Beyond the border lives a part of my soul

I am not really a patriot or a nationalist either; I wouldn’t really go and enjoy the beating retreat at Wagah and enjoy shouting praises for India as if it is a standoff with Pakistan and come back feeling victorious by displaying the best of my patriotism. Although today I feel different, I want to go to Wagah sit on those stands and get a glimpse of some people on the other side. It has been long since I have seen them. 

For Mariam and Amna: I remember it was one heavy winter evening in Bonn, Germany, which was adding to my depression, when I met the two of them.  We bonded over a discussion on Humsafar (Pakistani drama on TV) and our friendship never looked back. The worse of my days in deep depression and gloom I was with them, in a small room of a dormitory we would do whatever possible to feel better.  Cooking, watching films or roaming around in Sarees on the streets on Cologne. Often relations are built on circumstances, needs and whatever is missing from your life but our relationship built on the fact that we could think beyond the obvious. We believed in being above religion and politics or any other things which separates people from these two nations. I am glad we did for I never felt as close to anyone as for the two of them. Apart from anything what sustained us was the desire to share, when they say music and literature bond people, they are not wrong. We shared all good things that we knew, be it books, poetry, music, films and yes food! None of us is in Germany today, we are again divided by borders but yeah the social media keeps us united and going. We still share our happiness and gloom like we never said good bye.

For Sophia - Peshwar ka Ladhki: She says we can be the perfect couple. I agree. It will be the best relationship ever, breaking all social and religious boundaries – a hetero-homo-open -live in relationship. Wow! How revolutionary it sounds. And so is she. I give credit to myself that we got to know each other, I was a recruiter and she was an applicant. For strange reason I reached out to her to get a job (I guess I was on a promotional spree that Asians must get European jobs) and we ended up becoming friends and flat-mates later on. I still remember the first day I met her; it was like we knew each other for ages. Interestingly again it was hard times that brought us so close and not even ones I felt that she was different, and I believe we were intelligent enough to handle our differences. I remember reading out to her a good bye note I wrote for someone I love and crying while she was consoling me like my sister would have. We did part ways when I left Berlin but not single day went by thereafter when we didn’t speak. It doesn’t seem that we are away – and how beautifully Gulzar has put it I guess just for us - Saath rehnaa aur rozmarraa kii zindagii me milnaa zaruurii nahii, kuchh rishte ek dusre ki izzat aur ehteraam se bhii bante hain (It is not necessary to be together in everyday life, some relationships are built on respect and trust)". 

When I heard about the blast at the Wagah Border, I thought about my friends there and how I haven’t seen them for ages. There is absolutely nothing that can happen which could possibly turn me away from the three of them.  The blasts,  terrorism and all other things which stand between the two countries are oblivious for us and this is the reason we are together. We randomly planned to meet at Wagah and wave at each other, since there will be a swarm of Indian and Pakistani flags on the respective sides, we have decided to take a German flag  and wave so that the very odd ones can be spotted easily. 

This is why I want to go to Wagah, I might not be able to see them closely but a glimpse will be enough for it has been long and I don’t know when I will be with them again. I also want to tell the haters that some bomb blasts won’t scare me or make me hate for I was born only to love.