Amritsar is located right next to the India/Pakistan border crossing, which is used for two reasons; as a portal for people going to and from these countries and as the scene for the most ridiculous ceremony I have ever seen. Every night crowds gather on both the India and Pakistani side of the border to watch the border guard lower the flags and try to out do each other with patriotism. We joined the hordes of Indians bursting with national pride and got as close as we will probably ever get to Pakistan to watch the spectacle. And hordes they were, thousands of people turned out for this event, which was held in the baking Punjab sun. Thankfully there is a special foreigner stand, otherwise we probably would have been crushed, in addition to the melting in the relentless sun. The Indian side was much more lively, before the ceremony a giant Punjabi music dance party was held in the streets complete with cheering and overweight women running/gasping through the stands with Indian flags. It was hard to see Pakistan through the border gates, but we could tell they were not dancing..... A man led the Indians in Hindi cheers, I'm sure it was something to the effect of, "long live India," and after much anticipation the guards finally performed the entirely over dramatic flag lowering, complete with many exaggerated high kicks. I would love to know how this tradition got started, it was only a few decades ago that Indians and Pakistanis were slaughtering each other in the same location, and despite the overbearing patriotism, it seemed all in good fun. It was so wonderfully over the top that we thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the heat.
Amritsar is located right next to the India/Pakistan border crossing, which is used for two reasons; as a portal for people going to and from these countries and as the scene for the most ridiculous ceremony I have ever seen. Every night crowds gather on both the India and Pakistani side of the border to watch the border guard lower the flags and try to out do each other with patriotism. We joined the hordes of Indians bursting with national pride and got as close as we will probably ever get to Pakistan to watch the spectacle. And hordes they were, thousands of people turned out for this event, which was held in the baking Punjab sun. Thankfully there is a special foreigner stand, otherwise we probably would have been crushed, in addition to the melting in the relentless sun. The Indian side was much more lively, before the ceremony a giant Punjabi music dance party was held in the streets complete with cheering and overweight women running/gasping through the stands with Indian flags. It was hard to see Pakistan through the border gates, but we could tell they were not dancing..... A man led the Indians in Hindi cheers, I'm sure it was something to the effect of, "long live India," and after much anticipation the guards finally performed the entirely over dramatic flag lowering, complete with many exaggerated high kicks. I would love to know how this tradition got started, it was only a few decades ago that Indians and Pakistanis were slaughtering each other in the same location, and despite the overbearing patriotism, it seemed all in good fun. It was so wonderfully over the top that we thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the heat. 
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