"So near, Yet so Far ...... " a Pakistan Travel Page by miguelle_guisson

“Going to Pakistan ! what are you saying ? are you mad ? , these were the words that I heard from my nearest & dearest one’s, they considered it as a dangerous & risky trip for me, but I did went for it. I got the opportunity to visit India’s neighboring nation “The Islamic Republic of Pakistan” a nation that has always intrigued with its history ( when it was part of “undivided India” ) its geography, its culture, the politics, role of military & above all its hostile relations with India.

India & Pakistan never enjoyed good relations and had gone over war against each other inflicting pain & more bitterness among these two nations. India has tried to make congenial relations with Pakistan at many opportunities, like Lahore bus trip, Agra summit, but the military regime, which most of the time rules the nation & terrorist stricken region doesn’t allow such opportunities to be ripen.The close affinity again came between these two rival nations in January- February 2004 when they decided to make ties more friendly by organizing cricket series between the two cricket playing living nations. The matches were due in March, I applied for the visa & with much hassles I finally got it. The visa is probably the most unique one that I have or the people know, its called the “Cricket Visa” I applied for the cricket match venue at Lahore, It was a 3 day visa & I was allowed to go to Lahore only.

Pakistan has created little interest for my traveling there “per se”, particularly its not at all appealing when "Pakistan is ranked among the Top 10 failed states of the world" but visiting Pakistan for me attaches special significance, it was like going back to a land where my forefathers used to live in earstwhile undivided India. My Grandfather & their family used to live in Lahore city before India was divided on the basis of Muslim & Non Muslim region, they migrated to Democratic & Secular India during Partition times. Although I had no real emotions for that land, as I was born in free India. But given the chance I wanted to see my grandfathers roots. I arrived in Lahore by train through Wagah Border from Amritsar, it was a tiring journey as the train takes lot of time, the clearance/immigration time taken on both sides of the border was enormous. It took almost 10 hrs to reach from Wagah Border to Attari across the Pakistan which is about 4kms apart. Anyways here I was in Pakistan, I didn’t felt any changes there, besides the fact that muslim population was dominant everywhere, it was like going in old Delhi in 1980’s, the old trucks, buses, & small auto rickshaws.

Lahore is a nice city, specially the new Lahore, its green & well planned unlike the old Lahore.Next morning I woke up early, had a cup of Pakistani tea (which is like Indian tea !) I was ready to go for searching my grandfathers home in Lahore city, I took the address from my cousin uncle in New Delhi, who used to live with my grandfather in Lahore & was able to give me all the directions & landmarks that were near their erstwhile residence in Lahore.I enquired the roads/landmark with locals there (not pretending to be Indian ) it was a bit problem to find the house as the names of city area were all changed post partition & adapted to the people now inhabited there, but ultimately one guy seeing me confused, came & asked, where I want to go & where I came from ? I couldn’t hide anymore, so I told him that I was from India & was searching for my grandfathers erstwhile home, he was more than glad to hear this & was very very happy, he exclaimed that Oh ! India, so you are our dear Neighbor (Dear ?? was this true !), he told me to sit down in his shop near the road corner, offered me something to drink, (which I politely declined ), he then asked a very old man in his eighties, who was living in the same region even before partition, he was able to guide us the road & the exact location, I then went to that road. Arriving on the road I was again stuck with the same problem of finding the house, as the house numbers were not oriented in a particular fashion.

I asked a group of 4-5 guys in their 20’s about the particular house no. they were quiet surprised by my language & words used, one of them said, sure we will help you, but where do you come from ?one guy said that certainly you are not from Lahore & who do you wana meet in that house ?,I was again helpless, so I told them that I was from New Delhi, they were almost shocked, they questioned, are you from New Delhi, as if New Delhi from India ?? (I requested them not to tell anyone here as its no use making a publicity in this calm & unknown region to me ), I again asked, can you tell me where the house will be, one of them asked how did you liked Pakistan, another asked, have you ever met Madhuri Dixit ? ( the famous bollywood actress ) but they finaly helped me in searching the house, they enquired from their neighbor & told that it was just 2 houses away.

I went with that neighbor & I was able to see the house from outside, it was an old, not very well maintained house, the house itself was divided into 3 portions among the 3 brothers, I was allowed to enter the house after the persuasion of that neighbor, as only ladies were there in the house. I had a sneak view of the house, it was 2 storeyed small house & explained the lady about the house structure & orientation before they came here, she confirmed to my details of house ( as told to me by my cousin uncle in New Delhi ). I could have imagined the pains & sufferings that my grandfather & the entire family suffered on leaving their home forever. I left the house without much fuss, but as I exited the door, I was surprised to see lots of people around the door, about 10-15, glaring at me with much interest & anxiety, I could imagine that it was the work of the group of guys that would have spread the news. But they were all very hospitable, I was then invited by that neighbor to his home for a cup of tea, I politely refused but after there much persuasion & requests I accepted their humble invitation, specially when her wife exclaimed, You can believe us ! we are not enemies, I went to their home for a cup of tea, they woke up their son who was of my age to have a chat with me, the lady of the house prepared the tea, asking me if its o.k. & whether I have any reservations having a tea with muslim family ( as I was a hindu ! ) but I told the family members that being a muslim or hindu is not a problem, infact I told her that there are more muslims in India, than in Pakistan . India is the world’s 2nd. biggest muslim nation, we had a 30 minutes chat mostly regarding India, Hinduism, Bollywood, Kashmir issue (which eventually popped up !) not to forget “India-Pakistan relations”. It was a very nice & memorable experience for me. They were so hospitable and nice to me that I instantly felt at home, there way of talking, habits & living style was quiet similar to Indians.

The neighbor's his son was studying, his son asked me whether I would like to see Lahore, I after much thaught i accepted his offer & went for a sightseeing of Lahore city. He was very helpful guy and showed me the various locations around Lahore mainly, The Lahore Mosque, Lahore fort, after that we went to see Minar -e- Pakistan the landmark of Pakistanis, I saw an anti India ( pro kashmiri ! ) protest there, I tried to avoid controversy or any unfruitful debate with my friend, but we came to some interesting chat over our trip around the city, he asked me about the government in India, how it runs, is it democratic, what about people’s rights & role of military in civilians life, he told me more about the overpowering role of military in Pakistan. He also told me much to my delight that Indian cinema ( so called Bollywood ) is very famous here & people just love Indian movies. I thanked him & on his insistence agreed to meet again next day, confirming the spot to meet next day we said goodbye. In he evening I collected my cricket match tickets.The match was set for a final showdown next day as both India & pakistan were tied 2-2 in the 5 match series & the winner of this game will clinch the series

.Cricket attains special importance specially in the subcontinent where people sleep, eat, breathe & live cricket & when it’s a India – Pakistan match it’s a virtual war situation of a different kind.The next day, my friend came to pick me up from my hotel, we went for the eating delights in old Lahore city, we ate Pakistani delicacies, which were much alike Indian food ( except the non vegetarian food ). In the restaurant in old Lahore I was enjoying the Puri – aalo ( a dish made from fried wheat dough & boiled potatoes made with curry ), I also relished Halwa ( a sweet dish ) I didn’t knew the Pakistani name of that dish so I told the waiter to give me Halwa ( he said what’s Halwa ? ), while eating in the restaurant, a family came to sit besides us, seeing my different eating & talking style the lady asked, Where are you from ? I told her that I am from New Delhi ( avoiding the word India so to say ) she was surprised and said oh hoo, welcome welcome to Pakistan, how did you like Pakistan, I said very good, she & her family started asking many types of questions, which was a delight for me to talk to them.

After having the eating delights of Lahore, I bid goodbye to my friend earlier that day, as I had to be at the stadium to watch the history in making. After a short rest back in my hotel & some refreshments, I headed to the Lahore’s Gadaffi’s stadium. I brought along the big Indian flag to flaunt off in the stadium, after tight security I entered the stadium, with thousands of eyes on few hundreds of Indians scattered around the stadium. I sat near the group of Indian people, the police & the security personal were quiet cordial & hospitable towards Indians, so it wasn’t a problem as such. During the match India batted quiet well, but Pakistan played tactically & as a result team India was able to make about 272 in 50 overs, On the fielding side India got great breakthrough in the 2-5th. overs when 4 of pakistan’s top batsmen got out in early successions. India was then & there in a driving position, ending the game was a mere formality. India won the match & more importantly the series 3-2 defeating the arch rivals in their own home, thereby creating history & was a cause of one of the most emotional moments for me. I was proud to be there at that point of time, seeing India’s victory in Pakistan, again Pakistan. It was a memorable experience. I returned back to my hotel late in the night.

The next day I woke up early & as much as i wanted to travel more of Pakistan, my visa was going to expire in few hours so I have to go back to my motherland. On boarding the train on Lahore station, I was surprised by the presence of my Pakistani friend, he came to say me good bye, it was so nice & special gesture, I felt really honored & touched. I thanked him for the hospitality offered to me during my stay there & wished him good luck for his life & also extended my Invitation to visit India, if given a chance so that I can show to him my India & prove that Indians are double hospitable.

I arrived in Indian side of border & while on train I said goodbye to Pakistan, the land which was although different than India, but in some ways quiet similar to ours, this again reveals the fact that no matter how much enimity is there between these 2 nations, As said by our Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee that you can change your future & present, but you cannot change the geography & history. Pakistan will be our neighbor & India will be there neighbor, we have to live by this fact & the sooner we realise the fact, the earlier peace might come. I was glad to return back to India, my land, my mother, my love. This concluded my historic visit to Pakistan, a country which surpassed my imaginations of hospitality and beliefs & was quiet different that what I envisioned, I relaised that no matter how much enemity remains between these tow nations, people on either side will always want better & peaceful coexistence. The visit was full of emotions & above all a memorable journey that is still fresh on my mind.