Keifer's POV
The moment we arrived at the Golden Temple, the energy around the group changed.
Even Section E became quieter.
For a few seconds, nobody seemed interested in joking.
The golden dome rose above the surrounding buildings, shining under the morning sun, while the Amrit Sarovar reflected the temple beautifully. The white marble pathways were filled with visitors moving calmly around the complex.
Jay walked beside me, her dupatta resting neatly over her head.
I reached for her hand.
She smiled and squeezed mine.
"Beautiful," she whispered.
"Yeah."
She looked at me.
"You didn't even look."
"I was looking at you."
She gave me an unimpressed look.
"Keifer."
I laughed softly.
"Fine. The temple is beautiful too."
She smiled.
"Better."
Ahead of us, Eces was reminding everyone to stay together while Krish quietly helped coordinate the group.
Keiren was fascinated by everything.
"Ate Eces, look at the water!"
Eces smiled.
"I see it."
"And the golden building!"
"I see that too."
"And—"
"Keiren."
He stopped.
"Yes?"
"Take a breath."
Everyone laughed.
We walked around the sarovar slowly.
The water was remarkably still, reflecting the gold and white architecture.
Grace held Grazel close while Denzel walked beside her, carrying the baby's bag.
The five-month-old stared around curiously, occasionally making tiny sounds that made everyone smile.
Percy was unusually quiet.
I looked at him.
"Everything okay?"
He nodded.
"I'm just appreciating."
"Who are you and what have you done with Percy?"
He looked offended.
"I can appreciate beautiful places."
Honey laughed.
"Record this moment."
When we entered the main temple area, the atmosphere became even quieter.
We followed the customs respectfully.
The sound of Gurbani filled the air, blending with the gentle movement of people around us.
I stood beside Jay.
Our shoulders touched.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
I did the same.
There was something peaceful about standing there.
No teasing.
No arguments.
No endless questions.
Just stillness.
When Jay opened her eyes, she looked at me.
"What did you pray for?"
I smiled.
"You."
She shook her head.
"That's not an answer."
"It is."
She smiled despite herself.
Then she whispered, "I prayed for everyone."
"I knew you would."
Afterward, we walked around the complex again, taking photographs and enjoying the atmosphere.
Keiren convinced several people to take pictures of him.
Ci-n became the unofficial photographer.
Percy repeatedly asked for retakes.
"That wasn't my good side."
"You have seven good sides," Honey said sarcastically.
"Exactly. So we need seven pictures."
Jay laughed.
I caught her hand again.
She leaned closer.
"This place makes everyone behave."
"Give it twenty minutes."
She smiled.
"You're right."
Heavily right.
Within twenty minutes, Section E had returned to normal.
Eventually, Eces gathered everyone together.
"Before we leave, we're going to the langar hall."
Keiren immediately looked excited.
"Food?"
"Langar," Eces corrected.
"That's what I meant."
Krish smiled.
We removed our shoes, followed the instructions, and entered the langar hall together.
The scale of it surprised me.
Rows and rows of people sat together, regardless of who they were.
Everyone received the same meal.
Volunteers moved along the rows, serving food efficiently and warmly.
We sat together on the floor.
Jay sat beside me.
Keiren and Ci-n were nearby.
Grace carefully settled Grazel comfortably while Denzel stayed beside her.
The food began arriving.
Dal.
Roti.
Vegetable sabzi.
Rice.
A simple sweet dish.
And water.
Nothing extravagant.
But somehow, sitting there surrounded by so many people, it felt special.
Jay looked at her plate.
"There's something beautiful about everyone eating together."
I nodded.
"Everyone gets the same meal."
"Exactly."
Leaving the Golden Temple felt strangely different.
Nobody rushed toward the cars this time.
The morning had been peaceful, the langar had left everyone full and satisfied, and the atmosphere remained quieter than usual.
Keiren walked beside Eces, still talking about everything he'd seen.
"Ate, the Golden Temple was beautiful."
Eces smiled.
"It was."
"And the food was amazing."
"You said that five times."
"Because it was true every time."
I laughed.
Jay walked beside me, her hand occasionally brushing mine.
"You enjoyed it," I said.
She smiled.
"I did."
"Even when Percy almost dropped his plate?"
"That was one of the best parts."
"I knew it."
She laughed softly.
The cars were waiting near the entrance.
Krish checked the next destination before we got in.
"Jallianwala Bagh."
The name immediately changed the mood.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
Everyone seemed to understand that this wouldn't be another ordinary sightseeing stop.
The drive was short.
When we reached the entrance, the atmosphere immediately felt different from the Golden Temple.
The surrounding streets were busy, but once we stepped inside, the noise seemed to fade.
The garden was peaceful.
Greenery.
Stone pathways.
Memorial structures.
A quietness that felt intentional.
Jay slowed beside me.
"This is the place we've heard about in history class, right?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
Keiren looked toward Eces.
"Ate, what happened here?"
Eces didn't answer immediately.
Krish stepped slightly closer, but Eces quietly said,
"I'll explain."
She looked toward the group.
"This place is connected to one of the darkest episodes of British rule in India."
Everyone became attentive.
"It happened on April 13, 1919, during Baisakhi. Thousands of people had gathered here. There were people attending a meeting, and there was also the festival atmosphere around the city."
Mica frowned.
"Why were they protesting?"
"The situation was connected to the Rowlatt Act, which gave the colonial government sweeping powers, including detention without the ordinary safeguards people expected. Punjab was already tense, and political leaders had been arrested."
Keiren looked confused.
"So everyone here was protesting?"
"Not necessarily," Eces explained. "People had gathered for different reasons. The crowd included people attending the meeting and people who were there because of Baisakhi."
We continued walking.
Then we reached the memorial area.
Eces' voice became quieter.
"British troops under Brigadier General Reginald Dyer entered the area and opened fire on the crowd without giving them a chance to disperse."
The group fell silent.
Jay's fingers found mine.
I squeezed them gently.
Keiren looked toward the ground.
"How many people died?"
Eces paused.
"The exact figures have been debated over the years, but hundreds were killed and many more were wounded. The Government of Punjab describes the memorial as commemorating around two thousand people who were killed or wounded."
Nobody joked.
Nobody interrupted.
Even Percy was silent.
We walked farther.
A section of the original wall has been preserved, with bullet marks still visible. Nearby stands the memorial well, which became part of the tragedy as people tried to escape the firing.
Jay stared at the wall.
Her expression had completely changed.
"It happened here?"
"Yes," I said quietly.
She nodded.
"It's difficult to imagine."
I understood.
The place didn't look frightening.
That was what made it feel heavier.
It was simply a garden.
People could walk through it.
Children could visit.
Families could stand together.
Yet history had left its mark on almost every corner.
Keiren finally broke the silence.
"Did this change India's freedom movement?"
Eces nodded.
"Very much. The massacre became a major turning point in India's freedom struggle and strengthened resistance to British rule. It also became deeply associated with figures such as Udham Singh and, later, with the wider memory of the independence movement."
Aries looked around.
"So this isn't just a memorial."
"No," Krish replied quietly. "It's a reminder."
"A reminder of what?" Ella asked.
"That freedom is not something history should ever be treated casually."
That answer stayed with everyone.
We eventually reached the memorial flame.
No one spoke for a while.
Jay stood beside me, her fingers still intertwined with mine.
She whispered,
"I'm glad we came."
"Me too."
She looked toward the memorial.
"We read about these things in books. But standing here feels different."
I nodded.
"History feels different when you're standing where it happened."
Nearby, Keiren stood beside Eces, unusually quiet.
"Ate... I'm glad we learned about this."
Eces gave him a small smile.
"That's why remembering matters."
The wind moved softly through the trees.
For once, Section E didn't make a joke.
Nobody complained about walking.
Nobody asked about food.
Nobody checked their phones.
We simply stood there.
Remembering.
And as we eventually began walking toward the exit, Jay squeezed my hand once.
I looked at her.
She gave me a faint smile.
Our next destination would probably bring back the noise, laughter, and chaos everyone knew so well.
But for now...
We left Jallianwala Bagh quietly.
Not because there was nothing to say.
Because sometimes remembering was enough.
By the time we left Jallianwala Bagh, the afternoon had begun slipping toward evening.
The mood in the cars was quieter than usual.
Not sad exactly.
Just thoughtful.
Even Section E seemed to have run out of jokes for a while.
That lasted until Keiren suddenly announced from the back seat,
"Are we going somewhere else?"
Krish glanced at him through the mirror.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Wagah Border."
A pause.
Then the entire car seemed to wake up.
"The border?"
"The ceremony too?" Aries asked from another car through the group chat.
Krish's phone immediately started buzzing with messages.
"Yes," he finally replied.
That was enough.
Excitement returned instantly.
The drive toward the Wagah-Attari border gradually became livelier.
Everyone had questions.
"What happens there?"
"Can we see the soldiers?"
"Is it really a ceremony?"
"Do people cheer?"
Eces explained calmly from the front.
"The evening ceremony is the Beating Retreat ceremony. There are coordinated drills and ceremonial movements by the Indian and Pakistani forces, with the lowering of the national flags near the end."
Keiren sounded fascinated.
"Ate, does everyone watch?"
"Thousands of people can gather to watch on the Indian side," she replied.
"That's huge."
"It is."
Jay turned toward me.
"I've seen videos."
"So have I."
"But seeing it in person..."
She smiled.
"I'm excited."
I squeezed her hand gently.
"Then we're definitely going to enjoy it."
When we arrived, the atmosphere was completely different.
The area around the border was buzzing with anticipation.
People were walking toward the stands.
Families carried flags.
Visitors took photographs.
Vendors sold snacks and small souvenirs.
The air itself seemed charged with excitement.
Honey looked around with wide eyes.
"Okay... this is bigger than I expected."
Percy nodded.
"Same."
Blaster was already holding a small Indian flag.
"Where did you get that?"
"Do not question my preparation."
Keiren had one too.
He waved it enthusiastically until Keigan finally told him to stop hitting people with it.
"I'm celebrating!"
"You're attacking everyone."
"Accidentally."
We found our places in the stands.
Grace settled with Denzel and Grazel, making sure the baby was comfortable.
The little one seemed more fascinated by the crowd than anything else, staring around with enormous eyes.
Eces sat nearby with Krish.
Jay and I sat together.
She leaned toward me.
"So this is happening."
"It is."
"I feel like everyone is waiting for something."
"They are."
A few minutes later, the atmosphere changed.
The crowd became louder.
Cheers rose from different sections.
Patriotic songs played.
Flags moved through the stands.
And then the ceremonial proceedings began.
The Indian side came alive.
The marching was precise.
Powerful.
Highly coordinated.
The guards moved with sharp, deliberate steps, and every command seemed to carry across the entire stadium.
Section E was completely captivated.
"THAT WAS INSANE!"
"LOOK AT THAT!"
"THE TIMING!"
Even Percy had stopped checking his reflection.
That alone was historic.
Jay laughed.
"He's actually watching."
"Document this moment."
She smiled and leaned closer.
"I think everyone is impressed."
I looked toward the ceremony.
"Definitely."
As the ceremony continued, the atmosphere became even more energetic.
The crowd responded to each movement with cheers and applause.
Keiren was practically bouncing in his seat.
"Ate Eces! Look!"
Eces smiled.
"I'm looking."
"They're so fast!"
"I know."
Keigan sat beside him, watching quietly.
I noticed him glance briefly toward Eces.
She was focused on the ceremony.
This time, though, his expression wasn't nervous.
Just thoughtful.
Maybe he'd finally learned not to force moments.
Jay noticed me looking.
She gave me a small smile.
"You're observing again."
"I can't help it."
"Professional observer."
"Exactly."
She laughed.
Then came the lowering of the flags.
The crowd quieted slightly.
The Indian and Pakistani sides carried out their ceremonial movements.
Flags were lowered in coordination.
The atmosphere became strangely still for those few moments.
I found myself looking at Jay.
She wasn't watching me.
She was watching the ceremony with complete attention.
Her expression was thoughtful.
The entire experience seemed to have affected her.
When the ceremonial sequence reached its conclusion, applause and cheers rose again.
The sound rolled through the stands like a wave.
Keiren jumped to his feet.
"INDIA!"
Everyone laughed.
Even Krish.
Eces shook her head.
"Sit down before you fall."
"I'm excited!"
"We noticed."
As the crowd began dispersing, everyone talked at once.
"That was amazing."
"The marching!"
"The flags!"
"The crowd!"
"I want to watch that again."
Blaster looked at Percy.
"You were quiet for nearly an hour."
Percy shrugged.
"I was appreciating history."
Honey laughed.
"I'm proud of you."
We slowly made our way toward the exit.
Jay stayed beside me, her hand finding mine.
She looked back once toward the ceremony area.
"That was incredible."
"Yeah."
She smiled.
"Today was a lot."
"Golden Temple."
"Langar."
"Jallianwala Bagh."
"And now this."
She nodded.
"Peaceful, emotional, exciting... everything."
I looked at her.
"You okay?"
She squeezed my hand.
"I'm good."
Then she smiled.
"Just tired."
I laughed.
"That's more believable."
She nudged my shoulder.
"You've been saying that all day."
"Because you're always tired."
"And you're always teasing."
"Also true."
We continued toward the cars.
Behind us, Section E was already arguing over where to eat dinner.
Keiren wanted Punjabi food.
Percy wanted dessert.
Honey wanted coffee.
Blaster wanted all three.
Grace and Denzel were carefully carrying Grazel, who had fallen asleep again despite the enormous amount of noise around her.
And somehow, after everything we'd seen that day, our group was still the same.
Loud.
Curious.
Chaotic.
Together.
As we reached the cars, Jay leaned against my shoulder for a moment.
I wrapped an arm around her.
The sun had almost disappeared.
The evening sky stretched above Amritsar, turning darker by the minute.
The ceremony was over.
But the feeling it left behind stayed.
For one evening, we'd stood among thousands of people and watched a tradition built around the border between two countries.
And as I looked at Jay beside me, I found myself thinking that some journeys weren't remembered because of how far you traveled.
They were remembered because of what you felt along the way.
Tonight...
We had felt a lot.
+++++++++++++
Next chapter Target: 7 comments
One comment per person...
I am so happy that you guys , finally completed the target in the last chapter....
So as I said here's another one.
And guys , I am planning to end this trip in 2-3 chapters more .
And give me some suggestions about Jayfer's honeymoon place..