SECURING BORDERS DRIVE - EXPEDITION (PART 4 OF 7)

SECURING BORDERS- DRIVE 
A Salute to Martyrs.

(part-IV)

Jodhpur- Ferozpur.

The expedition reached Jodhpur in the evening of the nineth day. Four new team members joined the expedition on the tenth day. The cars were thoroughly checked & serviced at the FIAT service center where Mr. Sethi, the Marketing manager gave a pep-talk to the team. From Jodhpur, the team started for Ferozpur in Punjab. The Rajasthan Leg of the expedition had received prominent news coverage, in newspapers like Rajasthan Patrika, Dainik Bhaskar etc. After leaving Jodhpur, the team crossed Bikaner and camped at Suratgarh, on the way.

 

Ferozepur–Hussainiwala Border.

 

The team reached Ferozepur from Suratgarh on the eleventh day. Enroute the team got a unique opportunity to interact with NCC Cadets, who were attending their ATC near Srigananagar. Once in Punjab, the land of the five rivers, the team saw endless lines of tractors and the indigenous juggads. The weather being pleasant, the drive was enjoyable. The drive was through much greener terrain once we reached Punjab. The team arrived at Ferozepur at noon. The team first visited the war memorial at Ferozepur, to pay respects to the martyrs who had laid down their lives in defence of the motherland.The local media there gave good coverage to the visit of the team. The team’s visit was given coverage in many newspapers like Punjab Kesri, Dainik Jagran etc. In the evening the team visited the Hussainiwala Border post. Though not as well known as its northern counterpart, Wagha, this post nonetheless is an important post to witness the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony. The team members were allowed to witness the entire parade from the VIP enclosure.  The parade by the Border Security Force jawans and their counter parts from the Pakistani Rangers was spectacular. The synchronization and posturing at this ceremony has become legendary not just in India but also across the world, with many foreign tourists thronging to witness this spectacle. The team later interacted with the jawans and officers of the Border Security Force.
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Article by 

Prof Shivaprasad. M,

Expedition Coordinator,

‘Securing Borders Drive’.

This article is the copyright of the author and cannot be reproduced for any commercial purposes without  permission.