Wagah Ceremony — Riya
Today we arrived in Amritsar, home of the Golden Temple. I
was especially excited for this part of the trip as this was going to be a
complete first for me — I had never been to Punjab, or this close to the Pakistani
border.
Through the planning stages of the trip seeing the border crossing, or
Wagah ceremony had always been a top priority and it was something that I was
urged by all to see. However, coming out of the experience I guess I was just a
little disappointed. While my interpretation may be affected by my cold, I do
not think it lived up to my expectations.
I saw the crossing as an almost unification
between the two countries, amidst the continued strife. But between the loud
chants and symbolic gestures all it seemed to amount to was more tension. While
in the crowd of fired up Indians, I felt less pride and emotion than I initially
expected. The ceremony was set in a stadium of sorts, and what was advertised
as a symbol of alliance or unity, simply became a sport/spectacle between two
rivals. This entire ceremony did not really amount to anything, or cause any
real change — it seemed like it was all just for show.
As I watched the guards
kick up into the air I thought a lot about my Modern World class sophomore
year. We spent a lot of time talking about nationalism and its role in creating
identity. As I watched the border ceremony I felt as disconnected from my
Indian identity as I sometimes do with my American identity. Just as I don’t
understand the use of playing the national anthem before high school sports
games, I could not understand how by chanting and jeering I was celebrating my
country. All the ceremony seemed to amount to was more divides. I saw this
border ceremony as nothing more than a symbol of the lasting effects of
colonialism on what was once a single country. I feel more like an Indian when
I am with my family or watching cricket then I did at this ceremony, where
everything was simply for show. —Riya
Thanks for this post and incredible video, Riya! I just listened to an amazing podcast that reflected on someone of Pakistani descent attending the ceremony and she expressed really similar feelings. She expected to feel super patriotic and connected and instead, left the whole thing feeling rather disillusioned. I'll make sure to send it your way once you're back.
ReplyDelete(Oh, and thanks for that Modern World shout-out. I'll make sure Patrick see it!)
ReplyDeleteRiya- I have never been to the border, but can understand your sentiments. I, too, was hoping that it would be a place where one saw people on the other side of the fence who looked a lot like them and stopped to think how much more we have in common than what divides us. I hope your cold is short lived and that you get well soon!
ReplyDeleteKathryn- I'd love to hear that podcast too:).
Well written Riya. I am so happy you spoke you mind and thats how it should always be. Cant wait to have you back home.
ReplyDeleteAmma
A partition of a people 70 years back largely due to the incompetence and ego of leadership on both sides (the Congress and the Muslim league) led the largest dislocation of people in the history of mankind. When the dust settled after over a year of mayhem and destruction, 12 million people were driven out of their ancestral homes, millions of women and girls were raped and forcefully converted to the "other" religion and reconstruction of those lives is still an ongoing project 3 generations later. The individual stories and lives that were destroyed is euphemistically called Partition and Independence.
ReplyDeleteThe wounds will never heal. Nothing to celebrate at the border.