Speaking Archaeologically™

Shan-e-Hind, the Indian End of Hussainiwala Border I think it is pretty unfair that all we ever associate Indo-Pak borders with, is the flag ceremonies:hoisting and beating the retreat. Hussainiwala is not exception!  And so, after a sad, halfhearted goodbye to the Jain Temples of Zira, we made our way to Hussainiwala, for a doze of British Indian history and its forgotten sites. I was too tired to take anymore pictures though the way to the Border is lined with meadows, forests and even lotus in the small ponds. I heard Dad explain to us the double-ditch defence strategy and that was the only remotely interesting to spark an interest in my tired, aching brain.  We reached Hussainiwala an hour too early for the parade and spent the time taking pictures of Shan-e-Hind gate. I never warmed up to the idea of the flag ceremonies.  They are just the same and seem to say something entirely different from what they actually mean.  So, even on that day...

Top:  The Svetambara Temple at Zira, Bottom Left: The Newly Renovated Svetamabar Temple, Lehra Bottom Right : The Digambara Temple, Zira This one is to be a jumbled up post because I am late with this. My memory shouldn't,  but might, fail.  So, here's what happened on the day we went to Zira to see the Jain Temples .  Now, there were conflicting opinions on the temple and how old it was. Also, there's very limited record of it anywhere so, it was nothing short of surprising that I found out about it at all. Sitting at the dinner table, I wondered out loud that if it was indeed 1200 years old, it would be an ancient temple,  very very significant for SA and me because that would place it between circa 800-1000AD. We drove to Zira with the music playing and the sky a beautiful blue in front of us.   Zira is about 35 kms away from Ferozepur Cantonment and was a disputed territory during the Partition of 1947.  On reaching, I was surpris...