiers from both sides rattle thei=
r sabres at sunset daily in ostentatious displays of nationalism, writes AND=
REW WANG.
Against the backdrop of the setting sun, a crowd of 5,000 gathers along a r=
emote country road to witness an event part circus, part nationalistic ritua=
l but all spectacle.
Nowhere do flags symbolise the hopes and dreams of nations more than here i=
n Wagah, at the only border crossing between India and Pakistan rivals in =
everything from cricket to nuclear arms.
In a ceremony that takes place every day at sunset, soldiers from each side=
lower their nations' flags in mirror- image displays of high-step marching =
and jingoistic posturing that routinely draw thousands of onlookers to this =
border post located on both sides of the Pakistan-India line.