A day before the historic ``bus'' visit of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to Pakistan, the Wagah border post resembles a wedding scene. A red carpet awaits the baraatis on the other side. Across the post, Pakistan Rangers dressed in elegant black salwaar-kameez escort their officials to the site. A shamiana has been set up on both sides of the road and a grand reception awaits the Prime Minister for his inspection of the ceremonial guard of honour tomorrow.

While an Indian camera team is busy filming the preparations at ``our'' end, a Pakistani camera team is busy capturing the preparation at ``their'' end. Yet, the atmosphere of suspicion still exists. Frisking is stilldone, even if you wish to visit ``your'' side of the border post, and umpteen security personnel stop you on the way asking why you are here.

The action isn't only at the border. Road dividers in the city are being painted afresh and so are slogans, the most common being: ``Mera Bharat Mahaan''.

The city unit of the BJP has got into the act, too. Right from Amritsar to Wagah, saffron banners welcoming the Prime Minister greet everyone. The Amritsar unit of BJP has reason to be proud, since the local MP, Daya Singh Sodhi, is also the president of the Punjab state unit of the BJP.

Much to their delight, the flush mustard fields complement the saffron banners. Apart from the BJP, the only other banner on the road to Wagah is the one set up by the Tarn Taran Municipal Council.

The attempt to put up an impressive show is evident, as a Nihang Singh leads a few villagers on their bicycles, busy putting up Tricolour flags enroute. A party worker is smarter. Along with a few volunteers, he hasbrought a rickshaw full of flags to be put up in Vajpayee's honour. Nearby, even the metallic cages encircling the trees have been painted with shades of the Tricolour.

But more than any local enthusiasts, it is the security personnel who have virtually taken over the area. While BSF personnel are busy lining up along the barbed wire, the route to Wagah has men from the Punjab Police every two hundred yards.

Then come the media: TV crew number in three figures. Ten kms from the border, Doordarshan has set up a makeshift uplink centre, to telecast the full 30 minutes of Vajpayee's journey. As mediapersons line up near the post, the BSF sentry asks them not to cross the line. A cameraman wishes to click the picture of the red carpet lined up for Vajpayee. A few Pakistani officials obstruct his view. He shouts at them to step aside. Immediately the sentry intervenes, ``You can click pictures across the line, but you cannot talk or gesture.''