Emotion Packed Hours At Wagah Border On The Eve Of Independence Day

It has been an emotion packed day. As our bus heads back to hotel from the Wagah Border, let me cull the events of the evening by starting from the end. T S Eliot said, 'In the beginning is my end, in the end is my beginning.' At the stroke of midnight, several citizens from the Pakistani side started raising slogans of 'Pak Hind dosti zindbad, Visa policy band karo, Bhai ko bhai se milne do.' The drums were getting louder and the Indian side reciprocated by repeating the same slogans. Candles were lit and I saw families marching towards the Indian gate, a young girl in particular had tears in her eyes as she went past me. A very very old man assisted by his old son walked towards the gate.

Such signs of positivity were heartening especially after being a witness to the evening's march past where the soldiers crush their feet very very forcefully as they go about performing the drill which ends in soldiers of their countries taking off their respective flags. The commentators on each side raised loud slogans in an attempt to outdo each other. After the march past we went right upto the border stone (seen in the picture, the territory behind me belongs to Pakistan).

The first look of Kya Dilli Kya Lahore was launched later in the night. It was an emotion packed event. The promo is interesting, absorbing and moving. Gulzar sahab's lines, 'Lakeerein hain to rahne do, Kisi ne rooth kar gusse mein shayad kheech di thi' haunt you. Music composer Sandesh Shandilya sang these lines. He was later joined by a talented Pakstani band Raga Boys as they sang another poem of Gulzar Sahab. I am dead tired as I've hardly slept but undoubtedly it has been a truly memorable experience.