Bangla Desh - India face off daily ..........a mini Wagah

If you go to Amritsar, a visit to Wagah to see the Flag Ceremony between India and Pakistan seems to be obligatory. An equal number of friends told us not to waste three hours going there, standing in a line for an hour and then seeing the ceremony amongst hordes of people. So, here in remote Agartala, in Tripura State, Eastern India, imagine my surprise to learn that they have a similar ceremony between India and Bangladesh every evening when the Flag is brought down at sunset. I just had to see it. 

Did you know that Bangladesh’s border is just 5 kms from Agartala. This area was the main front of the famous battles between India and Pakistan when East Pakistan was liberated? A lot of historical data including photographs is exhibited   in the State Museum at the Palace. Fascinating stuff for a history buff. 

A group of priests were curiously looking at me and, not knowing I was fluent in Hindi, they asked my driver if I would mind a selfie with them!! Hilarious. So, in the same vein in Hindi, I told my driver to thank them and say that I am not keen on selfies. This of course got them interested and the same routine of my origins and language skills came to play! They were from UP and Benares and had come for some religious katha which was taking place and like me, had come to see the Flag ceremony. 

We arrived early as the Face-off takes place at 4.30 pm. Suddenly we were told it’s an hour later! There is no place to sit except the pavement. Across the road, in a walled area, is the passenger terminal for pax for Bangladesh. But we saw Bangladeshis going to their country as well as arriving into India at this very gate across me, not the terminal. So the terminal must be for group or cargo movements. 

I wandered off to talk to the duty soldiers. Asked them questions on how long it takes, where they come from, why they joined the Services etc. They were intrigued by me as I don’t look Indian and they asked me questions as to how I spoke Hindi and about my background. In charge of the platoon was Sergeant Girish, a really tough 25 year veteran from the South, who is retiring in July 2018. He has interesting post retirement career plans and I wish him well. 

Then along came Mr S Dung Dung. I think he was the Subedar Major in charge of the unit. A short fit guy. Like all the others, a total no-nonsense type. He again asked the same questions and seeing his name, I smiled to my self... did he know the meaning of his name?  I asked him his background and he said, “Phoren”. I did not probe further as his Hindi accent was difficult to understand. I think, apart from his first name ‘Sylvester’ which I got clearly, he meant he had British origins in his family’s past. Anyway, he was kind to me and ensured that when the gate opened, I got preference due to age and as I planned on writing about the event thru my interests as a photographer / writer, I got a front row seat.

 We were made to sit in a cordoned off area. The right side was kept clear. I briefly introduced myself to the BSF’s 49 Bn Deputy Commandant Pankaj Mishra who had brought some guests. The senior NCO’s from both sides exchanged greetings with each other. 

 

Then at 5.30 pm, a troop of six soldiers formed up behind us. Commands were screamed out. They marched smartly towards the border which in reality is only a thin white line at an angle across the road. Across us, a group of Bangladeshi women sat facing their side of the road, their menfolk were further inside on the opposite side. This part was interesting. One soldier shouted, nay screamed out words at a fast clip.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              They sounded meaningless. Were they instructions to his men? A similar process was taking place across the border...where the man in charge was screaming away in Bengali to his troop. This interchange of shouts went on for a few minutes. Each side responding after a sentence.  Then came a bugle call, we all got up. The flag came down as the bugle played the Last Post. 

The Officer in charge of the Parade Sourabh Yadav smartly marched up to the centre, saluted the flag, and then gently released the rope. He took it, marched to the troop and as the bugle played, he slowly brought down the flag. Then followed an intricate process of taking the flag off the rope and folding it, all done with military precision and shouts from the NCO in charge. Finally, the Officer marched off with the flag with the men following. 

We were asked to stand as this process of marching off with the flag was taking place and were then told the ceremony was over. Immediately, small groups formed – soldiers of both nationalities amongst themselves or like me, permitting tourists to take photos of them.  It was a relaxed friendly atmosphere and people stayed on for about 15 minutes before dispersing.   

My general reaction to the Event was that it was more a counterpart to what happens in the western border. But being Bangladesh and a small far off corner of our country, where tourists were limited until recently due to political sensitivity, the affair is a far smaller ceremony. Nonetheless, it’s a matter of pride for both sides, carried off with great élan to the enjoyment of locals and the few tourists present.  

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