The ancient trade route over the Himalayan passes of Hunderman, which once united communities, is now fortified by nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan. Indian apricot farmer Ghulam Ahmad, 66, was separated from his parents during the chaos of war that shifted control of his village from Pakistan to India. He dreams of visiting his mother's grave, which would be a 50-kilometer trek into Pakistani territory if the border were open. However, the current journey requires a 2,500-kilometer roundtrip, a difficult-to-obtain visa, and expenses beyond his means. "What can we do?" Ahmad laments. "Many here have died without meeting, only in hope of meeting."
India and Pakistan, celebrating their 77th independence day this week, have fought three major wars and numerous border conflicts since their partition in 1947. They share only one tightly restricted border crossing in Punjab, but few utilize it. Ahmad believes that if the border were reopened, many would travel to meet relatives. His village in the Kargil area, near a fortified line of control dividing Kashmir, is shadowed by imposing snow-capped peaks and rival army posts. Kargil was the site of the last major conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad in 1999.
Ali, 49, a tour guide in the summer and donkey handler for Indian military outposts the rest of the year, has never met his uncle's family across the border. He recalls the 1999 conflict, which lasted 10 weeks and claimed at least 1,000 lives, forcing villagers to shelter in mountain caves. Despite a quarter-century of relative peace, the valley remains tense. India's military has significantly improved strategic infrastructure, allowing families to reconnect online after decades of silence.
However, for Mohammad Baqir, 51, reconnecting with relatives in Pakistan remains a distant dream. He sees no hope for a thaw in tensions, given the fortified defenses. Ahmad, the apricot farmer, notes that younger generations are entirely disconnected, uninterested in the past. Villager Ali Mohammad, 55, reflects on the fading memories of a once vibrant community split by conflict.
