This is the Golden Temple. People come here from all over the world to bathe in its waters, to look at the holy book that is inside of this middle golden temple and to just experience the holiness of this place. This place is the epicenter of Sikhism. It sits right here in Northern India in a city called Amritsar. Close by, there's another important Sikh site called Kartarpur. It was established by the founder of Sikhism 500 years ago. It's the place where he spent the last years of his life and it is the second holiest place in Sikhism. For centuries, Sikhs have been able to make pilgrimage between these two sites, to move freely throughout their heartland. But in 1947, a British lawyer drew a border here, turning what had been British India into two new countries, India and Pakistan. I can only call it the most sort of bizarre lines which were ever drawn across a map. It went right here with the Golden Temple on one side and Kartarpur on the other. Thanks to this border, Sikhs in India are now cut off from their holy site. So many come here to a platform that the border patrol set up. The platform looks across the border where with the help of telescopes, Sikhs can look at their holy place. Just three or four kilometers away. In addition to cutting off communities from their sacred sites, this border separated families, cut across rivers, forests, farms, railroad tracks. Today, this border is heavily fortified with nearly all 3,000 plus kilometers fenced. It's lit so well that you can see it from space. And barely anything or anyone crosses over it. When we talk about the drawing of the line, what was the most painful was the division of families which took place. And that is a very big reality. This is the story of a violent separation, one of the most traumatic events of the 20th century. It's the story of how a hastily drawn line on a map separated one people into two. This is a horror story. What we saw was a town soaked with the stench of death. In the train of murder and arson come the refugees. Their suffering is the new tragedy of India. Many will never reach their new land. These are the things that are setting the hearts burning on either side of the line. The sun is setting and I'm walking along one of the oldest roads in Asia, one that used to connect this region. But today, a border runs through it. And instead of connection and trade, what you see here is this. There's barbed wire, there's fences, there are officers everywhere. And yet there's also ice cream and popcorn and paraphernalia. This feels like a sporting event. You can buy keychains of machine guns. Thousands of spectators file in, filling this stadium that looks down on the border. On the other side, Pakistanis are doing the same. Then both sides start their different show. two hours of chanting and dancing. Then the finale, a face-off between the two sides. They strut back and forth in this coordinated choreography. And it all ends with the lowering of each flag and the closing of this gate. This bizarre border show plays out every evening. But this ceremony, this fence, this intense nationalism, if you rewind just a little in time, none of this existed. The British controlled parts of India for nearly 200 years, but by 1947, a strong movement of independence was swelling across the subcontinent. While back in Britain, the country was in massive debt after fighting World War II and didn't have the resources to hold on to their colony. So they started making plans to leave India. British officials thought that a proper transfer of power would probably take around five years. But when the British leader in charge arrived in early 1947, he hastily decided to shrink their exit timeline. And so what needed five years would now need to be done in just four months. British India was to be split into two independent nations, a mostly Muslim Pakistan and a Hindu majority but officially secular India. To do the actual drawing of the border, the British brought in a lawyer from London. He arrived the month before the British were supposed to leave India. He had never been to British India before and didn't know much about the region. He had no idea about India, no idea about Indian geography, no idea about Indian politics. And yet he was the one drawing the lines on the map that would affect millions of lives. During his visit, this British lawyer looked at maps and census data, focusing on the maps that showed religious identity of people in India. India has a wide variety of religions, and based on these census maps, you can see that people of all religions lived amongst each other all over the region. So to draw the line, the British lawyer looked at individual districts, putting any district that had a Muslim majority population into the new country of Pakistan, while Hindu and Sikh majority districts would be kept within India. Based on this method, the lawyer began to see what a border might look like. He only had five weeks to do this. He later wrote that it would have taken years to settle on a proper boundary. And that's because this method of drawing the line conceals that within these districts, there were sizable communities of all religions that had been living side by side for centuries all throughout India. August 15th, 1947, Independence Day for India and Pakistan. But Gandhi is not present. Why the celebration? The British lawyer left that day. He would never return to India again. Two days after independence, the borders were made public, prompting more than 14 million people to leave their homes, their lives for what was now their side of the border. We were told that you have to cross the border, India. We took nothing, not even a cup or a bowl, everything was left as it was. Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan moved into India, and many Muslims in India moved into the new Pakistan. These were people who were indeed forced to lose their entire homes and memories, their childhood, and the things they saw. It was one of the largest forced migrations of people ever. And it was chaos, a chaos that led to widespread unspeakable violence, cities on fire, sexual violence against women, trains full of dead bodies. The survivors I talked to were just children when all of this happened. We thought we would be killed, so we had to go. There were rows and rows of blood-ridden bodies. The division of the subcontinent became known as the partition of India, a phrase synonymous with trauma, fueled by the reckless mismanagement of an imperial power. I'm in a small village right near the border on the Indian side that used to be a Muslim community before partition. And in the middle of town is this shrine where residents would conduct ornate Muslim burial practices on these graves. If you look at the original maps that the British drew up when they were trying to draw this line, this town was actually in Pakistan in most of the maps. But in the end, the British lawyer decided to draw the line here. The people here discovered that they were now a part of the new country of India. And so many of them fled just across the border to the new state of Pakistan and they left this place empty. But just as Muslims were leaving this village for the new Pakistan, Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan were coming across into India and some ended up here. Our parents' land ownership was transferred from Pakistan to this village after partition. The Hindus and Sikhs that now live in this community have taken it upon themselves to continue the Muslim traditions that this community was based off of. They continue to maintain these graves and these symbols even though they don't necessarily pertain to their own religion. We take care of it very well. We have a committee dedicated to it, and the people here are very devoted to it. No stone is left unturned in terms of its care. This is a sign of respect, of common identity in spite of the border. But this is just one side of the story. The subcontinent echoes and shudders to the sounds of a full-scale undeclared war. Within just a few months of drawing this border, India and Pakistan were fighting in an all-out war, one that centered on this region in the north, which both sides claim as their own. The new countries would fight several more wars over the years. A border fence would eventually fortify the majority of this boundary, and both countries would acquire nuclear weapons, turning up the tensions and deepening the division. But if you take away the geopolitical bluster, the nukes, the barrier, the trauma of partition, you can still see how much these two countries have in common. I'm at a school in Delhi. Students are Skyping with a school in Pakistan. Before partition, we Pakistanis and Indians used to live together in the same place. Do you have jalebi fafda there? Yes. Who are your favorite cricket players? Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The students are asking if that is paneer? Yes, this is paneer. This shared identity that these kids are feeling is not uncommon in India or Pakistan. Same language, same taste, same food. Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs used to live together, attend each other's social functions, marriages, everything. Why this divide now? If you stand in the walled city in Amritsar and you stand in the walled city in Lahore, believe me, the smells, which is a kind of giveaway, are the same. How was the experience? We've been wanting to go our whole lives. And just now we got the chance. This was our dream come true. We received so much love while there. Over there, we got to see our culture and our historical Sikh roots. So with all these cultural similarities, all these happy faces, shared interests, how do you explain this? You see, it is the politician who poisons people's minds. India exports software. And your (Pakistan's) leaders export terrorists. The divide is created, nurtured, fostered because it suits a certain politics. Over the years, politicians on both sides have exploited tensions with the other side to stoke feelings of nationalism. We will persist in totally isolating Pakistan from the world. The reason for hatred between our two nations is the leaders. Both Pakistani leaders and Indian leaders. They don't want peace. Back here at this viewing platform, there's construction vehicles everywhere. For years, the Sikhs have lobbied for easier access to their holy site. And after years, the two governments finally agreed to build a little notch into this border, a corridor that will allow Sikhs to freely access their site without a visa. These four kilometers will restore a small part of what was once the Sikh heartland. But for millions of Indians and Pakistanis who continue to live with the repercussions of the traumatic events of 1947, this fortified and volatile border remains unchanged. If anything, it's getting thicker. 70 years later, the shadow of partition continues to divide families, halt trade, cut connection, stop cooperation, instill fear, promote hatred, and the people who live in its shadow on both sides, old and young, continue to live with this division that's superimposed upon their history of deep connection. This episode of Borders focused on one story of partition, the story of the division of Punjab. We can only cover so much with Borders and we have to choose a very narrow story and focus in on that. If you're interested in learning about other conflicts and borders that have to do with religion, you should check out a documentary series called Holy War. It's on a website called Curiosity Stream, which is a repository of documentaries and non-fiction films. For $2.99 a month, you can get unlimited access. But because you're a Borders fan, you can get the first 31 days for free if you go to curiositystream.com/borders and enter the promo code borders. Curiosity Stream is the exclusive sponsor of this episode of Borders. And while they don't influence our editorial process or what the video is about, they do support us. And so, I'm very grateful for that. Thank you, Curiosity Stream. You should definitely check them out.
A fast-paced montage of aerial and street-level shots of a densely populated city in India.
Setting: Amritsar, India — evening, with streetlights on
Text: "Vox"
A man with a beard and an orange head covering walks toward the camera, speaking.
"This is the Golden Temple."
Setting: The Golden Temple, India — bright, natural sunlight, late afternoon
People (1):
• walking, wearing white collared shirt and beige pants, brown, with a full beard hair — serious, speaking
A montage shows people bathing and praying in the sacred waters surrounding the Golden Temple.
"People come here from all over the world to bathe in its waters,"
Setting: The Golden Temple, India — golden hour, warm sunset light
People (1):
• sitting, standing in water, wearing traditional Indian attire, varied hair — serene, praying
Text: "The Golden Temple, India"
Crowds of people, many wearing headscarves and turbans, are shown in dense lines and walking through an archway, with the Golden Temple visible in the background.
"to look at the holy book that is inside of this middle golden temple"
Setting: The Golden Temple, India — bright, daytime
People (1):
• walking, standing in a crowd, wearing various colorful traditional clothing, mostly covered hair — varied expressions, some looking towards the temple
A montage of worshippers praying, an elderly man with a cane walking, and another man helping an elderly person into the sacred water.
"and to just experience the holiness of this place."
Setting: The Golden Temple, India — bright, harsh daylight
People (1):
• walking slowly, wearing long tunic and loose pants, white, covered hair — weathered, focused
An overhead drone shot zooms out from the Golden Temple, revealing its symmetrical layout and the surrounding city.
"This place is the epicenter of Sikhism."
Setting: The Golden Temple, India — dusk, with artificial lights on
People (1):
• walking
An animated map of the world zooms into Northern India, highlighting the location of Amritsar with a pin.
"It sits right here in Northern India in a city called Amritsar."
Setting: Map of India — digital, even
Text: "Amritsar", "INDIA"
The animated map shows a red line extending from Amritsar to a second location, Kartarpur.
"Close by, there's another important Sikh site called Kartarpur."
Setting: Map of Punjab region — digital, even
Text: "Amritsar", "Kartarpur"
A painted portrait of Guru Nanak is shown.
"It was established by the founder of Sikhism 500 years ago."
Setting: portrait — soft, studio-like
People (1):
• seated, wearing yellow and purple robes, white hair — serene, with a long white beard
Text: "Guru Nanak"
A series of old, film-like shots of the white Kartarpur temple and crowds of worshippers.
"It's the place where he spent the last years of his life and it is the second holiest place in Sikhism."
Setting: Kartarpur, Pakistan (archival) — overcast, natural light
People (1):
• standing, sitting in a large crowd, wearing colorful traditional attire, varied hair — various
An animated map shows multiple purple lines swirling back and forth between the icons for Amritsar and Kartarpur, indicating free movement.
"For centuries, Sikhs have been able to make pilgrimage between these two sites, to move freely throughout their heartland."
Setting: Map of Punjab — digital
Text: "Amritsar", "Kartarpur"
On the animated map, a red, glowing border line is drawn between Amritsar and Kartarpur, separating them.
"But in 1947, a British lawyer drew a border here,"
Setting: Map of Punjab — digital
Text: "Amritsar", "Kartarpur"
An animated map shows the Indian subcontinent, with the newly formed countries of Pakistan (green) and India (red) being colored in.
"turning what had been British India into two new countries, India and Pakistan."
Setting: Map of Indian subcontinent — digital
Text: "PAKISTAN", "INDIA"
A woman with dark hair, wearing a red sari, speaks directly to the camera in an interview setting.
"I can only call it the most sort of bizarre lines which were ever drawn across a map."
Setting: office/interview room — soft, indoor lighting
People (1):
• sitting, wearing red sari, black, pulled back hair — serious, expressive
Text: "SUCHETA MAHAJAN", "Historian and Professor, JNU"
The animated map zooms in on the border line again, emphasizing its position between the two holy sites.
"It went right here with the Golden Temple on one side and Kartarpur on the other."
Setting: Map of Punjab — digital
Text: "Amritsar", "Kartarpur"
The map remains on screen, showing the separation.
"Thanks to this border, Sikhs in India are now cut off from their holy site."
Setting: Map of Punjab — digital
A group of Sikh men, women, and children stand on a covered viewing platform, looking out towards the border.
"So many come here to a platform that the border patrol set up."
Setting: Dera Baba Nanak, India — bright, sunny day
People (1):
• standing, wearing various shirts and traditional attire, varied, mostly covered hair — looking out into the distance
Text: "BSF INDIA'S FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE"
A Sikh man in a white shirt and cream-colored turban looks through a pair of fixed binoculars on the viewing platform.
Setting: Dera Baba Nanak, India — bright daylight
People (1):
• leaning forward, wearing white collared shirt, black beard hair — concentrating, looking into binoculars
A point-of-view shot through binoculars shows a dusty, hazy view of a distant white building.
"The platform looks across the border where with the help of telescopes, Sikhs can look at their holy place."
Setting: View of Kartarpur from India — bright, washed-out
A view through a telescope shows a hazy image of the Kartarpur temple. A red circle and arrow are animated on screen to highlight the distant building.
"Just three or four kilometers away."
Setting: View of Kartarpur from India — bright, washed-out
The host, Johnny Harris, stands amidst a crowd on the viewing platform, looking at the camera with a concerned expression.
Setting: Dera Baba Nanak, India — bright daylight
People (1):
• standing, wearing black t-shirt, brown, with a beard hair — serious, concerned
An animated map shows the glowing red border line snaking across various geographical features like rivers and fields.
"In addition to cutting off communities from their sacred sites, this border separated families, cut across rivers, forests, farms, railroad tracks."
Setting: Map of Punjab — digital
A montage of shots showing the heavily fortified India-Pakistan border: camels patrolling a fence in the desert, armed soldiers standing guard, and a fence in a snowy landscape.
"Today this border is heavily fortified with nearly all 3,000 plus kilometers fenced."
Setting: India-Pakistan Border — bright daylight
People (1):
• standing guard, wearing camouflage shirt and camouflage pants, short, black hair — stoic, watchful
An animation shows a view from space at night, with a bright orange line snaking across the dark landscape, representing the illuminated border.
"It's lit so well that you can see it from space."
Setting: Earth from space — night
A shot of the Wagah border gate ceremony with soldiers from both India and Pakistan standing at the closed gates, with large crowds visible in the background.
"And barely anything or anyone crosses over it."
Setting: Wagah Border — daylight
People (1):
• standing at attention, wearing military uniforms and uniform pants — serious
A woman with short black hair, wearing a peach-colored scarf, speaks in an interview setting.
"When we talk about the drawing of the line, what was the most painful was the division of families which took place."
Setting: office/interview room — soft, indoor lighting
People (1):
• sitting, wearing light-colored top, short, black hair — expressive, speaking with emotion
Text: "KISHWAR DESAI", "Founder, Partition Museum"
A montage of black and white archival footage shows the faces of people affected by the partition: a crying woman, a smiling man with missing teeth, and a train overflowing with refugees.
"And that is a very big reality."
Setting: India/Pakistan, 1947 — natural, archival quality
People (1):
• crowded together, fleeing, wearing simple, light-colored clothes, varied hair — expressions of grief, desperation, and exhaustion
Archival footage shows political leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Lord Mountbatten, signing documents. A hand draws a red line on an old map.
"It's the story of how a hastily drawn line on a map separated one people into two."
Setting: historical setting — archival quality
People (1):
• seated at a table, wearing suits, traditional Indian attire, varied hair — serious
A graphic and fast-paced montage of archival footage shows scenes of violence and death from the partition riots, including bodies and ruined buildings.
"This is a horror story. What we saw was a town soaked with the stench of death."
Setting: India/Pakistan, 1947 — archival quality
People (1):
• lying on the ground, sitting amidst rubble — distressed
More archival footage shows massive columns of refugees walking on roads, riding on carts, and crammed onto trains.
"In the train of murder and arson come the refugees. Their suffering is the new tragedy of India. Many will never reach their new land."
Setting: India/Pakistan, 1947 — natural, archival
People (1):
• walking, riding, wearing simple clothes — exhausted, fearful
A low-angle shot from behind a soldier in desert camouflage walking down a paved road towards a large, ornate gate. Other soldiers are walking ahead.
"The sun is setting and I'm walking along one of the oldest roads in Asia, one that used to connect this region."
Setting: Wagah Border, India — late afternoon sun
People (1):
• walking, wearing desert camouflage shirt and desert camouflage pants — not visible
Text: "INDIA"
An animated map shows a historic road (Grand Trunk Road) as a black line, then the red border line cuts across it, and the colors for Pakistan and India fill in.
"But today, a border runs through it. And instead of connection and trade, what you see here is this."
Setting: Map of India/Pakistan — digital
A chaotic, energetic scene at the Wagah Border ceremony. A large crowd cheers from stadium seating as soldiers stand guard at the gate.
Setting: Wagah Border — late afternoon
People (1):
• sitting in stands — cheering, excited
Text: "Wagah Border"
A quick montage of the border infrastructure: a barbed wire fence, a guard standing at a green gate, and soldiers in camouflage uniforms.
"There's barbed wire, there's fences, there are officers everywhere."
Setting: Wagah Border — bright daylight
People (1):
• standing guard, wearing black uniform with 'RANGER' on vest and uniform pants, black hair — stoic, with a large mustache
Johnny Harris walks through a crowded area with many food and souvenir stalls. Shots of ice cream carts, popcorn vendors, and people with Indian flags painted on their faces.
"And yet there's also ice cream and popcorn and paraphernalia."
Setting: Wagah Border entrance area — bright daylight
People (1):
• walking, standing, wearing casual summer clothes, varied hair — smiling, eating, browsing
Text: "Cream Bell ICE CREAM"
A man's hand paints the Indian flag on another man's cheek with a small brush.
"This feels like a sporting event."
Setting: Wagah Border entrance area — natural daylight
People (1):
• still, short, black hair — in profile, receiving face paint
A close-up shot of a display of novelty keychains shaped like various guns and rifles, packaged in plastic.
"You can buy keychains of machine guns."
Setting: souvenir stall — natural light
A family of three (father, mother, son) takes a selfie. The father holds the phone, the mother holds a small Indian flag, and the son smiles.
Setting: Wagah Border entrance area — bright daylight
People (1):
• taking a selfie, wearing white and gray striped polo shirt, short, black hair — smiling
A wide shot of a long queue of people moving along a paved path, lined with railings, towards the stadium.
"Thousands of spectators file in, filling this stadium that looks down on the border."
Setting: Wagah Border entrance area — bright daylight
People (1):
• walking in a line, wearing colorful casual clothing — not distinct
Johnny Harris sits in the empty stadium seats, looking around as people start to fill in. A vendor carries a large box of shoes on his head.
Setting: Wagah Border stadium — bright daylight
People (1):
• sitting, looking around, wearing blue collared shirt, brown, with beard hair — observant, slightly overwhelmed
A shot of the Pakistani side of the border, showing a large crowd filling the grandstands. The seating is green and white.
"On the other side, Pakistanis are doing the same."
Setting: Wagah Border, Pakistan side — daylight
People (1):
• sitting in stands — not distinct
A large video screen shows a crowd of Indian women dancing. The text 'Victory to Mother India!' is overlaid.
"Then both sides start their different show."
Setting: Wagah Border — daylight
Text: "Victory to Mother India!"
A crowd on the Indian side raises their hands and cheers loudly.
Setting: Wagah Border, India side — golden hour
People (1):
• sitting, cheering — cheering, excited
Text: "Victory to Mother India!"
A montage shows crowds on both sides of the border dancing and chanting, with drummers on the Pakistani side and women dancing on the Indian side.
"two hours of chanting and dancing."
Setting: Wagah Border — late afternoon
People (1):
• dancing, wearing colorful clothing — excited, cheering
Text: "Long live India!"
Soldiers in elaborate uniforms march aggressively towards the border gate. A group of female Indian soldiers also marches in formation.
"Then the finale, a face-off between the two sides."
Setting: Wagah Border — late afternoon sun
People (1):
• marching, wearing khaki uniform shirts and khaki pants, not visible hair — serious, focused
Soldiers from both India (in khaki) and Pakistan (in black) perform high-kicking, synchronized marching maneuvers at the open border gate.
"They strut back and forth in this coordinated choreography."
Setting: Wagah Border — late afternoon
People (1):
• high-kicking march, wearing military uniforms and uniform pants — intense, focused
The soldiers from both countries simultaneously lower their national flags while standing at attention. The gates then begin to close.
"And it all ends with the lowering of each flag and the closing of this gate."
Setting: Wagah Border — sunset
People (1):
• standing at attention — serious
A wide shot of the Indian crowd dancing and celebrating in the arena as the ceremony concludes.
"This bizarre border show plays out every evening."
Setting: Wagah Border, India — late afternoon
People (1):
• dancing in a large group, wearing colorful clothing — smiling, laughing
A shot of the closed border gate with a Pakistani Ranger standing guard. The video then quickly rewinds through the ceremony footage.
"But this ceremony, this fence, this intense nationalism, if you rewind just a little in time, none of this existed."
Setting: Wagah Border — daylight
People (1):
• standing guard — stoic
A montage of archival paintings and black and white footage depicting British colonial rule in India and the Indian independence movement, including marches.
"The British controlled parts of India for nearly 200 years, but by 1947, a strong movement of independence was swelling across the subcontinent."
Setting: Colonial India — archival
People (1):
• marching, standing, wearing colonial uniforms, traditional Indian clothes — varied
A montage of archival footage showing Big Ben in London, Winston Churchill, and British naval ships, signifying the state of post-war Britain.
"While back in Britain, the country was in massive debt after fighting World War II and didn't have the resources to hold on to their colony."
Setting: Great Britain, post-WWII — archival
People (1):
• standing, wearing dark coat, balding hair — determined
Archival footage of Mahatma Gandhi walking with followers.
"So they started making plans to leave India."
Setting: India — natural, archival
People (1):
• walking, wearing bare-chested with a shawl and dhoti, shaved head hair — calm, smiling
Archival color footage of a British military parade in India. A timeline animation appears, showing a scale from 0 to 5 years.
"British officials thought that a proper transfer of power would probably take around five years."
Setting: India — daylight, archival color
People (1):
• marching in formation, wearing red and khaki uniforms and uniform pants — serious
Text: "5 years"
A photo of Lord Mountbatten and his wife appears. The animated timeline rapidly shrinks from 5 years down to 4 months.
"But when the British leader in charge arrived in early 1947, he hastily decided to shrink their exit timeline."
People (1):
• standing, wearing formal attire, short, dark, combed hair — handsome, looking to the side
Text: "LORD MOUNTBATTEN", "4 months"
An old, colorized map showing the religious demographics of British India, with different colors for Hindus, Muslims, etc.
"British India was to be split into two independent nations, a mostly Muslim Pakistan and a Hindu majority but officially secular India."
Setting: archival map — even
Text: "RELIGIONS"
A black and white photo of Sir Cyril Radcliffe is superimposed over the religious map. He is holding papers.
"To do the actual drawing of the border, the British brought in a lawyer from London."
People (1):
• standing, wearing dark suit — looking at camera
Text: "Sir Cyril Radcliffe"
The historian Sucheta Mahajan speaks again, emphasizing her point with hand gestures.
"He had no idea about India, no idea about Indian geography, no idea about Indian politics."
Setting: office/interview room — soft, indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing red sari, black, pulled back hair — emphatic, speaking
Text: "SUCHETA MAHAJAN"
A black and white group photo of Sir Cyril Radcliffe with Indian and Pakistani representatives.
"And yet he was the one drawing the lines on the map that would affect millions of lives."
People (1):
• sitting and standing for a group portrait, wearing suits and traditional attire, varied hair — serious
An animation shows old maps and census data tables being placed on a clipboard.
"During his visit, this British lawyer looked at maps and census data, focusing on the maps that showed religious identity of people in India."
The animated religious map is shown again, with circles highlighting the names of different religions: Hindus, Muhammadans, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains.
"India has a wide variety of religions, and based on these census maps, you can see that people of all religions lived amongst each other all over the region."
Setting: archival map — digital
An animation on a map shows a district being highlighted. A pop-up box shows the religious demographics (Muslim: 69%, Hindu/Sikh: 28%), and the area is colored green for Pakistan.
"So to draw the line, the British lawyer looked at individual districts, putting any district that had a Muslim majority population into the new country of Pakistan,"
Setting: Map of Punjab districts — digital
Text: "Muslim: 69% Hindu/Sikh: 28%"
The animation moves to an adjacent district on the map. A pop-up shows the demographics (Muslim: 47%, Hindu/Sikh: 51%), and the area is colored red for India.
"while Hindu and Sikh majority districts would be kept within India."
Setting: Map of Punjab districts — digital
Text: "Muslim: 47% Hindu/Sikh: 51%"
The animated map shows a white border line being drawn between the green (Pakistan) and red (India) colored districts.
"Based on this method, the lawyer began to see what a border might look like."
Setting: Map of Punjab — digital
A photo of Sir Cyril Radcliffe is shown next to a map of the newly drawn border.
"He only had five weeks to do this. He later wrote that it would have taken years to settle on a proper boundary."
People (1):
• standing, wearing dark suit — serious
The animation zooms into a district on the map (Lahore), revealing a complex mix of religious populations within it, represented by different colored dots.
"And that's because this method of drawing the line conceals that within these districts, there were sizable communities of all religions that had been living side by side for centuries all throughout India."
Setting: Map of Lahore district — digital
Text: "61% Muslim, 17% Hindu, 18% Sikh, 4% Christian"
Archival newsreel footage shows crowds celebrating independence in the streets.
"August 15th, 1947, Independence Day for India and Pakistan. But Gandhi is not present. Why the celebration?"
Setting: India, 1947 — archival
People (1):
• cheering in large crowds — celebrating
Text: "INDIA MOSLEMS & HINDUS HAIL NEW STATES"
A series of black and white photos of Sir Cyril Radcliffe are shown, one in a car, others in formal settings.
"The British lawyer left that day. He would never return to India again."
People (1):
• sitting, standing, wearing suit — stoic
Archival footage shows a young girl looking distressed, carrying belongings, part of a massive migration.
"Two days after independence, the borders were made public, prompting more than 14 million people to leave their homes, their lives for what was now their side of the border."
Setting: India/Pakistan, 1947 — natural, archival
People (1):
• standing, wearing patterned dress, dark hair — worried, looking at the camera
An elderly Sikh man with a black turban and glasses speaks in an interview. He sits next to another, younger Sikh man.
"We were told that you have to cross the border, India."
Setting: interview setting — soft, indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing black shirt, white beard hair — serious, speaking
Text: "AMIR SINGH VIRK", "Partition survivor"
An elderly woman with a white head covering speaks in an interview, sitting outdoors against a yellow wall.
"We took nothing, not even a cup or a bowl, everything was left as it was."
Setting: village in India — natural daylight
People (1):
• sitting, wearing light-colored patterned clothing, gray hair — expressive, speaking with emotion
Text: "SUVARNA DEVI", "Partition survivor"
An animated map shows dots representing populations moving across the new border in both directions.
"Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan moved into India, and many Muslims in India moved into the new Pakistan."
Setting: Map of subcontinent — digital
Kishwar Desai speaks again in her interview, her expression filled with empathy.
"These were people who were indeed forced to lose their entire homes and memories, their childhood, and the things they saw."
Setting: office/interview room — soft, indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing light-colored top, short, black hair — somber, speaking
Johnny Harris walks through the courtyard of a brightly colored shrine, speaking to the camera.
"I'm in a small village right near the border on the Indian side that used to be a Muslim community before partition."
Setting: Massanian, India — bright, sunny day
People (1):
• walking, wearing black t-shirt, brown, with beard hair — speaking, looking at camera
Shots of the Muslim shrine, showing its intricate tilework, green-covered graves, and a brick minaret.
"And in the middle of town is this shrine where residents would conduct ornate Muslim burial practices on these graves."
Setting: Massanian, India — bright daylight
Johnny Harris speaks to the camera, standing against a white brick wall. An animated map appears, showing the location of Massanian right on the border, initially on the Pakistan side.
"If you look at the original maps that the British drew up when they were trying to draw this line, this town was actually in Pakistan in most of the maps."
Setting: Massanian, India — daylight
People (1):
• standing, wearing black t-shirt, brown, with beard hair — serious, explaining
Text: "Massanian"
A Sikh man with a long beard and a light blue turban speaks in an interview setting with a green-lit background.
"Our parents' land ownership was transferred from Pakistan to this village [after partition]."
Setting: Massanian, India — green ambient light
People (1):
• standing, wearing light blue button-up shirt, long black beard hair — speaking
Text: "Our parents' land ownership was transferred from Pakistan to this village [after partition]."
Johnny Harris speaks inside the green-lit shrine, explaining the situation. A Sikh man in traditional attire walks through the courtyard.
"The Hindus and Sikhs that now live in this community have taken it upon themselves to continue the Muslim traditions that this community was based off of."
Setting: Massanian, India — green ambient light
People (1):
• standing, wearing black shirt, brown, with beard hair — speaking to camera
The Sikh man with the light blue turban continues his interview, surrounded by other men from the community.
"We take care of it very well. We have a committee dedicated to it, and the people here are very devoted to it. No stone is left unturned in terms of its care."
Setting: Massanian, India — green ambient light
People (1):
• standing, wearing light blue shirt, long black beard hair — speaking earnestly
Text: "We take care of it very well. We have a committee dedicated to it, and the people here are very devoted to it. No stone is left unturned in terms of its care."
Archival black and white footage shows explosions and soldiers firing artillery in a war setting.
"The subcontinent echoes and shudders to the sounds of a full-scale undeclared war."
Setting: Indo-Pakistani War — archival
People (1):
• in combat, wearing military uniforms — indistinct
A montage shows modern military hardware (tanks, missiles, jets) from both India and Pakistan, contrasted with scenes of everyday life and shared culture.
"But if you take away the geopolitical bluster, the nukes, the barrier, the trauma of partition, you can still see how much these two countries have in common."
Setting: India and Pakistan — bright daylight
Johnny Harris walks through a hallway with mint green walls, speaking to the camera.
"I'm at a school in Delhi."
Setting: School in New Delhi, India — indoor, fluorescent
People (1):
• walking, wearing black collared shirt, brown, with beard hair — smiling, speaking
A teacher holds up a tablet showing a video call with a classroom in Pakistan. The Indian students in the foreground watch with curiosity.
"Students are Skyping with a school in Pakistan."
Setting: New Delhi, India — bright, indoor
People (1):
• sitting at desks, wearing white school uniform shirts and white skirts, black, braided hair — curious, watching
A female teacher in a Pakistani classroom speaks to her students, who are listening attentively.
"Before partition, we Pakistanis and Indians used to live together in the same place."
Setting: Karachi, Pakistan — indoor
People (2):
• standing, wearing white tunic, long, dark hair — animated, teaching
• sitting at desks, wearing school uniforms, varied hair — attentive
Text: "Before partition, we Pakistanis and Indians used to live together in the same place."
Students from both schools wave enthusiastically at each other through the video call.
Setting: New Delhi and Karachi — bright, indoor
People (1):
• crowded together, waving, wearing white school uniforms, black hair — smiling, laughing
Text: "Karachi, Pakistan", "New Delhi, India"
Students in the Indian classroom excitedly show a lunchbox with food to the tablet, asking their Pakistani counterparts if they have the same snack.
"Do you have jalebi fafda there? Yes."
Setting: New Delhi, India — indoor
People (1):
• crowded around the food, wearing white school uniforms, black hair — smiling, excited
Text: "Do you have jalebi fafda [type of snack] there?", "Yes."
A boy in the Indian classroom asks about cricket players. Another boy answers with the names of famous Indian players.
"Who are your favorite cricket players? Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni"
Setting: New Delhi, India — indoor
People (1):
• standing, wearing white school uniform, black hair — speaking into phone
Text: "Who are your favorite cricket players?", "Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni"
The Indian students sing their national anthem, while the Pakistani students listen via the video call.
Setting: New Delhi, India — indoor
People (1):
• standing and singing, wearing white school uniforms, black hair — singing
The partition survivor, Amir Singh Virk, speaks passionately about the shared culture before the division.
"Same language, same taste, same food. Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs used to live together, attend each other's social functions, marriages, everything. Why this divide now?"
Setting: interview setting — soft, indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing black shirt, white beard hair — emotional, speaking
A split screen shows bustling street scenes from Amritsar, India and Lahore, Pakistan. The visuals are very similar, with crowded alleys, auto-rickshaws, and shops.
"If you stand in the walled city in Amritsar and you stand in the walled city in Lahore, believe me, the smells, which is a kind of giveaway, are the same."
Setting: Amritsar and Lahore — daylight
People (1):
• walking, driving
Text: "Amritsar, India", "Lahore, Pakistan"
A montage of split-screen images compares daily life in India and Pakistan: making bread, selling street food, sweets, and traditional shoes. The scenes are nearly identical.
Setting: Amritsar, India and Karachi/Lahore, Pakistan — varied
People (1):
• working
Text: "Amritsar, India", "Karachi, Pakistan"
Two elderly Sikh women, sitting on the ground with luggage, speak emotionally to the camera after returning from their pilgrimage.
"We've been wanting to go our whole lives. And just now we got the chance."
Setting: Attari Border, India — bright daylight
People (1):
• sitting on the ground, wearing traditional salwar kameez, gray hair — smiling through tears, expressive
Text: "SIKH PILGRIMS"
A young Sikh man with a bright green turban speaks enthusiastically to the camera, surrounded by other pilgrims.
"This was our dream come true. We received so much love while there. Over there, we got to see our culture and our historical Sikh roots."
Setting: Attari Border, India — bright daylight
People (1):
• standing, wearing striped shirt, black beard hair — smiling, excited
Text: "SIKH PILGRIMS"
The partition survivor, Amir Singh Virk, speaks directly and somberly to the camera.
"You see, it is the politician who poisons people's minds."
Setting: interview setting — soft, indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing black shirt, white beard hair — serious, direct gaze
News footage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at a rally, gesturing emphatically.
"India exports software. And your (Pakistan's) leaders export terrorists."
Setting: political rally in India — stage lighting
People (1):
• standing at a podium, wearing light-colored traditional attire, white hair and beard hair — speaking passionately
Text: "NARENDRA MODI Prime Minister, India"
The historian Sucheta Mahajan speaks, explaining the political motivations behind the continued division.
"The divide is created, nurtured, fostered because it suits a certain politics."
Setting: interview room — soft, indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing red sari, black, pulled back hair — serious, explaining
A montage of political rallies in both India and Pakistan, showing leaders speaking to large, cheering crowds.
Setting: India and Pakistan — day and night
People (1):
• in a crowd — cheering, chanting
Text: "IMRAN KHAN Prime minister, Pakistan"
More footage of Narendra Modi at a rally, speaking aggressively.
"We will persist in totally isolating Pakistan from the world."
Setting: political rally in India — stage lighting
People (1):
• speaking at a podium, wearing light-colored traditional attire, white hair and beard hair — shouting
Text: "We will persist in totally isolating Pakistan from the world."
An interview with a Sikh man in a yellow turban, sitting at a cluttered desk with a woman beside him.
"The reason for hatred between our two nations is the leaders. Both Pakistani leaders and Indian leaders. They don't want peace."
Setting: interview setting — indoor
People (1):
• sitting, wearing blue and white striped shirt, white beard hair — serious, speaking
Text: "The reason for hatred between our two nations is the leaders. Both Pakistani leaders and Indian leaders. They don't want peace."
A shot of the border fence with fields behind it, followed by a wide aerial shot of the Golden Temple.
"These four kilometers will restore a small part of what was once the Sikh heartland."
Setting: India-Pakistan Border and Amritsar — daylight and dusk
Johnny Harris stands outdoors, speaking to the camera. The video credits are displayed on the left side of the screen.
"This episode of Borders focused on one story of partition, the story of the division of Punjab."
Setting: outdoors, likely in the US — bright, natural daylight
People (1):
• standing, wearing dark blue shirt, brown, styled hair — speaking directly to camera
Text: "Producers JOHNNY HARRIS CHRISTINA THORNELL..."
Johnny Harris continues his outro. A grid of documentary thumbnails from the CuriosityStream service is shown.
"If you're interested in learning about other conflicts and borders that have to do with religion, you should check out a documentary series called Holy War."
People (1):
• standing, wearing dark blue shirt, brown hair — speaking
Text: "Holy War"
Johnny Harris concludes his sponsorship message. A purple banner appears at the bottom of the screen with the website and promo code.
"But because you're a Borders fan, you can get the first 31 days for free if you go to curiositystream.com/borders and enter the promo code borders."
Setting: outdoors — daylight
People (1):
• standing, wearing dark blue shirt, brown, with beard hair — speaking to camera
Text: "Presented by CuriosityStream", "www.curiositystream.com/borders", "Promo Code: Borders"