A recent video about Indian and Pakistani soldiers joining together and dancing on Bollywood songs went viral on social media. In the general atmosphere that seeks to constantly present everything from across the border as inimical and negative, this seemed to be very unusual but welcome. Anything that appears to lower tensions and foster peace can only be welcome. The largely appreciative comments below the video seem to bear out this general view.
Typically our military personnel are required to endure tough professional challenges and take difficult conditions in their stride. It is delightful to watch them letting their hair down, dancing and having a good time. It is also wonderful to see that the guys in camo – one with the Pak flag on his sleeve, another with Rajput emblazoned on his epaulets dancing together. The occasion was India Day and the place Russia where India and Pakistan were conducting a joint exercise. We see Indian women officers putting tilaks on the foreheads of Pak and Russian officers and performing a traditional aarti for them.
If you’ve ever visited the Wagah border or the Ferozepur border flag lowering ceremony by the Indian BSF and Pak Rangers, you would think that the soldiers on either side live in a state of permanent war and spew hatred at each other as a matter of course. The truth is different however. As this video displays, there is a tradition of celebrating each other’s festivals together... and it goes without saying, we celebrate our own festivals as well, when we celebrate Eid. The BSF people and the Rangers wish each other, exchange gifts and sweets and even hugs!
Holi and Diwali are also celebratory events at the border. BSF Deputy Inspector General M F Farooqui was quoted as saying that holi is a festival of colour and love; the slogan of the BSF is also to spread love; in this case spreading love through holi celebrations. BFS personnel share the celebrations with tourists from Pakistan; a celebration that literally transcends borders.
I've visited Wagah and Ferozepur and witnessed the ceremonies several times. The cricket stadium atmosphere, the patriotic songs blaring from loudspeakers and the soldiers marching in aggression, their eyes spitting fire was a spectacle worth witnessing. But even then it was evident that this was a show being put up for the visitors who came in their droves on both sides of the border. We were told that the soldiers from either side would often have tea together and decide how to coordinate the daily evening event. This seemed to make sense; these people practically lived and worked together every day.
Who in the world wants to live in suspicion, hate and enmity with people so much like us; who live in such close proximity with us? While political and other vested interests have some benefit in whipping up resentment and anger against an enemy acorss the border, what is the benefit of this ‘othering’ and this hatred to you and me; the common citizens of India?
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