To support my quest for the field research of my sequel book for which I travelled deep across the north-west frontier region to explore the abundance of the vestiges of the Sikh legacy, I owe immense gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for embracing my madness!
On the second day on the field, as we stopped for lunch at a roadside restaurant, I politely mentioned to one of the two drivers of the six member security convoy deputed to support me, “Talib, the winter days are short and I need to maximize the daylight for the photography, so is it possible…….”
Even before I could complete, Talib interjected, “Sardar Ji, don’t say a word more. From now on, till the end of the trip, we will not stop for lunch as we understand that time is of essence for your mission!”
I was humbled! Such was the support I received at a human level from even the salaried security team, who frankly had no reason to sacrifice their lunch for me for weeks in continuation!
We may have been divided for seven decades and the politicians across India and Pakistan continue to find reasons why the two sides are ‘devils’ but the ground reality is far from the painted picture.
Photographed in Jan 2017, during the research for the book “THE QUEST CONTINUES: LOST HERITAGE The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan”
