“Masla toh ji Sarkar ka hain, logon mein to sirf pyaar
hain”, summarized our Immigration officer at the Pakistani border as we inhaled
our last few breaths of Pakistani air before taking the dozen odd steps to
cross over back to Amritsar.
We had the privilege of spending five days in Pakistan
thanks to Nutshell Conferences and its CEO, Azfar Bhai who invited a delegation
from the Harvard Business School Club of India to visit Pakistan – when I
received the initial invite, I RSVPd instantly and instinctively – without
bothering to check my calendar – both professional and personal commitments
seemed to fade into insignificance when compared to the opportunity to visit
this enigmatic nation (Big thank you to the HBS Clubs of India and Pakistan!).
We took the Spice Jet flight to Amritsar from Bombay (the
only direct flight) and spent the day there visiting family and family friends,
attending the border ceremony (a 2 hour evening drama with soldiers, Bollywood
music and lots of flag flying - great
patriotic experience; good for tourists as well), viewing the Golden Temple by
night (stunning) and ending the evening with a meal at Hari da Dhaba (ghee
laden Punjabi food) in the by lanes of the city.
We returned to our hotel (The Ritz – very average for the
price point, would not recommend) late at night and spent the night discussing
the adventure that lay ahead for us.
After a Punjabi breakfast (chole and paranthas) we left for
the Wagah Border (roughly 45 minutes in a coach) to reach the immigration check
point. All paperwork, customs clearance,
immigration etc. are completed in a small building away from the border – after
which people are transported in official buses to the actual crossing point. A
polio drop is compulsory at this point and provided for free at the immigration
point. The “border” essentially comprises of a short 10 meter zone of no-man’s
land- on either side of which military personnel are stationed. Both sides have
a main door adorned with pictures of Gandhi and Jinnah respectively. As we
“walked” into Pakistan, we experienced an adrenaline rush, akin to the one I
experienced in Africa when we spotted a leopard – we were officially in
Pakistan. We were greeted by a group of charming volunteers who welcomed us
with garlands of red roses and warm smiles.
The Pakistani immigration officers were extremely efficient
and took no time in stamping our passports and completing customs formalities –
no trouble whatsoever. We got into our transport coaches and began the journey
to Islamabad via Lahore on the motorway (an impressive expressway that enables
travel between both cities within five hours). Through the journey we quizzed
and questioned our volunteers on a range of topics from Pakistani politics,
music, marriages, foreign policy, Kashmir etc. We wanted to know it all….!
We arrived at our hotel, the Serena Islamabad at 7:30 pm
energized from the conversations but exhausted from circumventing the tight
security at the hotel gates. The Serena is in the “red zone” – an area that
houses the Parliament, Supreme Court, and homes of the President and Prime
Minister, as well as other political leaders, and hence is always on red alert.
After we finally checked into our hotel
and received our luggage (bit of a mess there!) we changed for the evening
ahead of us – a ghazal night and dinner hosted at someone’s home in Islamabad.
We felt instantly at home at our lovely hostess’s home – she
stood at the door and personally greeted each person into her warm living room.
Her other guests from Islamabad were eager to interact with the Indians – the
conversational osmosis occurred almost instantly! The ghazal singer churned out
several melodious Bollywood songs and on our requests some ghazals – mainly
Jagjit Singh hits – interesting, given we were in Pakistan and expecting him to
sing primarily Pakistani ghazals. The lovely night was called to an end by our
host Azfar Bhai who was afraid that we simply would not wake up the next
morning for the conference!
The conference brought together several leading Pakistani
CEOs, diplomats, government officials, advisors to ministers etc. It was
centered on leadership and even attracted leaders from non-conventional
backgrounds such as Suzanne Al Houby,
the first Arab woman to climb Mount Everest. We heard the dynamic and most
charming Imran Khan share his interpretations of the term leadership, got
inspired by Mr. Arun Nanda from India who spoke about the need of transparency
in organizations and saw comparative case studies of Dubai as a role model
city. The conference gave us a renewed perspective on the region and an
appreciation for the advancements Pakistan is making in telecom and energy
amongst other sectors.
Post the conference, the hosts had organized a gracious
evening at Monal restaurant, (about 30 minutes from the Serena hotel) an
excellent venue nestled in the Margalla hills overlooking the city. Once again,
we were swept away by Pakistani hospitality – all the volunteers, the chief
organizers of the conference, the logistics helpers, even the photographer were
in high spirits post the conference and ensured we all had a memorable time.
The night ended with, “Abhi na jaon chod kar…” which seemed to be a favourite
in Pakistan; the sentiment reverberating every night.
We checked out of the Serena by 10 am after a hearty
breakfast (for the vegetarians: every buffet has chole, aloo, parantha, poori
and halwa – so plenty of carbs to keep you going!) and headed to the Faisal
Mosque (apparently the largest mosque in South Asia). It was an interesting
geometrically aligned modern construction spread across acres. Our logistics
guide, Hassan Bhai mentioned that about 2,00,000 people can fit into the mosque
during peak prayer times. The main mosque was closed since we didn’t go during
namaaz timings but we managed to see the mosque in its entirety and grandeur.
We then departed for the ancient university and ruins of Taxila (an hour away
from Islamabad toward Lahore.)
We first visited the Dharmarajika stupa and then wandered
around various sites in the region – most of the ruins were not too well
maintained. The security guards did not pay any heed to the school children who
climbed over the monuments, used them as slides and even littered on the
grounds. Just as we began to dismiss Taxilla as “over-rated”, we reached the
main Museum and that really gave us a brilliant perspective on the various
civilizations (including the Greek!) who had resided in Taxilla and the
influences they left behind. After roughly 3 hours, we departed for our 5 hour
journey to Lahore, on the motorway. The 5 volunteers from Nutshell made this
journey most lively and memorable – we played Indians vs Pakistanis antakshri
and they enthralled us with their melodious voices and high spirits through
out. They also occasionally broke into Pakistani Urdu or Punjabi songs that we
had not heard (but we still gave them points for those!) We reached our hotel
in Lahore, the Avari around 9:30 pm to be welcomed with rose garlands (sprayed
heavily with rose water for a lovely effect!). The highlight of the trip was my
reunion with two dear friends – JZ and Z whom I was meeting after 4 years. We
were in a state of disbelief when we met, we had never fathomed this possibility
(we still cant assimilate that we actually met in Pakistan!) We quickly checked
into the hotel, thanked our hosts from Nutshell conferences and their
volunteers for their generosity and hospitality and then departed the hotel to
visit Old (Androoni) Lahore for dinner at Andaaz restaurant with my friend Z.
(Amazing views of the Badshahi Masjid, great food and quwalli by Nusrat Fateh
Ali playing in the background simply added to the setting!).
The next morning Z picked us up at 9 am at the hotel and we
first made our way to
Old Lahore to explore the Badshaahi Masjid (was closed due
to security reasons though) and then proceeded to Lahore Fort (Shahi Quila), a
magnanimous structure indicative of the Mughal desire to proclaim power through
architecture. The fort is huge and one can spend hours loitering its many
courtyards, inner rooms, lawns etc. hence I suggest budgeting time
appropriately. We then drove into Old
Lahore, through several mini lanes, parked our car in an inappropriate corner
and then walked through a narrow lane for about 15 minutes to reach the Wazir
Khan Masjid (built under ShahJehan’s tenure). The mosque was made of a red
sandstone type material giving it a rose like appeal. We also managed to let
the caretaker allow us to climb up one of the minarets – a must do if you visit
the mosque. The climb up the narrow winding staircase with steps that reached
my navel, made the view from the top seem even more breathtaking! Next, we drove
to Yusuf’s falooda shop to savour some kulfi and falooda and then proceeded to
the Polo Club to meet our friends from the HBS Club of Pakistan.
Our kind hosts had organized a wonderful and intimate lunch
for us. They ensured they answered all our questions, pointed out shopping
areas, gave us restaurant recommendations and made us feel completely at home. Next,
we made our way to the Gulberg Galleria mall (a brand new shopping complex with
high-end boutiques) and then proceeded to watch a play at the Alhamra Arts
Council. The play, Dara, was produced by a prominent theatre group called Ajoka
and told the tale of a Mughal Emperor and travails – while the stage, acting
and acoustics seemed quite average what brought the play to life was the band
of quawalls who occupied stage right and broke into evocative songs based on
the play script – a fantastic touch to an otherwise drab play. Big thank you to
Z were organizing the passes at the last minute thanks to his friends in the
media/PR field – connections working the desi wayJ
Our last stop and perhaps the highlight of the trip was our
dinner at Peerus, a dhaba style restaurant with an outdoor and indoor area
serving ethnic Pakistani dishes. They feature live quawalls few nights in a
month and as soon as Z found out that they had the performers in that evening,
he booked us a table – what a treat! The quawalls performed all our favorite
songs and even sang our requests including Chaap Tilak J Interestingly, we
realized we could make a request since we did not know how to write in Urdu and
they could not read Engligh/Hindi – thank God for Z, who came to the rescue
once again! After an absolutely delightful evening, we made our way back to the
hotel – high on the melodies of the evening.
Our first stop on Sunday was the Shalimar Gardens (about 30
mins drive from the Avari). The gardens were used by Emperor Shahjehan as a
retreat and came equipped with an area for his harem, a central area for him to
watch his courtesans dance and 410 fountains that danced with him and the
harem. In terms of architecture and design the garden was awe-inspiring, laid out
in perfect symmetry. If you stood along the center of the garden and looked on
either side you could notice that both sides were identical in terms of area
and design. We strolled through the garden for about 45 minutes, listening to
stories by someone who randomly joined us as a guide and regaled us with tales
of the gardens and the Mughal era. Pressed for time, we left the gardens and made
our way to visit my dear friend JZ and his loving family. The delight was
meeting his son and wife (who I hadn’t met in 4 years) and his parents who were
all very affectionate and insistent on us eating and drinking the elaborate tea
spread. I then wished that we had more time in Lahore, because an hour at JZ’s
house seemed too short – “abhi abhi to aaye ho.”
We had a 2:00 pm booking at the Fakir Khana Musuem, located
in Old Lahore, so we quickly made our way there, arriving about 20 minutes
late. The museum is in a narrow lane, and easily missed if you aren’t actively
looking for it. We were made to sit in what seemed like a small living room and
served piping hot green tea. Our host for the afternoon was the owner of the
museum, a stubby man who sat in his wooden armchair and puffed cigarettes
continuously. His eyes were glowing as he began briefing us on his background
and that of his family heirlooms. He pointed to two Gandharva Buddha statues in
front of him and proudly announced that he had just bought these pieces, more
jewels in his treasury.
We then surmounted a flight of stairs to a small room where
the main collections were stored – several miniatures from the Mughal era, old
clothes worn by the royalty, some jewelry and few sculptures – the room
abounded with history and nostalgia of several eras gone by. There was no
charge for the museum or for its delightful curator – once again Z’s
friendships came handy!
Next up was some shopping at the local boutiques on MM Alam
Road, including the famed Khaadi (we were disappointed with their quality and
price points), Junaid Jamshed (amazing collection!), Nishaat, Bareeze and
Fashion Pakistan Lounge. We then stopped for lunch at the trendy Café Zouk for
a quick meal of Greek Salad and Thai curry and then continued shopping till
about 6:30 pm. Our next stop was the Lahore Gymkhana to get a sneak into the perfectly
manicured lawns and golf course of this elite establishment. Z managed to get
us in, however we were not allowed to sit in any of their restaurants since the
men in our group had slippers on – classic imperial hangover!
We then proceeded to the Anarkali market (similar to Chandni
Chowk) to get a whiff of the local fabrics, garments and foods. We wandered the
market for about an hour, bought some fabrics and sherwaanis and then decided
to drive across the city to see an area called Defense – a massive area near
where the military stations are based. The area is however not only dedicated to
army installations – it has sprawling malls, hotels, restaurants, and large
residential neighborhoods. We did a quick pit stop at Z’s place, drove through
the LUMS campus and made a dash back for dinner at Cosa Nostra (apparently the
trendiest Italian restaurant in town). What amazed me most was that many women
were dressed in traditional ethnic clothing (the most fashionable outfits that we
had just spotted at the store windows), a sight very uncommon in India; one
would rarely spot women sporting traditional clothing at trendy places in large
cities in India. JZ and his wife also joined us for dinner, making our final
meal in Pakistan extremely memorable.
The next morning, we packed our luggage and before getting
into a taxi for our 40 minute drive back to India, we decided to walk across
the road from the Avari to visit the Jinnah gardens. Lahore is home to several
such public parks, but unlike the Lodhi gardens in Delhi this seemed empty
(perhaps it was the time of day) and there were simply no women loitering
around. The gardens were stunning, sprawling and very inviting. Once
again, I wished we had more time to
explore. We returned to our hotel, reached the border crossing and within 10
minutes cleared immigration and reached the Indian immigration checkpoint. Things
seemed very disorganized here, there seemed to be a massive backlog created at
the luggage scanner, the customs officers were inspecting each person’s luggage
piece-by-piece and no one seemed to be in any rush. The time allowed me to
reflect on what we had just experienced – a short but extensive view of a
beautiful country that used to be a part of my nation.
Few things that struck me most during our visit:
1) Indians are famous for their ‘khatirdaari’ and ‘mehmaan
nawaazi’ (hospitality) but seriously, the Pakistanis are two steps ahead of us
when it comes to this art. First the team at Nutshell and their volunteers
spoilt us with their welcome and planning in Islamabad, then Z’s warmth and his
absolute readiness to take us wherever we wanted to go till we had to return to
the hotel from exhaustion in Lahore, then the HBS Club’s hospitality over lunch
and finally JZ’s delightful reception at his house – we felt pampered, loved
and absolutely smothered with affection. Would love to have all our Pakistani
friends visit but secretly worry that I might be unable to match their hospitality
levels!
2) Clothing was generally very conservative in both
Islamabad and Lahore (relatively less). The organizers and hosts had already
asked us not to bring any sleeveless or short clothing but I was surprised to
see such a large percentage of women wear only traditional clothing – at the
conference, dinner parties, restaurants, touristic spots, the theatre etc.
Women wore ethnic wear (indeed, with great panache!) at almost every occasion;
this was the first holiday I have been on where I only packed traditional
Indian clothing.
3) Security was extremely tight in both cities – though we
felt generally safe (thanks to our hosts!), both cities were on high alert.
There were police check booths everywhere, gunned watchmen stood outside every
restaurant and café we went to, and our belongings were scanned/checked
thoroughly at the hotels. Most interestingly, when we bumped in to Alka Yagnik (famous
Indian singer) at a boutique in Lahore, we were not allowed to get a picture
with her. Three guards accompanied her inside the shop, while a jeep with
another 4-6 bodyguards waited outside.
Overall, I saw many more similarities in our countries than
differences and a desire and curiosity to learn about each other. Both
governments need to simplify the visa process significantly so that this 45
minute journey from Amritsar to Lahore gives people access to each others sights,
homes and hearts.
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