The wish came true when I visited Lahore for the first time in October 2010. The 'manzar' at the border is similar on both sides. Hordes of people descend at the border to witness it. While I had particularly noticed some Marathi tourists at the border on the Indian side....there were many from Karachi on this side. So, its a sort of national show on both sides. I also saw some school students lined up for the show.
The show on the Pakistani side is priced. You pay Rs 10 to get a ticket to watch the tamasha. As any visitor on the Indian side can gauge...there are two seperate enclosures for women and men respectively.
The rest of the procedure is same - cheering crouds instigated by the 'master of ceremonies' or is it 'master of cheeromonies'. On the Indian side I clearly remembered, a BSF guy in civil dress, coordinating the show.
Out here the gentleman didnt seem to be a army man but was doing similar business...prompting some well known lines...Jhule Jhule Pakistan....Pakistan ka matlab kya - La illahi ill llah, Pakistan - zindabad.
In no time I was one with the crowd and cheering for Pakistan. You just feel like cheering. It was interesting for me to cheer for Pakistan. But once you are in the crowd...you feel like being one. I must be the only Indian doing that...and how do you know in that crowd...who is an Indian and who isnt?
The ceremony as everybody knows is the same and is coordinated. There was nothing much dissimilar apart from the fact that I saw a man roaming around with a large framed picture of General Zialul Haq. I was amused and wanted to talk to that man.
Meeting with the middle class in Lahore, I had realised that Generali Zia didnt have much of a fan following amongst them. But Gen Zia's photograph. He replied ' Ay saade Pakistaan da Badshaah hai. Pakistan de gaddar ne ainu marya ai...jahaz de bich bumb rakh ke. Allah una nu aap maare' - " this is the king of Pakistan. Traitors of Pakistan killed him by planting a bomb on his plane. Allah will kill all of them". Was moved by his committment to Gen. Zia.
I have been planning to lauch a campaign to stop the pretended animosity at the tamasha...where they deliberately thump their boots and make angry postures at the sentries on the other side. Also, the deliberate and instigated cheeromony.
I have always wished the tamasha to stop.
well said brother,
ReplyDeleteIt is true that if we want peace between the people( I have used word "people")of these two countries then the very first step should be that this Tamasha daily performed should be stopped...It ruins peace lover's feelings..
It acts like a woodworm which will slowly slowly destroy the friendly feeling inside the people who visit there..
main punjabi ich kehna chahnda k eh tamasha nahi a eh jaloos kadhia ja riha a dosti da , eh janaza a aman da , ehnu roko"
Reminds me of how excited we get about India Pakistan cricket matches.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of how excited we get about India Pakistan cricket matches.
ReplyDelete