Wagah
{{About||the Indian film|Wagah (film)}}
{{redirect|Wagah Border|the border ceremony called "lowering of the flags"|Wagah border ceremony}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Wagah
| official_name = Wahga
| native_name = {{hlist|{{nq|واگھا}}|{{nq|واہگہ}}}}
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| other_name =
| settlement_type = Union Council of Pakistan
| image_skyline = File:Wagah_border_ceremony2.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| image_caption = The evening flag lowering ceremony at the Pakistan–India international border near Wagah
| image_flag =
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| image_map = Wagah-Attari (OpenStreetMap).png
| mapsize = 300px
| map_caption = Location of Wagah
| pushpin_map = Punjab Pakistan#Pakistan
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize = 300
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Pakistan
| coordinates = {{coord|31|36|17|N|74|34|23|E|region:PK-PB|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Pakistan}}
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_name1 =
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Lahore
| subdivision_type3 = Zone
| subdivision_name3 = Wahga Zone
| subdivision_type4 = Union Council
| subdivision_name4 = 181
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| unit_pref = Imperial
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| population_total = Cantonment village: 26,900
Municipal corporate council: 560,968
Border: 230,008
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| timezone = PKT
| utc_offset = +5
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Wagah ({{IPAc-en|w|ɑː|ˈ|g|ə}}; {{langx|pa|{{nq|واگھا}}}} {{IPA|pa|ʋäː˦ˈgä|}}; {{langx|ur|{{nq|واہگہ}}}} {{IPA|ur|ˈwɑːɦˌgɑː|}}), also spelled Wagha or Wahga, is a village and union council (UC 181) located in the Wahga Zone near Lahore City District, Pakistan.[https://lgcd.punjab.gov.pk/system/files/MCLZones.pdf The Punjab Gazette] The town is famous for the Wagah border ceremony and also serves as a goods transit terminal and a railway station between Pakistan and India.{{cite news |title= Mixed feelings on India-Pakistan border |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6945626.stm |work= BBC News |date= 14 August 2007 }}
Wagah is situated {{convert|600|metres}} west of the border and lies on the historic Grand Trunk Road between Lahore and Amritsar in India. The border is located {{convert|24|km|mi}} from Lahore and {{convert|32|km|mi}} from Amritsar. It is also {{convert|3|km|mi}} from the bordering village of Attari in India. The Wagah flag-lowering ceremony – by the border security personnel of Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) and India (Border Security Force) has been taking place here every evening since 1959.{{cite news |last=Khaleeli |first=Homa |date=1 November 2010 |title=Goodbye to the ceremony of silly walks between India and Pakistan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/nov/01/india-pakistan-border-showdown-toned-down |access-date=11 November 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian}}
Border ceremony
{{main|Wagah-Attari border ceremony}}
=Border crossing=
The border crossing draws its name from Wahga village, near which the Radcliffe Line, the boundary demarcation line dividing India and Pakistan upon the Partition of British India, was drawn.{{cite news|title=Peacocks at Sunset|url=https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/peacocks-at-sunset/|work=The New York Times|first=Frank|last=Jacobs|date=3 July 2012|url-access=subscription}} At the time of the independence in 1947, migrants from India entered Pakistan through this border crossing and vice versa. The Wagah railway station is {{convert|400|metres}} to the south and {{convert|100|metres}} from the border.
=Border crossing ceremony=
The Wagah-Attari border ceremony happens at the border gate, two hours before sunset each day. The flag ceremony is conducted by the Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force (BSF), similar to the retreat ceremonies at Ganda Singh Wala/Hussainiwala border crossing and Mahavir/Sadqi International Parade Ground border crossing. A marching ceremony, known as the "Silly Walk ceremony", is conducted each evening along with the flag ceremony. The ceremony started in 1986 as an agreement of peace, although there was not a conflict at that time.
Gallery
File:Pakistani Flag Wahga Border.jpg|122m high Pakistani flag on Wagah Border
File:Stadium wahga border.jpg|Stadium-like seating at Pakistani side of the border
File:Wagha border.jpg|The Pakistani gate at the border crossing
File:Bab e Azadi Wahga Border.jpg|Bab-e-Azadi (Gate of Independence) on Pakistani side of Wagah Border
Wagah border indian bsf.jpg|Indian BSF at Wagah
Women personnel of India's Border Security Force.jpg|Women personnel of Indian BSF at Wagah
File:Soldiers at Wagah border.jpg|Punjab Rangers at Waga
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Wagah}}
{{wikinews-inline|Flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah border becomes more peaceful}}
- Michael Palin [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9y2qtaopbE at the India-Pakistan border ceremony on the Pakistani side] (from Himalaya with Michael Palin). BBCWorldwide video on YouTube.
- Sanjeev Bhaskar [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC9NeJh1NhI at the India-Pakistan border ceremony on the Indian side]. BBCWorldwide video on YouTube.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080123075001/http://www.indeaparis.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=68 Pictures of independence's 60th anniversary celebration at Wagah Border]
Category:India–Pakistan border crossings