Like Gold

I went to Amritsar this weekend. In a brief summary: Amritsar is in Punjab in the north-west of India. It borders with Pakistan at the “Wagah” crossing at the Attari border. Amritsar is also the most holy city for the religious sect Sikhism due to the town's Golden Temple resting on the “holy nector” of Amrit Sarovar (obviously Amritsar got it name from this pool). The Golden Temple has a long and history for the Sikhs but I’m starting to sound like a book so I’ll let you guys figure it out on your own.

Anywho, I went to Amritsar with two other Canadian FAC interns and some of their coworkers (a really really sweet Columbian, an Aussie and a experienced India Irish traveler – in total 2 boys and 4 girls). We wound up taking “chair class” air conditioned on the way there (we did this mostly for time – the lower class seats were only on the slower trains). It was fancy. To tell you the truth I hated it. The windows are sealed (because of the AC) and fogged up which meant you couldn’t buy anything from the platform on the train, give beggars food or really see the scenery. But it was an experience.

Our trip to the border crossing was enlightening. I couldn’t believe the crowd! The soldiers puffed up their chests and stamped their boots to intimidate the Pakistan soldiers on the other side of the gate. The crowd cheered and chanted “Hindustan! Hindustan!”. It was insane. Amongst this primate warlike show of strength and aggression families were having picnics, groups of school children were breaking out into Punjabi dance and tourists were trying to get their photograph in front of the gate or with a guard. Huge national flags were being waved on the Indian side and over the gate you could see the massive Pakistan flag waving in the stands. At the end of the stamping and precession the gates are opened and the flags are lowered.


These aren’t my pictures I’ve stole them but I should be getting some photos from Saul (the Colombian) that I can post.

Everyone “stormed” the gate in the end but it seemed that it was more for the token photograph in front of the gate and not for the symbolism in the act.

The Golden Temple was breathtaking, immense, shinny(!) We walked around the pathway and I decided not to go into the actual center of the gudwara where the actual prayer ceremony takes place. I waited in line for a short time and then realized with all the stares, heat and bodies pressed up against me that this is a sometimes life-long pilgrimage for Sikhs and I felt bad taking someone’s place in the gudwara or even line. Anyway it doesn’t matter were you pray (right Aman?).



The weekend was all in all very good. We saw what we wanted to see but weren’t too rushed (even with the aftermath of partying for Saul’s Last Saturday In India). Just 3 days of work and then I have my overnight train to Amhedabad!