Visiting Frontier Gandhi’s Country

Having overthrown an elected government, General Pervez Musharraf had, at the gunpoint, declared himself President of the Islamic Republic. But Musharraf is not the first dictator of Pakistan. When I crossed over the Wagah border, the people of Pakistan had been under seize for well over 50 years. And I was visiting my childhood land after five decades. For all practical purposes I was not in an alien country. The people spoke familiar dialects, wore the same dress and ate the same food. But political rhetoric of military Raj was evidently alien. I was heading to Peshawar via Lahore and Rawalpindi. En route I visited the ancient site of Taxila.

American presence in Pakistan notwithstanding, the motor highway to Peshawar was ditto copy of the U.S. Motorways – built by South Korean engineers to the U.S. design. Military Raj had produced Atom Bombs but in a Third World country the motorway was the symbol of modernity and advancement. The bus too was made in South Korea but the Video playing in the bus was an Indian Bollywood hit. I halted at the state Tourism Guest House outside Taxila Museum. Archaeological sites dating back to the 5th century B.C. offers a glimpse of rich Gandhara arts, architecture, sculpture and learning of the Buddhist heritage of the central Asian civilization. Entire site of this great historical vintage is well preserved and protected by armed guards. Security officer’s room was echoing with popular Indian songs.

Looking at the artifacts belonging to 2500 years ancient heritage one wonders what had gone wrong with the people of this great region. Just a few kms. Awaybeyond the Khyber Pass inside Afghanistan, the monumental structures of the great civilization the Bamian Buddhas had been blown to dust. A young curator confirmed unnecessary hostility prevailing towards “Indian civilization”. No Pakistani visits the site of Taxila, but for that matter hardly any Indian had visited Taxila. “For research do you visit the Buddhist sites in India?” I asked.

“I am working here for 20 years, but have not been to Sanchi, Vaishali or Bodh Gaya.
No Indian scholar had visited us. Nor have we in touch with any Buddhist centre in India,” he lamented, but assured me that many western Europeans and Americans – do frequently visit Taxila to study the ancient Indian history.

In Peshawar, I collected permit to visit the Khyber Pass and a gunman escort was provided for personal safety. I visited the Afghan refugee camps, and reached the historic Khyber Pass – the passage of invaders to Bharat–the Gateway to the sub-continent, which Alexander took around 300 BC. The Pass through which came Babar and Tamur Lang, and the route that allowed the British to colonize India. At the height of Khyber every dry stone witnessed the agony of human tragedy: one million refugees-mingling, quarreling, living out with peddling drugs, guns and prostituting. Two teenage boys offered me bundles of thousands of Taliban Afgani currency for one-US dollar baksheesh! They don’t go to school, and had been orphaned during the tragic civil war, Mother and sister had disappeared during the Islamic Taliban revolution.

Three local Pathans were enjoying mid-day meal, crossed lrgs on a clean spread of duree. “Our Indian guest must break the roti with us”. Being a vegetarian, politely I excused. But “ Tumko kaun bola gosht khane KO?’ friendly Pathan roared and I floored to eat “Chane ki daal, mooli and Peshawri nan”. They were openly angry with Musharraf’s friendship with the Yankee Bush and equally opposed to the Talibanisation of the region. Nearby was an international gun market where you can openly purchase high-powered guns and missiles made in USA, Russia and China.