Getting ready to serve the next meal
Outside of the complex, musicians play religious songs for the visitors
The Flame of Liberty (Amar Jyoti) memorial symbolizes the sacrifice of the people who died at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 and the struggle for Indian independence.
Martyr’s Wall, where 100s of Indians were lined up and shot by British Troops
It is a nightly performance and spectacle where military guards on both sides slam the gates, stomp their boots on the ground, and show disrespect to the other side and country. Music is played, fans run the streets, and food is sold - it feels like a WWE event.
We could see and hear the guards and fans on the Pakistani side of the fence
A closer look at the Pakistani side.
It was pretty exciting and fun.
Then, they marched off in a victory formation.
Sikhs treat the sacred scripture as the eternal Guru of the Sikh people. Here it rests beneath flowers placed as offerings in front. A Sikh attendant sits behind the scripture.
Martyrs’ Well: A memorial of the massacre that occurred on April 13, 1919. Between 400 and 1,500 men, women, and children were killed when British troops opened fire on a crowd of unarmed people. 120 bodies were recovered from the well at this site. More than another 1,000 people were wounded.
The bullet holes have been preserved for history
Our next stop was the Wagah Border, a border crossing between India and Pakistan, near Lahore and 18 miles west of Amritsar
We bought tickets and had assigned seats at the sold-out event
Bands on both sides played loud music, and there were exchanges of chants and taunts from both sides.
After the gates were slammed shut, the troops got into formation.