Hoisting the highest tricolor flag in the country on the Attari border has a different significance.

The Indian tricolor is now flying higher than the Pakistani flag on the India-Pakistan border ‘Attari Border’ (formerly Wagah Border). Equipped with special surveillance technology, this flag will help our soldiers in monitoring the borders. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari hoisted the country’s tallest tricolor in front of ‘Golden Jubilee Gate’ at Attari Border on October 19. Earlier too, a huge tricolor flag used to flutter here on a 360 feet high flag pole, which was installed in the year 2017. Pakistan, which faced defeat in every war, hoisted its flag on a 400 feet high pole to humiliate India. By doing this, Pakistan must have thought that now the flag of India will always remain lower than the flag of Pakistan. But Pakistan forgot that this is new India. Pakistan was not to win even in this psychological war. Who would tolerate the flag of India being hoisted lower than the flag of Pakistan? Finally, on the initiative of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has installed a new 418 feet flag pole at Attari border for Rs 3.5 crore. On which our beloved tricolor was fluttering, is now visible from a very far distance, at the top, waving proudly in the blue sky. It is noteworthy that the tricolor fluttering on the attic has now become the tallest tricolor in the country. Earlier, the country’s tallest flag was flying at 360.8 feet in Belgaum, Karnataka.

Recently (September 4, 2023) when I went to the attic, I felt a bit strange not finding the Indian flag there. As we were moving towards Attari border, the huge flag of Pakistan was visible fluttering from a distance, but without its tricolor the sky seemed deserted. After reaching Attari, the first thing I asked the soldier brothers was that such a big flag of Pakistan was flying here, which was visible for a long distance even in India. While our flag poles are lying empty. Then he told about the trickery of Pakistan and said that how can we hoist our national flag below the flag of Pakistan. When you come next time, you will find the highest and biggest flag of India flying here, which will leave its mark not only in India but also in Pakistan. When the Indian flag talks to the sky on this 418 feet high pole, your chest will swell to 56 inches.

The stadium built on the border echoes with the cheers of Mother India every day.

In the evening, when both the countries lower their national flags at the Attari-Wagah border, the atmosphere here is different. There is amazing enthusiasm for patriotism. The stadium built on the border keeps echoing with the cheers of Mother India. The slogans raised by Pakistan get lost somewhere in the slogans of Vande Mataram and Hindusthan Zindabad. The seating capacity of the big stadiums on the Indian side is at least 6–7 times more than the spectators’ gallery on the Pakistani side. India’s audience gallery is completely full whereas Pakistan’s audience gallery generally remains empty. Yes, on special occasions people there also come in good numbers to boost the morale of their army. If possible, you should definitely visit Attari border once.

Attari is the birthplace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s commander

One more fact to know is that Attari Border was earlier called Wagah Border. That’s why many people still call it Wagah Border. But later its name was changed by the Punjab Government because the village Wagah after which it was called Wagah Border, is on the Pakistani side. Attari village is on the border of India. Therefore the border on the Indian side is now officially called Attari Border. This is sometimes also called Attari-Wagah Border. There is another proud fact associated with Attari village. ‘Attari Gaon’ is the birthplace of Sham Singh Attariwala, a commander of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army. Sham Singh Attariwala played a very important role in the conquest of Multan, Kashmir and Peshawar. Maharaj Ranjit Singh was also very impressed by his courage, bravery and fighting skills. Sham Singh Attari’s daughter was married to Kanwar Naunihal Singh, grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

-Lokendra Singh

(The author Makhanlal Chaturvedi is an assistant professor at the National Journalism and Communication University.)