Saeeda Diep shares stories from her recent trip with the Pakistani delegation to India. The delegation participated with their Indian counterparts in a variety of events urging greater peace and less bureaucracy.

Dear Friends,

I want to thank you all for showing us such a good time in India. In my opinion, the convention and our overall stay in India was a huge success, thanks to the efforts of all our friends there.

It was 4 a.m. on the 6th of August when Sheetal Ji called from Amritsar to make sure that we were crossing the border in time. Along with 39 other delegates from Pakistan, I was not sure whether we were going because we were waiting for the passports to arrive from Islamabad. I wonder why every time a person crosses the border on foot he/she has to go through so many formalities.

The young man who was sent to the embassy and Ministry of Interior in Islamabad was rather inexperienced and couldn't get things done in the proper manner.

At about 9 a.m. when we reached the border we got our passports. Unfortunately Mr. Ghulam Hussain from Hyderabad, Sindh couldn't get the visa. I felt guilty as Mr. Ghulam Hussain kept inquiring about his visa status as he was really looking forward to going to India.

Eventually 40 delegates crossed the border and Sheetal Ji along with Bobby and Darshan Singh Ji was there to receive us. After having tea at Wagah border we set off for Beas. I would like to explain the importance of Beas. Back in April the Pakistani peace marchers joined the Delhi - Multan peace march in Beas. We were given a huge reception by the Baba Ji in the Gurdwara. This time Baba Ji did a wonderful job of hosting us again and assured us of future cooperation for Indo-Pak peace process. He and other honorable members of the Gurdwara showed a willingness to come to Pakistan and join us in our efforts here.

Our bus took us from Beas to Delhi where we stayed in the Youth Hostels (YWCA and YMCA). We reached Delhi at 5:30 in the morning and the convention was scheduled to start at 10:30. We had some time to rest and Sandeep Ji was kind enough to put off the convention for an hour to allow us enough time to get settled down.

The convention started with Rajasthani music with a message of love and peace. The activities of the two-day convention were very informative and pertaining to the theme of the convention. MPs from different political parties spoke about a visa-free and nuclear-free South Asia. Pakistani delegates were invited to a dinner hosted by the Chief Minister of Delhi.

Very respectable and well known personalities like Kuldeep Nayyer Ji, Nirmila dede, Nandita Das, Gautam Naulakha, Retired General Moti Dhar ji, Nazim Ali Nizami (Sajada Nasheen Nizam-ud-din Aulia) and others participated in the convention. Nizami Sahab invited us all to the Dargah of Nizam-ud-din Aulia where we were treated to a rather lavish "langar." We were also presented with pretty scarfs.

The convention started on Hiroshima day and concluded on the Nagasaki Day with upwas(fast) at Raj Ghat. Many people including Kuldeep Nayyer Ji, Nirmila dede, and people frm Nepal and Bhutan spoke on that day. The fast ended around 5 in the evening with Nirmila dede giving us each a glass of juice. We also had the good fortune of visiting Gandhi Ji's samadi in Raj Ghat. Our last day in Delhi was reserved for shopping and site seeing and dinner that night was given by Nirmila dede.

Next morning at 5 a.m. we left from Delhi for Agra where we were given a reception at a local school. Some of us visited the Taj Mahal while others wandered the streets of Agra. We were invited to the College of Visual and Performing Arts where the administration extended a warm welcome in the traditional Indian style. From there we went to Gandhi Ji's ashram where we all prayed for "shanti" and then had dinner. We bid farewell to our bus driver at 10:30 p.m. at the Agra Railway station, as we had to catch the 11:00 train for Lucknow.

We arrived in Lucknow at around 6 a.m. It was decided that in Lucknow delegates will be staying with families. At the railway station we were greeted by Arundhati Ji and our respective hosts accompanied by the beat of drums and garlands of flowers. Staying with the local families was a wonderful experience as all the delegates were very happy with their host families.Loretto school in Lucknow gave us a reception at Pack and Chew restaurant. From there we rushed to Lucknow University where the students and faculty were awaiting us. The Chief Minister of UP invited us for tea, spoke to us and presented us with gifts. Dinner was hosted by the Mayor and Commissioner of the city. We were showered with gifts and beautiful Urdu poetry. As we had only one night in Lucknow we had a rather tight schedule. After dinner people rushed to the cinema where they saw the much awaited Mangal Pandey, the rising. Everyone enjoyed the film and were taken from there to their host families.

Next morning, breakfast was served at a friend's house, followed by lunch at Shia College by Mr. Kalb-e-Sadiq. We were extended a warm welcome by the students and teachers at the College. From there we had to rush to the railway station to catch our train for Amritsar. Thanks to the railway authorities the train was half an hour late and we had extra time to chat with our friends in Lucknow. From Lucknow, Sonia Ji, Manish Ji, Chanderlekha Ji and Rajehswar Ji accompanied us to Amritsar.

On our way to Amritsar from Lucknow, at Hardoi Rilway station we were greeted by the D.M. along with school children, locals and media representatives. People from both sides of the Pak-India border chanted peace slogans.

We arrived in Amritsar at 9 in the morning where we were greeted by Sheetal Ji and Dr Prminder Singh. We were taken to Guru Nanak Dev University to freshen up. Later we joined the seminar on Pak-India relations. Unfortunately at about 1:30 p.m. we found out that we had not been given permission for stay in Amritsar. So we rushed to the border and at the border we all got very sentimental. We all had such a fine time that nobody felt like leaving. Our friends and hosts in India have become dear like family members and we will miss them greatly.

Before concluding, I must thank Monica Ji, Faisal Ji, Sandeep Ji, Arundhati Ji, Sheetal Ji, Darshan Singh Ji, Harsha Ji (who came all the way from Bombay to attend the convention and meet Pakistani yatris), Sonia Ji, Rajeshwar Ji, Chanderlekha Ji, Manish Ji, Jai Krishan ji, Mahesh Ji, Tinzin Ji (who came from Benaras with mango plants), Nand Lal Ji, Munna Shukla Ji, and any others that I might have forgot to mention, I apologize for that.

Thank you very much once again Sandeep Ji and Arundhati Ji whose unfailing commitment and dedication to the cause of peace and friendship between the two countries made our trip to India possible. I am convinced that if more dedicated people like you join us in the peace process, and we are able to decentralize the peace process and take it to the common people, we shall soon overcome.

Comradely,
Diep

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