‘Tension on border, sense of fear & pride in Amritsar’
Times of India | 12 May 2025
I visited my parents in Amritsar and was scheduled to fly back on May 9. However, everything changed with the news of the valiant operation undertaken by our Armed Forces. What followed stirred an indescribable sense of pride and patriotism.While fear crept in — especially during the sudden blackouts, the wail of sirens, and the thunderous tremors of the earth — each moment of dread was eclipsed by the sight of the sky lighting up with the successful interception of enemy projectiles.It was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I absolutely feel reassured and safe with our borders being guarded by the brave men and women of the Indian Armed Forces.I was quite familiar with these things since my father was in the Army too. Yesterday, there was a drone attack in the morning in Jalandhar, and I was there at that time at my in-laws' house. There was a siren alert, and immediately after the siren alert, we heard two heavy missile shots, but they were all intercepted by the air defence. There was no loss as such, but the remnants were seen on the land and some houses in the villages because the remnants are also very heavy.We were asked to stay indoors and not let anybody go out. During the night, there was a blackout for three hours in the past week. They created safe shelters for any emergency. People from villages near the border have been evacuated because Jalandhar is less than 200 kilometres from the border.We reached Chandigarh on Saturday, and it was under high alert, too. But on Sunday, since morning, things have slightly changed, and shops have opened up. Today, we received a message from the Punjab govt saying the city is operational and everything has gone back to normal.I used to hear these things from my father and husband, but this is the first time I experienced it myself. My husband, being from the forces, shared a lot of such stories with me. I always experienced the fear, but never felt it in person before. He is right now on the front, so we are in anxiety anyway.My two kids cannot comprehend the severity of the situation, but there is certainly a lot of fear in their minds. They are waiting for their father to return home. I will stay with my parents for a few more days. Once the situation gets a little better, I will return to Kolkata. (Sanghera, principal of Asian International School who is in Amritsar to visit her parents, spoke to Poulami Roy Banerjee)Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes, messages, and quotes !