Every day at dusk, Indian and Pakistani border guards put on a show of one upmanship at the Wagah border crossing on the road between Amritsar in India and Lahore in Pakistan.
Thousands show up to watch, from the stands, everyday as the soldiers try to outdo the other side by marching and performing drill in an exaggerated fashion, with impressively high leg kicks.
One soldier stands at attention on each side of the gate. As the sun sets, the iron gates of 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.
Wagah is the only road border crossing between Pakistan and India, and lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the cities of Amritsar, Punjab, India, and Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The border is located 22 km from Lahore and 32 km from Amritsar
On the Pakistani side the 20 women there were brightly dressed... from head to toe. And FAR away from the men. Of whom there were less than 100.
Compared to the full Indian side, this looked pretty pathetic.
Read the rest of Kris Sonsin account of her visit to Beating Retreat at the Wagah border.
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