Attending The Wagah Border Ceremony In Pakistan

Getting into Pakistan

As Pakistan continues to embrace the international community and find its place as a leader in the world, it has also begun to open its borders up to foreign tourists. For many years Pakistan has housed radicals and been plagued with terrorist attacks. As the country continues to tighten its grip on these extremists, many cities and swaths of land in Pakistan are now available for tourists to experience and explore.

Despite the hoards of tour groups waiting to flood the country, getting to Pakistan is easier said than done. The price of a flight to a major city such as Islamabad or Lahore still costs nearly an arm and a leg. And with no flights coming from India, the cheapest way to get into Pakistan is via the Wagah Border. Located just 24.5 km away from Amritsar, you can easily get from India to Pakistan within just a few hours.

Did you know the Wagah Border is not the only place with a ceremony? Check out the Ganda Singh Ceremony here!

Crossing From India to Pakistan

From Amritsar, the cheapest way to get to the Wagah Border is by hopping on a bus to the town of Atari for 35 Rupees (0.50 USD). The cost of a taxi to the Wagah Border will cost you anywhere between 500-1000 rupees depending on your bargaining skills. If you are looking to catch the famous border ceremony, you will want to be sure to cross into Pakistan several hours before immigration closes at 4:00. The India-Pakistan border ceremony typically starts around 4:30 on the Pakistan side.

Despite India and Pakistan constantly being at each other’s throats, the Wagah border is completely safe and free of tension. You will see several bunkers and barbed wire begin to line the highway as you begin to approach the border. But you will not have to worry about being detained or questioned when crossing into Pakistan. Rather, you will have immigration officers and soldiers curiously strike up conversations with you when trying to make your way from India into Pakistan. These small chats actually take up more time than being processed by immigration.

Want more info on crossing the border from India into Pakistan? You can read my full Wagah Border guide here!

The Arena On The Border

The border between India and Pakistan is probably the only place in the world where they make a spectacle out of the daily flag-lowering ceremony. With arena seating on either side of the border, the colosseum is split down the middle with a gate separating the two countries. What is truly bizarre is crossing the border. Like a gladiator armed with only a massive bag on your back, you will pass through the empty arena. The doors donning the crest of India will be slid open before you, and the Pakistani soldiers will beckon you to enter the country.

In the evening the stands on either side of the Wagah Border will begin to fill up with spectators looking to cheer on their countrymen and witness this exaggerated and bizarre border closing ceremony. Being only 27.8 km from Lahore, it is possible to cross the border, drop off your bags at your hotel, and return to the border for the ceremony. There are talks on reviving the train service from Lahore to the Wagah Border, but this is yet to be confirmed.

You are sure to visit many mosques while in Pakistan. But the Markazi Jamia Mosque is one unlike any other!

And The Crowd Goes Wild

For many people who are native to a city or region, a lot of the nearby tourist hotspots are unvisited due to general laziness and the excuse, “I can go anytime I want”. The Wagah Border, however, sees droves of tourists every single day. Made up of both locals, out of town tourists, and foreign travelers. Many Indians and Pakistanis regard attending the flag-lowering ceremony as so much more than just a mere show, but as their duty as a citizen of their country.

Although the stands on the Indian side of the arena dwarf Pakistan’s stadium, each and every seat are filled with a flag-waving patriot. From t-shirts to face paint, each member of the audience brings energy and enthusiasm which maths and drives the soldiers that participate in the ceremony. With boos for their rivals and cheers for their heroes, being a fly on the wall during the border parade is truly an experience unlike any other.

While in Lahore you won’t want to miss traditional Punjabi wrestling. Find out where to see kushti here!

The Hype Men Of The Wagah Border

It is not the crowds alone who bring energy and excitement to the ceremony, there are also a couple of professional hype men who run through the stands to rev up the audience. Armed with a massive flag and an explosive attitude, these performers set off waves of cheers that can be heard from miles away. With the patriotic songs and screams from the audience, the atmosphere at the Wagah Border even puts the crowds at the Super Bowl to shame.

Beneath all of the fun and excitement is a more sad undertone to there men seeking to excite the spectators. One of the performers entertains the audience with many tricks and spins despite the loss of his leg. One can only assume that he lost the use of his leg while in the military and now finds work at the Wagah Border. While the zealous songs blare in the background, you can see the passion through the tears in his eyes. Witnessing such a scene and being unable to understand the whole story is enough to break anyone’s heart.

One of the most iconic places in Pakistan is Uch Sharif, but it is not so easy to get there. Read my full Uch Sharif guide here!

Opening The Gates

Since 1959 the border ceremony between Pakistan and India has been taken place every evening with only a few exceptions during heighten tensions between the two countries. Long before walls, guns, and nukes divided the continent, the citizens of Pakistan and India were one people speaking the same language. Gradually, the people themselves decided to divide themselves. Many Muslims began to purge all Sanskrit words from their language and adopted Farsi substitutes, while Hindus struck all Farsi words from their vocabulary and substituted them with Sanskrit. Thus the languages of Urdu and Hindi were born, and the first wedge between the two people was created.

Despite the language and religious differences between India and Pakistan, it does not change the fact that these people share the shame history and a similar culture. While the border ceremony showcases the rivalry between the two countries, it also highlights a sense of brotherhood and comradery in spite of the ongoing political conflicts. It is also customary for the two opposing sides to exchange gifts during Eid and Diwali.

Many tourists skip the city of Multan due to travelers needing an armed guard. Is Multan safe? Find out here!

A Friendly Competition

With the khaki-clad soldiers on one side of the area and the black-uniformed officers on the other. The beat of the drum releases these wound up toy soldiers into motion. With the flinging of their arms and swinging of their legs, the two opposing armies look as if they are going to crash into each other like a head-on collision. At the last moment, each of the units takes a quick turn away from the gates and stand at attention for the ceremony to continue.

The flag-lowering ceremony kicks off with a soldier from either side of the border crying out into a microphone. The objective here is to hold a note as long as possible. After nearly 5 minutes of this wailing, each of the soldiers will kick their legs as high in the air as possible and spin their rifle before placing it on a weapons rack. Occasionally a soldier will drop their gun which will be met with cheers and laughter from the opposing audience.

Another famous monument in Pakistan is Bab-e-Khyber. Read about how to get to the gates from Peshawar here!

Lowering The Flags

The main event of the border parade is, of course, the flag-lowering ceremony. Even such a meaningful yet simple act as lowering a flag is not free from a sense of competition. Each of the soldiers will quickly take their rope in hand and see who can undo their knot first. Whoever is the quickest will then fling their line to the other side of the arena. They will be met with applause and cheers from their countrymen in the stands.

Throughout these intriguing yet bizarre feats during the ceremony, the rivals are constantly staring bullets at each other. The patriotic music and the beat of drums is more than enough to inspire someone to be filled with overzealous pride and march off to war. The expressions throughout the competition and flag-lowering ceremony expose this deep-rooted sense of conflict between the two nations. But despite any bad blood between Pakistan and India, there is no denying that they are, in fact, blood relatives. With a symbolic handshake between the opposing countries, the gates close and the soldiers march back to their respective quarters.

Bahawalpur is also known as the City of Palaces. You can read more about this historic city here!

The Sun Sets On Wagah

As soon as the flags are carefully and respectfully brought in for the night, the ushers are quick to shoo all of the spectators out of the arena and close the border for good.  With such passion and adrenalin pumping through your veins, you may not be quite ready for the night to come to a close. The same energy can be felt as you are walking down the highway with the crowd of flag-waving patriots, still cheering for their country all the way out in the parking lot.

Even if you are a foreigner, the border ceremony will instill such passion and emotion into you that you can’t help but fall in love with the country you are cheering for. Despite the political rifts and social tensions between India and Pakistan, the Wagah Border represents a common ground where people of both countries can come together. Much like the spirit of the Olympics, the flag-lowering ceremony is a daily reminder that Indian and Pakistan are, in fact, brothers.