How border transformed a subcontinent

The Golden Temple, located in the city of Amritsar in northern India, is a significant site for Sikhism, where people from around the world come to bathe in its waters, see the Holy Book inside the Golden Temple, and experience its sanctity. Kartarpur, another important Sikh site established over 500 years ago by the founder of Sikhism, is located nearby, and for centuries, Sikhs were able to travel freely between these two sites on pilgrimage. However, in 1947, the drawing of a border by a British lawyer divided British India into two new countries, India and Pakistan, with the Golden Temple on one side and Kartarpur on the other, resulting in Sikhs in India being cut off from their holy site. Today, many visit a platform set up by the Border Patrol to view their holy place, located just a few kilometers away, with the help of telescopes.

This border not only separated people from their holy sites but also divided families and cut across various landscapes like rivers, forests, farms, and railroad tracks. The border, which is now heavily fortified and fenced, can be seen from space and almost nothing or nobody crosses it. This division of people was a violent and traumatic event in the 20th century, and it separated one people into two. It caused immense suffering and tragedy, and many people could not reach their new homes. Despite the tragedy, there is a bizarre border show that takes place every evening, with thousands of spectators filling the stadium on both sides of the border. The ceremony involves chanting, dancing, and a face-off between the two sides, ending with the lowering of each flag and the closing of the gate. This show of nationalism did not exist before the British left India. In 1947, when the British decided to leave India due to massive debt and a strong independence movement, they hastily drew a border on the map dividing the country in just four months, causing immense suffering and pain.

The partition of British India resulted in the formation of two independent nations, Pakistan and India. The British government appointed a lawyer from London to draw the border lines on the map. However, the lawyer had no prior knowledge of Indian geography or politics. He relied on maps and census data that showed the religious identity of people living in India to draw the line. He only had five weeks to complete this task, which is a very short time for such a complex task. As a result, the line he drew concealed that people of different religions had been living side-by-side in these districts for centuries.

On August 15, 1947, Independence Day for India and Pakistan, the borders were made public. Over 14 million people were forced to leave their homes and lives for the new side of the border. This was one of the largest forced migrations of people ever, and it was chaotic and violent. There were widespread incidents of unspeakable violence, including sexual violence against women, cities on fire, and trains full of dead bodies.

The survivors I spoke with were mere children when the partition of India occurred. This event, which divided the sub-continent into two independent nations, has become synonymous with trauma caused by the reckless mismanagement of imperial power.

I am currently in a small village near the Indian border that was once a Muslim community before partition. In the center of town, there is a shrine where residents conducted elaborate Muslim burial practices on graves.

When the British were drawing the border, most of the maps showed this town as part of Pakistan. However, the British lawyer responsible for drawing the line decided to include this town in India. As a result, the residents found out that they were now part of India, and many of them fled to Pakistan, leaving the town empty. But as Muslims were leaving for Pakistan, Hindus and Sikhs were coming from Pakistan to India and some ended up in this town.

Today, the Hindus and Sikhs in this community maintain the Muslim traditions that once formed the basis of this community, such as taking care of the graves and other symbols. This is a sign of respect and a shared identity despite religious differences.

However, this is just one aspect of the story. The sub-continent is still grappling with the consequences of the partition. Within months of drawing the border, India and Pakistan engaged in a full-scale war, with the north being a major point of contention. The two countries have fought several more wars since then, and a border fence now fortifies most of the boundary. Both countries possess nuclear weapons, exacerbating tensions and deepening the divide.

Despite the political tensions and traumas caused by partition, India and Pakistan share many commonalities. I am currently at a school in Delhi where students are engaging in a Skype call with a school in Pakistan. Despite being from different countries, the students are able to connect quickly due to their shared language and culture.

This sense of shared identity is not uncommon between India and Pakistan. There was a time when Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs lived together, shared the same taste in food, and attended each other's social events and marriages. Even today, if one stands in the walled city of Amritsar and Lahore, the familiar smells are a giveaway of the similarities.

However, the divide between the two countries has grown due to political influences. Politicians on both sides have exploited tensions with the other country to create a sense of nationalism among their citizens. This has only led to more division and hatred between the two countries.

Despite this, there are still moments of hope. Recently, a corridor was built that allows Sikhs to visit their holy site without a visa, which was a long-awaited and much-needed solution. However, for many people on both sides of the border, the traumatic events of 1947 continue to divide families and cause fear and hatred.

The shadow of partition still looms large over the subcontinent, causing the people living in its shadow to live with a division superimposed upon their deep history of connection.