Attari - Wagah Border Sunset Parade and Beating the Retreat (Lowering of Flags)

 A special cover on "Beating the Retreat Ceremony" at Attari-Wagah Border issued on 10 January 2012, commemorating Amritsar Philatelic Exhibition - AMPHIL- 2012

The Wagah border, locally known as the "Berlin wall of Asia”, is a border crossing on the India-Pakistan border where each evening there is a highly stylised “Retreat Ceremony” called 'lowering of the flags', which has been held uninterrupted since 1959.  At that time there is an energetic parade by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India and the Pakistan Rangers.  At the first glance it may appear  aggressive and even hostile to the spectators  but in fact the parades are imitating the pride and anger. Troops of each country pick some of their tallest troops – would strut furiously towards the line separating them, their one-foot high fan shaped turbans gleaming like crests. Almost when it seemed they would collide, the guards – the Pakistan Rangers in grey salwar-kameez, the Indian BSFs in khaki – would veer off with salutes that look more attempted blows. Then the National flags would be lowered, and the immense metal gates slammed shut with a satisfying clunk. 

In 2001 both sides erected grandstands for the crowds that gather there to cheer their respective border guards and hurl abuse at those of the other country. As cries of “Allah-o-Akbar”, “Pakistan Zindabad” rose from the Wahga side, shouts of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, “ Vande Mataram” and “Jai hind” would erupt from Atari side.

With the better and improving relations between the neighbours the aggressive gestures during the ritual of “Flag Lowering” undertaken at sunset while closing the gates at the border has now been greatly toned down.

a file picture

An Independence Day cachet showing crossed ‘India-Pakistan flags’ on the cover from the Indian F.P.O. 112, in Japan.

This is perhaps only the only postal cover where the flags of both India and Pakistan appear together with a cancellation 15 Aug 1947”. This cover was conceived by the late Brig. D.S.Virk,“ the  doyen of the Forces Philately in India.

 Special postmark from Tashkent, dated 10 January 1967, commemorating the first anniversary of the ‘Tashkent Declaration—1966’.

The Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan, having met at Tashkent [Uzbekistan SSR] and having discussed the existing relations between India and Pakistan hereby declare their firm resolve to restore normal and peaceful relations between their countries and to promote understanding and friendly relations between their peoples. They considered the attainment of these objectives of vital importance for the welfare of the 600 million people of India and Pakistan.

 Long live friendships between India and Pakistan.