The Peace March has now crossed into Punjab, and into the second part of the Indian leg. The enthusiasm of people along the route continues to inspire the marchers.

In Ambala, an ex-serviceman who attended one of the meetings spoke about being a bomb-loader for the Indian bombers and described his feeling guilt that the bombs he loaded would destroy innocent lives in Pakistan. Another Sikh gentleman – a retired government clerk – spoke of the warmth of Pakistanis when he visited them. He did not meet the demons that mainstream propaganda has made out of our neighbors. Meetings during the march have echoed such feelings.
A telephone operator in Ambala learn about this march and talked to his father – a 94 year old man named Chaudhari Raunaki Ram Saini of Patti Khurrampur Majri in Ambala – about this march. The next morning, the old man had his son deliver a letter to people who had to leave Ambala during the partition saying he prayed to Allah Tala for the happiness and well being of all who had to leave Ambala during partition and wished they could live together peacefully again. He said he was overjoyed that such a march with the purity of peace and love – an aspect that is core to both Hindus and Muslims – was enroute to pass on these messages between the people of India and Pakistan. He ended by saying that anyone from Pakistan who wished to write to him could do so at Chaudhari Raunaki Ram Saini, 1124/1, Kaith Majri, Ambala.
In a Gurudwara in Ali Majra a woman bowed in reverence when she learnt about the objective of the peace march. She said our mission was very pure and gave her best wishes to us.

In Khanna, the municipal council came out to welcome the marchers. People brought refreshments out into the streets. An Income Tax person from Mumbai joined the marchers. Another group – Indo-Pak Friendship Forum, a group specific to Khanna – also joined in the post march discussions.

In Ludhiana, employees of G. S. Auto invited the marchers into their factory, had an impromptu talk organized at one of their conference rooms and then participated in the procession as it went through. Banners announcing the march have been up all across Ludhiana. Various unions and roadway employees joined in.

The march has been stopping and putting up at religious places – temples, mosques, gurudwaras – along the way. While this march is not a spiritual march, given the religious overtones of relationships between India and Pakistan, the overwhelming goodwill generated through out, even from a religious perspective, does much to prove that people want peace established in this region. And in coming out on to the streets, and joining the marchers, they are reiterating that people want to be part of the peace process, that peace is too important to be left to a few government leaders, that participation of people in the process that will ensure peace.

as told by Sandeep Pandey to Sanat Mohanty

Related Links
Motorbikers Invite Marchers Home
Day 5: I Haryanvis Disappointed that Pakistanis Could Not Join the March
Route of Peace March
South Asian communities to organize peace events
Pakistani Organization Working for Needs of Indian Prisoners