The Visit To Hussainiwala Border

Travelling in itself can be a learning experience and will teach a lot of things that cannot otherwise be mastered or learnt by reading the books or in a classroom. The visit to Hussainiwala border was one such experience that was full of surprises as we returned with once in a lifetime experience and will remain etched in memory for ever. The Border is situated 110 kms (2.3hr drive) from Ludhiana.

The Soldiers blow bugles before lowering the flags  

The Indian soldier with the folded flag

Hussainiwala Border 

Despite sharing a long border, a layman is always intrigued by Pakistan. The political tension has not only drawn a line on the map and the land, but also in the minds of the people. Due to the political tensions, there are very few opportunities for the people from two nations to interact and come face to face with each other.

While, the Wagah border is more famous and attracts more crowd during the daily retreat ceremony by both the countries, very few know that a similar ritual is conducted in the Hussainiwala border of Punjab. A few hundred kilometers to the south of Attari border and 11km from Ferozepur, Hussainiwala too attracts a huge number of crowd, but the advantage over Wagah is that one can be much closer to the action.

It is always easy to talk about the rivalry with Pakistan sitting at home. But, feeling it is a completely different experience. Being a Sunday, it was a packed house on both sides of the border and finding a place to stand itself was an arduous task.

Electrifying atmosphere 

By the time the daily retreat cermony started, the air was chilly and was silent, but was calmness was disturbing of sorts. The silence was first broken by patriotic cries of Bharath Mata Ki Jai, which was responded by Pakistan Zindabad from the other side of the border. 

It is true that it is a simple retreat, but the armed forces of both countries take great pride in trying to outdo the other and produce the best ritual. The patriotic cries were followed by the clattering of the boots of the BSF Jawans and is equalized by Peshawari chappels worn by their counterparts -- Pakistani Rangers. 

The first thing that strikes is the height and the build of the Jawans and the tallest in the armed forces are preferred from both the sides. While the India soldiers were dressed in their regular BSF outfit with a red Peta, Pakistanis were dressed in black Salwar Kurtha. 

The clatter of the boots is followed by a number of other rituals like lifting the leg above the head and trying to bulge their chest better than the other. Each of their country's armed personal's display is followed by a huge cheer from the crowd.

Eventually the Jawans from both the countries cross the border, a white marking which cuts across the road, to bring down their country's flag and is folded neatly. Even though throughout the event there is an incensed atmosphere and gnawing of teeth by both soldiers, it is not surprising that both countries have arrived on a consensual rituals, which has been perfected over the years and has been repeated every day. May be such an understanding in various other fronts will help both countries settle many other contentious issues.

The surprise element

But it is not all about rivalry and patriotism. The Pakistani's are as curious about their estranged brothers as the Indians are. In between the patriotic chants, a friendly wave receives a familiar answer and at the end of the ceremony, the salwar kurtha dressed Pakistanis are as desperate as the Indians to have a closer look, but the Jawans and Rangers ensure that the people knowingly or unknowingly do not cross into the otherside of the border.

But the most important aspect is that the BSF issues a chit for all the people witnessing the ceremony. Please hold on to it more than your life, because losing it means you will be question by the Jawans as they suspect you to have sneaked from the other side of the border. We saw a Sikh family being questioned after losing the chit. One cannot blame the army personal as a few Pakistani spies may use the occassion to infiltrate into the country and they cannot let their guard down.

   

In direct line of fire

There is very little in the landscape that differentiates between the two sides of the border. But the BSF Jawans standing guard in the bunkers situated all along the border will tell you the seriousness of the situation. Even though people go along with their daily chores without ado, staying close to the border has its own dangers. The buildings are pucca, with no decorations for simple reasons that are in the direct line of fire if a war breaks out between India and Pakistan and may well be the first one to bear the brunt.

The history

On the Indian side the check post is situated just 100M from the zero line, while it is 600M on the Pakistan side. While it is called Hussainiwala on the Indian side, it is called Ganda Singh Wala Post on the other side of the border. On both sides of the line at a distance of 15 feet Indo-Pak national flags hoist during the day time. Just 1km on the Indian side there are memorials of Shaihd Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. Till 1962, this area remained with Pakistan and they cared little to raise any monuments in the memory of these great martyrs of India, who sacrificed their lives for the freedom for both the countries. It was in 1962, when India gave 12 villages near head Sulemanki (Fazilka) to Pakistan and in exchange got this martyr's land. But the irony of the fate is that during 1971 Indo-Pak war, the statues of these martyrs were removed and taken away by Pakistan army and have not been returned till today. It is worth mentioning that till 1970 there was no joint parade and retreat ceremony at this check post but one evening, Inspector General BSF, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, called upon both authorities to have joint retreat ceremony and since than it has become a tradition, which is every unique in itself.