Wagah Border Travelogue: Why does Wagah border attracts such a crowd?

On visit to Maa Vaishno Devi, we planned for Amritsar and Wagah border as well. I did train reservations in advance but didn't do much of research on the city and places to visit so it was all based on asking people and going...

There are shared autos rick-shaws available from Jaliawala Bhag for Rs 80 to and fro visit. So we took one of the auto rick-shaws for Rs 70 on some bargain. Wahag is 35 km from Amritsar on a well maintained highway (Grand Trunk Road) that goes up to Lahore. We were on back seat of auto rick-shaw so enjoyed view of outskirts resorts of Amritsar and lush green fields of Panjab.

Wall that has marks of bullets fired in Jaliawala Bag massacre

To my surprise, there was lot of crowd of tourists in Wagah to see on change of guard ceremony. There was big line of trucks, waiting to go across the border. This place has got tourists on top of customs office, immigration office, departure and arrival terminal for people as well as goods and border security force(BSF).

Wagah border: truck and tourist vehicals

We had to walk some 1.5 km on foot to reach actual Wagah border. On the way we saw strangely decorated trucks from Pakistan. All Pakistani truck owners seems to decorate trucks a lot,
I think this is part of some custom in Pakistan.

Decorated trucks of Pakistan

Decorated trucks of Pakistan

I think what draws tourists crowd is India's and Pakistan's border security agencies face to face every evening. Every soldier displays an energy that is not visible any other parade, public both sides also leave no stone unturned in order to encourage soldiers. I couldn't hear sound from other side but “Vande Matram” and “Bharat Mata kee Jai” slogans by public were on loudspeaker. Enthusiasm was more than a cricket match between India and Pakistan even though there is no win or lose after the ceremony.

Crowd came to see change of guard ceremony

Crowd came to see change of guard ceremony

Gate opens for small time and its possible to see the land and people on other side, soldiers from other side displays the same energy and public shows the same enthusiasm. May be because of fact that these are same people divided due to various political and religious reasons.

Open gate gives glimps of Pakistan

Open gate gives glimps of Pakistan

Things not miss:

1) Parade, go bit early in evening to get seat, I missed the seat, so had to watch from a base of a statue.

2) Trucks from Pakistan.

3) Electric fence and view of Pakistan.