0:00:03 > 0:00:06Throughout its 5,000-year history,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10the Indian subcontinent has suffered numerous invasions.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12The last was by the British.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19And among their greatest legacies were the railways
0:00:19 > 0:00:22which fanned out to the very edges of their Indian Empire.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26But they quit India in 1947,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29and hurriedly partitioned the subcontinent.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Now, many of the old railway routes crossed the new frontiers -
0:00:34 > 0:00:36and were terminated.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39A few survived.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43They are India's frontier railways.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08Of the two new borders
0:01:08 > 0:01:11created by Partition in 1947,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13the most contentious was the line
0:01:13 > 0:01:15that cut the state of Punjab in half.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18The border between India and Pakistan.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29ALL CHANT: Pakistan!
0:01:30 > 0:01:32ALL CHANT
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Since Independence, India and Pakistan have fought three wars,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43and engaged in countless cross-border incidents.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57But beyond the daily border war dances, there is one common bond.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02A single rail track which carries this cross-border train
0:02:02 > 0:02:04between India and Pakistan...
0:02:06 > 0:02:07..the Samjhauta Express.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18In 1947, this border line was drawn on a map by a British judge -
0:02:18 > 0:02:22a partition that caused a million people to be slaughtered
0:02:22 > 0:02:24and 14 million to migrate.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Yet despite their differences, Pakistan and Indian railways
0:02:29 > 0:02:32have established this gateway -
0:02:32 > 0:02:35bringing families, communities and nations together.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49CITY BUSTLE
0:02:51 > 0:02:56India's capital has been a rail hub for more than 150 years.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Its Old Delhi station was commissioned
0:02:59 > 0:03:01by the British government
0:03:01 > 0:03:04in the style of the nearby red-coloured fort.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15It has 800 trains a day, in and out,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18including the twice-weekly Samjhauta Express
0:03:18 > 0:03:20to Lahore in Pakistan.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Because it's an international train,
0:03:23 > 0:03:28Delhi station has its own dedicated platform and security staff.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34Vivek Srivastava is a north region divisional railway manager
0:03:34 > 0:03:36and he's responsible for the train.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49An agreement between the two parties.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51This Samjhauta Express was started
0:03:51 > 0:03:55after the Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan in 1976.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Every aspect of the service is rigidly regulated.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27..taken as a target by those who are against this concept
0:04:27 > 0:04:29of friendship between the two great nations.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44..see their friends or their relatives.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55It has a romance built into the whole operation of this train.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07500 kilometres away
0:05:07 > 0:05:10is the final destination of the Samjhauta Express,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Lahore in Pakistan.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Lahore is the second largest city in Pakistan
0:05:34 > 0:05:36with a population of over 10 million people.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43It's always been the capital of the Punjab and a cultural hot house.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46For over thousand years, Lahore has remained a liberal,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49mostly peaceful, and secular city.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56CHURCH BELLS RING
0:05:58 > 0:06:00The British built Lahore station
0:06:00 > 0:06:02in the style of its sister station in Delhi -
0:06:02 > 0:06:05as part railway station and part fort.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Under the British, Lahore Junction was surrounded by over 100 acres
0:06:12 > 0:06:16of railway workshops, offices and training colleges.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40- British. England.- Uh-huh.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42THEY CHATTER
0:06:42 > 0:06:43"1923".
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- 1923.- Yeah.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49After Partition, Pakistan inherited an entire railway system
0:06:49 > 0:06:52from the British, including all the equipment.
0:06:55 > 0:07:00Colleges like Walton were equipped to train the workforce of the Raj.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Since then, little seems to have changed.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Time, nine by 55 hour. Is line clear for 24. Down.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11..55, is line clear for the express?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13With a desperate decline in investment
0:07:13 > 0:07:15in Pakistan's rail network,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17the Finance Minister recently warned
0:07:17 > 0:07:20of the railways facing near extinction.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25Yet, the training continues.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45The Pakistan railways, like the British before them,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48ran their railways like a military operation
0:07:51 > 0:07:54The book of railway rules and regulations
0:07:54 > 0:07:59still follows the British notions of discipline, loyalty, efficiency,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01and love of sport.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Both railways in India and Pakistan
0:08:07 > 0:08:10support talented sports men and women
0:08:10 > 0:08:13by giving them training and a job.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15They play for the railway at home and abroad.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Second to cricket, the most popular sport on the subcontinent,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22is hockey.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27One of the most successful players of women's hockey in the railways
0:08:27 > 0:08:31was Rahat Khan - more popularly known as the "Hockey Queen".
0:08:49 > 0:08:53After 12 years working for the railways as player and trainer,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Rahat left to look after her ailing father,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59but her commitment to the game of hockey never wavered.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Now, she's secretary of the Pakistan Punjabi Women's Hockey Association,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07and the manager of the under-19 Punjabi girls team.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35But despite successfully nurturing young hockey talent nationally,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38she's not been as successful at home.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Today, the Hockey Queen is packing
0:09:53 > 0:09:56for another international hockey tournament
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Rahat is a modern and well travelled Pakistani woman.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26"Best sportswoman".
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Selected for her hockey playing talent, the railway supported,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34trained and promoted her to international level.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38She was the third generation of a railway family.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Rahat and the under-19 girls hockey team have been invited
0:11:24 > 0:11:26to compete at a sporting event in India.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31It's five days away from the greatest love of her life.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32But he's grown used to it.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44At Lahore station, more than 250 passengers
0:11:44 > 0:11:48are expected today for the Samjhauta Express to India.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53For many, it will be their first experience of international travel.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Visas are not easy to obtain for cross-border travellers.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02It may take weeks or months,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05or it can be refused altogether.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08And the authorities don't have to give any reason.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Despite the history of conflict
0:12:10 > 0:12:12between the two nations across this border,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15the determination of both India and Pakistan
0:12:15 > 0:12:18to keep this international line open
0:12:18 > 0:12:22is a testament to the importance they attach to it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25The basic rationale of this train is to reunite families
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and friends separated by Partition.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31And for almost 40 years,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34the Samjhauta Express has been doing just that.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Amongst the crowd waiting to board the Samjhauta Express to India,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22are Bilal and his father, Abiz.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24They've never stepped outside Pakistan
0:13:24 > 0:13:27so they're a little nervous about the trip.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Unable to find the right treatment in Pakistan,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46father and son trawled the internet
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and finally found a suitable clinic.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51But it was in India.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Because Rahat is representing Pakistan
0:14:09 > 0:14:11and the under-19 hockey team,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14visas are not usually a problem.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17And anyway, she's travelled to India many times.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30But for Bilal and his father, it's much more daunting.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49The Samjhauta Express carries some 50,000 people a year
0:14:49 > 0:14:51from Lahore to Delhi.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54But it's one of only two trains between the countries.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59It's cheaper than the bus or the plane.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02A second-class ticket costs just five pounds each way.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Return tickets are not available.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14With all the formalities completed,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17the Samjhauta Express will take only 60 minutes
0:15:17 > 0:15:18to reach the Pakistan border.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25But for Bilal and Abiz, it's a journey into the unknown.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35There's just one more gate to cross before the border.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Khalid Mohammed is the gate manager
0:15:43 > 0:15:47at Level Crossing Number Two on the outskirts of Lahore.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48A railway man all his life,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52he's been at many railway crossings across the city.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56But train-wise, this must be the quietest he's ever experienced.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21With an average of just one train a day -
0:16:21 > 0:16:23it's not a hardship posting.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28But Khalid must be ready for action whenever duty calls.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41MOBILE RINGS
0:16:42 > 0:16:45TRAFFIC BUSTLE
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Khalid has just a few years before he retires,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02if he can survive the daily Lahore traffic!
0:17:27 > 0:17:30During Partition, on this line,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32many Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims were slaughtered,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35and half a million people were murdered
0:17:35 > 0:17:37crossing this new religious divide.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Trains carrying their mutilated bodies arrived at stations
0:17:43 > 0:17:45on both sides of the border.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50And that memory remains deeply ingrained
0:17:50 > 0:17:52in the psyche of the subcontinent.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Even today, for Bilal and his dad,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03the journey from Lahore to the last station in Pakistan
0:18:03 > 0:18:04is not without tension.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07It's a high-security area,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11where passengers must clear Pakistan Customs and Immigration.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17The Samjhauta leaves Pakistan and enters no-man's land.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36At the zero line, midway between the two countries,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38the train slows to a halt.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40PHONE RINGS MAN: 'Hello. Attari?'
0:18:40 > 0:18:42They wait...
0:18:46 > 0:18:49..until they receive the permission to proceed,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52only then can the train cross the border into India.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18On the Indian side of the border is Attari station,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22where the passengers will be scrutinised once again
0:19:22 > 0:19:26by the Indian immigration, customs, and security services.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37PHONE RINGS
0:19:37 > 0:19:39'Hello. Attari?'
0:19:42 > 0:19:46The smooth running of the train service is the responsibility
0:19:46 > 0:19:48of Station Superintendent Maadan.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54SS Maadan is in constant touch with his counterpart
0:19:54 > 0:19:56in Wagah station in Pakistan,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and there are strict international protocols to be followed.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Frequently, I am talking with Pakistan
0:20:02 > 0:20:04regarding working of trains
0:20:04 > 0:20:06with magnetophone. PHONE RINGS
0:20:06 > 0:20:09With this system, I am talking with Pakistan.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15I think there is no difference between Pakistan and India.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20They are using same language.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23My parents are also from Pakistan,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and after Partition, they came to India.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Pakistan, only we are three kilometres far away from Pakistan.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34This is an international station.
0:20:36 > 0:20:42The passengers arrive by Samjhauta Express at 12.30 hours.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48After completing all formalities, like immigration process,
0:20:48 > 0:20:49custom process,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52ticket-purchasing process,
0:20:52 > 0:20:57will leave for Delhi in a special train at 20.15.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59PHONE RINGS
0:20:59 > 0:21:01..Attari?
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Father and son face a few hours' wait
0:21:04 > 0:21:06before their onward journey to Delhi.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09But this time, it's on an Indian train.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It's an eight-hour non-stop,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14overnight journey to Old Delhi station.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17And it's due to arrive at 3.20 in the morning.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Bilal and his dad have never met the Indian doctor from the internet,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24only corresponded with her online.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28And they don't know whether she will approve Bilal's operation.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30They can only hope and pray.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37Rahat and her team have left the Samjhauta Express at Attari.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Since the train won't stop till it reaches Delhi,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and the sports tournament is just a few hours away,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45it's quicker to continue their journey by bus.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54The Indian Punjab is rich in agriculture
0:21:54 > 0:21:56and is regarded as the bread-basket of India.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03Once known as the Manchester of India for its textiles,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06today's industries have changed.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Now, it's also famous for being India's biggest manufacturer
0:22:09 > 0:22:11of sports equipment,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14supplying a global market and India's national teams.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18The Punjab also claims to have produced
0:22:18 > 0:22:21more Indian international hockey players
0:22:21 > 0:22:23than anywhere else on the subcontinent.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26THEY CHEER
0:22:28 > 0:22:31So, it's fitting that the small village of Jarkhar
0:22:31 > 0:22:35in the heart of the Punjab, is playing host for this Mini Olympics.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Today, Rahat Khan and her Pakistani girls hockey team
0:22:41 > 0:22:42are guests of honour.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12The Punjab loves its sport and it holds an eclectic mix
0:23:12 > 0:23:14of events throughout the state,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16including Jarkhar's Mini Olympics -
0:23:16 > 0:23:20they've even built an Olympic flame.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Today, Rahat and the team are just spectators.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26They'll play their international hockey match against India tomorrow.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Thank you for raising your hand!
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Thank you for coming to Jarkhar!
0:23:30 > 0:23:32HE CONTINUES IN PUNJABI
0:23:39 > 0:23:43By the time the sun set over the games at the Jarkhar Mini Olympics,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47the temperature at Attari station dropped to nearly freezing,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49and a winter fog set in.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57The Samjhauta Express leaves Attari on time
0:23:57 > 0:23:59on its overnight journey to Delhi.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05The train has now been sealed, no-one can get on or off.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12And it won't stop until it reaches its destination.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16There's always a visible presence of armed security on the train.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19They're there for the protection of the passengers.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24There's only ever been one terrorist attack on the Samjhauta
0:24:24 > 0:24:27in 38 years of virtually uninterrupted service.
0:24:29 > 0:24:35But in 2007, a bomb exploded on the train, an hour out of Delhi.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40It killed 68 people - mostly Pakistanis.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49Father and son are secure in their second-class two-tier accommodation,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51and settle down for a welcome sleep
0:24:51 > 0:24:54after an exhausting, but successful, day.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14At the control room in Delhi station,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18the Samjhauta is given a clear run through the railway network -
0:25:18 > 0:25:22a priority status - to ensure it's not held up or delayed.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27At the station, anxious relatives and friends
0:25:27 > 0:25:30have kept an all-night vigil on the Samjhauta platform.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35For one family, it'll be a meeting after decades apart.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12After Partition, half the family remained in Pakistan.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Her daughter was married off to a Pakistani man
0:26:15 > 0:26:17and she hasn't seen her since.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19INDISTINCT PA ANNOUNCEMENTS
0:26:22 > 0:26:25'..It's alighting on platform number five.'
0:26:27 > 0:26:32Mother, brother and daughter are finally meeting for the first time
0:26:32 > 0:26:34on a platform on Delhi station.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43THEY WEEP
0:26:49 > 0:26:52THEY SOB
0:26:52 > 0:26:54There's no-one to meet Bilal and his dad,
0:26:54 > 0:26:59but they're making their own way to a family friend's house.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Nawi Ahmed lives in a large community of Muslims
0:27:02 > 0:27:04in Old Delhi and he's offered to put them up.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35Family and community and a history dating back thousands of years
0:27:35 > 0:27:37bonds the peoples of the Punjab together.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Abiz is a part of the first generation to be born in Pakistan
0:27:43 > 0:27:47after his mother and father moved there from India during Partition.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22In Jarkhar district in central Punjab,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24the Mini Olympic Games are under way.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27In the dressing room, the Hockey Queen
0:28:27 > 0:28:29is issuing last-minute instructions.
0:29:05 > 0:29:06For the Pakistan girls,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09it's an opportunity to play a friendly international
0:29:09 > 0:29:11and to learn about the opposition.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17So, with everything to play for, they bully off.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19WHISTLE BLOWS
0:29:26 > 0:29:30RAHAT SHOUTS INSTRUCTIONS
0:29:43 > 0:29:46RAHAT SHOUTS
0:29:46 > 0:29:48APPLAUSE
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Well played, well played!
0:29:55 > 0:29:571-0, India win.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59India win.
0:29:59 > 0:30:011-0. SHE LAUGHS
0:30:15 > 0:30:18And for Rahat's girls, perhaps the experience
0:30:18 > 0:30:21of another country could prove more valuable still.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Guided by Nawi Ahmed, their generous host,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Bilal and his father venture out into Delhi
0:30:40 > 0:30:43to make their appointment with their eye doctor.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04At the Neera Eye Centre,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07the private clinic they found on the internet,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10they're meeting Dr Agarwal to discuss the operation
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and to pay the £400 fee.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Bilal's eye still pains him
0:31:16 > 0:31:19and the memory of that day is still vivid.
0:31:51 > 0:31:56There are a few last checks to do on Bilal before approval.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00But Dr Agarwal gives the go-ahead. She'll operate today.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04We are hoping to restore the sight in that eye.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Cornea transplant would mean that I free the eyelid
0:32:10 > 0:32:14and I take a small piece, about two millimetres, from the other eye,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17and put in this eye, so that cells from the left eye
0:32:17 > 0:32:19will grow into the right eye.
0:32:19 > 0:32:24And then we can expect some kind of reasonable vision in this eye.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47HE WEEPS
0:34:19 > 0:34:23An Indian Hindu doctor operated on a Pakistani Muslim -
0:34:23 > 0:34:27thanks to the world wide web - and the Samjhauta Express.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Punjab literally means "five rivers"
0:34:46 > 0:34:48and it's always been one of the most fertile
0:34:48 > 0:34:51and contested areas in the Indian subcontinent.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00The Sikh empire of the Punjab was fiercely independent
0:35:00 > 0:35:02and had fought many wars defending its territory.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08After two major wars with the British,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12the Punjab was the last Indian territory to be merged
0:35:12 > 0:35:13into the British Empire.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Loyal, courageous and highly skilled warriors
0:35:19 > 0:35:20meant the British suffered heavily
0:35:20 > 0:35:23in defence of the Empire against the Sikhs,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26but during their hundred-year occupation,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29they recruited Sikhs into the railways,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31the police, the army and judiciary,
0:35:31 > 0:35:35and they fought alongside the Allies in two world wars.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43The religion of Sikhism was established here in the Punjab
0:35:43 > 0:35:48and the great saint and religious leader Guru Nanak founded the faith
0:35:48 > 0:35:51in the 15th century as a move away
0:35:51 > 0:35:54from the Hindu caste system and Islam.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59But since Partition, and the division of the state of Punjab,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Guru Nanak's home town is now in Pakistan.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Today, 60% of the Indian Punjab remains Sikh,
0:36:08 > 0:36:11and once a year on the birthday of the Guru,
0:36:11 > 0:36:143,000 Indian Sikhs make a pilgrimage over the border
0:36:14 > 0:36:17to his birthplace in Pakistan.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Travelling the same route as the Samjhauta,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41the railway runs a special train, the Sikh Pilgrim Express,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44so Sikhs from India can visit their temples,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47and some of their former homes, across the border.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Getting a ticket depends on a successful visa application
0:36:54 > 0:36:57and the whole process has taken weeks.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05There's no guarantee that you'll get a visa -
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and it's a complicated process.
0:37:07 > 0:37:12So, for all these pilgrims, there's a frustrating wait for an answer.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27A list is duly posted.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30For the rejected, there's no redress.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Only disappointment.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38But for the successful, it's a blessing and a time of celebration.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Others have mixed feelings about a journey into Pakistan.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23The Pilgrim Express begins the three-kilometre journey
0:38:23 > 0:38:25to Wagah station in Pakistan
0:38:27 > 0:38:31The Pakistan side of the Punjab is still called "The Punjab".
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Before Partition, half of its population were Sikh.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Today, it's more than 97% Muslim.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55The Pilgrim Express crossed into Pakistan
0:38:55 > 0:38:57carrying its jubilant Sikh devotees.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03There is a heightened security on the occasion of this special train.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05But the pilgrims are undeterred.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08They are keen to spread their message of peace and goodwill -
0:39:08 > 0:39:09even at the border.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25After Customs and Immigration,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27scores of buses are waiting for them.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33They travel in convoy escorted by police and security forces
0:39:33 > 0:39:35to Sikh temples right across the state.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40The most popular destination is Nankana Sahib -
0:39:40 > 0:39:43the birthplace of Guru Nanak.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48Surrounding the village of his birth there are many Sikh gurdwaras -
0:39:48 > 0:39:49each on the pilgrimage trail.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55For Indian Sikhs, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:39:55 > 0:39:59to visit Pakistan and to show their devotion to their Guru.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24HE CHANTS
0:40:27 > 0:40:31The British had fought and conquered the Punjab.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33But they ruled it for less than 100 years.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37After the Punjab was divided by Partition,
0:40:37 > 0:40:41the ensuing wars between India and Pakistan destroyed bridges
0:40:41 > 0:40:44and terminated railway lines at the border.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49The Sikhs fled into India and were separated
0:40:49 > 0:40:51from their holy temples in Pakistan.
0:40:53 > 0:40:54The Pilgrim Special trains
0:40:54 > 0:40:58are one of the few limited concessions to the Sikhs,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01and they've been running on and off for more than 60 years.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15SHOUTING AND DRUMMING
0:41:18 > 0:41:20On the Guru's birthday,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23the majority of Sikhs travel to Amritsar in India.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27It's just one stop before the border on the Samjhauta route
0:41:27 > 0:41:30and it's the heartland of the Sikh religion.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35There are now more than 30 million Sikhs worldwide,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37and they're growing.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39ALL SING
0:41:43 > 0:41:46So, for staff at Amritsar station,
0:41:46 > 0:41:48it's one of the busiest days of the year.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54They're all heading for the most famous Sikh gurdwara of all -
0:41:54 > 0:41:55the Golden Temple.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02So, visitors at Amritsar station
0:42:02 > 0:42:07who are looking for information will probably consult Rupali Sharma
0:42:07 > 0:42:09who's the head of both the Amritsar
0:42:09 > 0:42:11and Attari Northern Railways Enquiries Office.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21'My father and my uncle was in railways.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24'And in 2008, I joined the railway.'
0:42:24 > 0:42:28We are getting the fixed salary and job security is there.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31And lots of satisfaction is also there.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Rupali has a masters degree in chemistry and was a teacher,
0:42:35 > 0:42:39but she decided that the railways offered a much better future.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41You could say that I was an introvert person.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44This was a drastic change after joining the railways.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Now, I'm an extrovert person.
0:42:49 > 0:42:54'Because I have to deal with the public, and lots of experiences,'
0:42:54 > 0:42:58I'm getting something new each and every day after joining the railway.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01And then, one day, she met her husband, Dinesh,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04a ticket inspector, and everything changed.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09'He's smart.'
0:43:09 > 0:43:11I just get attracted towards him.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20He was interested in marrying me -
0:43:20 > 0:43:23and then, he told that to his family,
0:43:23 > 0:43:25we are just of a mind -
0:43:25 > 0:43:28and this is the result, we are happily married now,
0:43:28 > 0:43:31and the result is just before you.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33SHE GIGGLES
0:43:33 > 0:43:38You can see, he's the best guy I ever met in my life!
0:43:38 > 0:43:40And I'm proud of him.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45I'd like to get some information
0:43:45 > 0:43:48on train times and the golden palace?
0:43:48 > 0:43:52You can go to Golden Temple, we call it a temple -
0:43:52 > 0:43:54it's a temple for us.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58The Golden Temple is just about two kilometres away from the station.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01There's a free bus service every half an hour.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03- OK, thanks.- You're welcome.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16Sikhism was founded here in Amritsar,
0:44:16 > 0:44:19and the Golden Temple has been here since 1601.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30It is the holy of holies for Sikhs the world over
0:44:30 > 0:44:33and they've flocked here in their thousands
0:44:33 > 0:44:35to celebrate Guru Nanak's birthday
0:44:35 > 0:44:38and to show their devotion to God
0:44:38 > 0:44:42who they believe is timeless, formless and omnipresent.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47Over the years, the temple has suffered many attacks,
0:44:47 > 0:44:51the last in 1984, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's troops
0:44:51 > 0:44:54stormed the temple to quell a Sikh rebellion.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Three months later, she was assassinated.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07Despite attacks on the temple, and on the Sikh religion,
0:45:07 > 0:45:10the temple was always rebuilt, each time stronger
0:45:10 > 0:45:13and more beautiful than before,
0:45:13 > 0:45:17adorned with 100 kilos of gold.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22On the Guru's birthday,
0:45:22 > 0:45:26the celebrations can be heard across the world.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29FIREWORKS EXPLODE
0:45:48 > 0:45:52After the hockey game, and due to a confusion in the hotel booking,
0:45:52 > 0:45:57Rahat and her Pakistani girls under-19 team had nowhere to stay.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04The nearby Sikh temple came to the rescue
0:46:04 > 0:46:07and offered them free board and lodging for the night.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18So, there was just time for the Pakistani Punjabis
0:46:18 > 0:46:22to say their fond farewells to their Indian Punjabi hosts
0:46:22 > 0:46:25before they start the journey home to Pakistan.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56It's been a wonderful experience for everyone,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59but there's just one last surprise.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16A winner!
0:47:24 > 0:47:27Bilal went for his check-up and the bandages were removed.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Now, his eye is improving day by day.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34To celebrate, they use their last day in Delhi
0:47:34 > 0:47:36to do a little sightseeing.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45For Bilal and his father,
0:48:45 > 0:48:48the time has come for their return to Pakistan on the train.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55It's the beginning of another long journey,
0:48:55 > 0:48:57and with all the security and immigration checks,
0:48:57 > 0:49:01it will probably take almost 24 hours for them to get back home.
0:49:07 > 0:49:1114001, Delhi-Attari Special is standing on platform number one.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17And they still have to buy their ticket from Delhi to the border.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23The Samjhauta has been in quarantine at Old Delhi station
0:49:23 > 0:49:25and it doesn't leave till late at night
0:49:25 > 0:49:28and takes at least eight hours to reach the border.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36That means that no person can get down or board this train in between.
0:50:00 > 0:50:05I mean, it's a train connecting two countries,
0:50:05 > 0:50:09and which, not so long ago, we were part of the same nation.
0:50:38 > 0:50:39The Samjhauta leaves Delhi
0:50:39 > 0:50:42and sets off into another foggy Punjabi night.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49Abiz has promised the doctor that Bilal will follow
0:50:49 > 0:50:54his strict regime of medication if his eye is to recover fully.
0:51:14 > 0:51:18At Attari, the temperature is down to zero
0:51:18 > 0:51:20so the Samjhauta Express is delayed.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22RUPALI MAKES PA ANNOUNCEMENTS
0:51:27 > 0:51:29Tonight at Attari, Rupali Sharma
0:51:29 > 0:51:34is on duty at the enquiry office to sort out any problems.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37I deal with the people
0:51:37 > 0:51:40which has come from across the border from Pakistan.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42It's a very emotional place to work
0:51:42 > 0:51:45because some of the passengers came to meet
0:51:45 > 0:51:48their relatives here in India
0:51:48 > 0:51:52and when they have to go back, sometimes they become emotional.
0:51:54 > 0:51:59Because nobody wants to depart from their loved ones.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04I am a lady and a soft-hearted lady,
0:52:04 > 0:52:08and definitely, it will have an effect on my mind.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15Common man doesn't need Partition.
0:52:15 > 0:52:20Common man need food, they need clothes, and they need shelter,
0:52:20 > 0:52:23and nothing else. They don't need the boundaries.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27At the end of another day,
0:52:27 > 0:52:30Rupali and her husband Dinesh make their way home.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35But even with two regular pensionable railway incomes,
0:52:35 > 0:52:36a house, a car
0:52:36 > 0:52:39and a caring community,
0:52:39 > 0:52:43there's just one thing missing from their five-year perfect marriage.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47After my marriage, after one month, I conceived.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52But I faced the miscarriage.
0:52:52 > 0:52:59Then I conceived after two years,
0:52:59 > 0:53:01then again, I faced the miscarriage.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05We have now contacted
0:53:05 > 0:53:07with a gynaecologist
0:53:07 > 0:53:10and some infertility specialist
0:53:10 > 0:53:13and we are just taking the treatment for the last one month.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17Now we are waiting for the next one.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19We have belief in God,
0:53:19 > 0:53:22that he will give us children also.
0:53:22 > 0:53:23We have faith in him.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26SHE CHUCKLES
0:53:38 > 0:53:42The Samjhauta leaves India and Attari
0:53:42 > 0:53:44en route to Lahore and Pakistan.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11THEY CHATTER AND LAUGH
0:54:17 > 0:54:18Hello?
0:54:25 > 0:54:28CAR HORNS HONK
0:54:35 > 0:54:40In 1947, a line was drawn on a map by a British judge
0:54:40 > 0:54:42and it divided a people.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47Mahatma Gandhi had warned India and Britain
0:54:47 > 0:54:50about the consequences of Partition, but they ignored him.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55Six months after independence, he was assassinated.
0:55:02 > 0:55:03Why should there be a border
0:55:03 > 0:55:06between India and Pakistan and Bangladesh?
0:55:07 > 0:55:09We are the same people.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14# Happy birthday to you
0:55:14 > 0:55:18# Happy birthday to you
0:55:18 > 0:55:21# Happy birthday... #
0:55:21 > 0:55:24QUIET HUBBUB
0:55:56 > 0:55:58Rahat may be the last of three generations
0:55:58 > 0:56:01of a sporting railway family,
0:56:01 > 0:56:05even her father was a goalie for the railway football team.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57THEY CHATTER AND LAUGH
0:56:59 > 0:57:03Rupali and Dinesh are still hoping for a child,
0:57:03 > 0:57:06and maybe, one day, their dreams will come true.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10I haven't any particular choice,
0:57:10 > 0:57:13whether a daughter or a son,
0:57:13 > 0:57:15he or she will be welcome.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18And if I get twins, then both are welcome!
0:57:24 > 0:57:28This 550km border was a compromise agreement
0:57:28 > 0:57:30in exchange for independence.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33But the costs are still being felt.
0:57:40 > 0:57:45Probably with younger generations, it will be, you know,
0:57:45 > 0:57:47able to put it behind us,
0:57:47 > 0:57:50but that has not really happened so far.
0:57:54 > 0:57:56- CHANTING - Pakistan!
0:57:56 > 0:57:59If the railways truly provide a gateway
0:57:59 > 0:58:04to a better understanding between the peoples of Pakistan and India,
0:58:04 > 0:58:07then plans to double the number of cross-border trains
0:58:07 > 0:58:09herald a more optimistic future
0:58:09 > 0:58:12for the Indian subcontinent.
0:58:12 > 0:58:13For while the border divides...
0:58:14 > 0:58:16..the train unites.