I was roaming carelessly in a big nice Delhi Mall all engrossed in finding that perfect dress for my Diwali Party but yeah this time I was sure not to buy anything with a label made in china. After some times I decided to have a cup of coffee at Starbucks and right when I was nibbling over my veg mushroom sandwiches that I overheard a very interesting conversation.

” Hey I don’t know why they are saying like this in media! The troops in URI Attacks  are from my unit so I know. Okay?” Gentleman 1

“ Yaar media has to sell something and make it look interesting. Grant them that much or else who will listen to such news anyway. Like we do conduct such operations everyday! Right?” Gentleman 2

” It’s not funny Sam. It’s our job and risk is always there. Just to make a piece of interesting news you can not twist the facts and make it look like a still from Rambo.” Gentleman 2

“At least they are showing something patriotic and people are relating. It’s better than the news about which toothpaste Shahrukh uses and How Shahrukh and Salman  hugged in a party  bullshits. By the way leave all this tell me what’s the diwali scene?” Gentleman 2

“What Diwali? You know all leaves are cancelled, all parties and events are suspended and units are mobilising.” Gentleman 1

“Are I mean what are maam and kids planning? Gentleman 2

“ I don’t know but Priya is seriously upset this time. It’s just been three months since her delivery and I had hardly been home. Firstly my year long course and now these cancelled leaves. She was quite excited to celebrate it at our place but now she will still have to be with my parents and she misses me and you know my newborn misses her daddy too.” Gentleman 1

There was a silence for sometime and then I heard gentleman 2 saying “ Come on we will miss the flight. Let’s go.” 

I was dumbstruck. Couldn’t move for quite some long time and then dropped my shopping plans in between and returned home. Quite perturbed!

Diwali  is for everyone. Right? Our armed forces have families too. They are very much like you, me and everyone else who loves to dress up,party, spend some quality laid back time with family, munch on popcorns before their LEDs, burst crackers (not made in china) with their kids and celebrate festivals like any of us. So normally and casually! What’s the big deal?

I feel pity for that unknown Priya who is an Army wife  and would be patiently waiting for her husband and would have so many things to say to her husband. Her pregnancy, her missing her own place which is decorated every bit her own way, the sweet little things about her new born and countless other things which have happened during her husband’s long constant absence. There must be an entire trunk of memories,complaints and love to share with her husband.

Post partum pregnancy depression! What’s it? Leave throwing these urban fancies around she can’t even share her genuine problems of motherhood with her life partner. The designer cocktail dress for Diwali? Isn’t it too much to ask ? Who cares now maybe she ‘d like to change the nappies silently just like always than celebrating it. And I hope and pray that at least she has a good mother in law who is not nagging her constantly over every small thing. Life must be miserable for Priya. Phew!

Priya can be anyone. A doctor, an engineer, a social worker, a teacher or any other person who must had a life of her own sometimes back before becoming an army wife and then a mother. And now she’s deprived of the rights of celebrating a little festival too.

Gosh! And here we talk about freedom of many other things and civil rights when at the same time there are many people who are deprived of pretty little things in life. 

How much frustrations you will hold if your boss will cancel your leaves and keep you in the office on Diwali Day? Well you will curse his entire family and shred him to pieces in your dreams. He will be the worst boss ever. And here it’s easy to talk about the jawans, the officers, the troops, and the army protecting us on the border even on festivals. What’s the big deal really?

We are the only country in the world who likes to demoralise our troops, criticising their perks and privileges,raising questions on their lifestyle and when an attack happens we ask them shamelessly to do their job, start a war and teach a lesson to the enemy state asap. Really? You think they don’t know how to do their jobs? It’s what they have trained for their entire life and they know it f**king better than anyone else on the planet. So stop pseudo sympathising it and if you really want to do something here are the tips which you are free to take and not to take too.

Seriously stop using made in china stuff and be willing to pay some extra bucks to your make in india stuff. All these campaigns run by media houses of boycotting made in china stuff are a good initiative. Participate! You know China supports Pakistan and our arch enemy too. Right?

Even if its tempting to give an opinion on army. Please refrain doing so on public platforms if your motto is to point out some faults into their mode of action or anything. No other country does that. It’s not your job as citizen to criticise army. It’s the highest order organisation who ‘s job is to defend you not your elected government.

Respect a soldier or anyone in uniform. And I really like this idea of clapping whenever we see our troops on airport and railway stations like suggested by PM Modi.

If you are really concerned so much donate something to widows pf martyrs.There’s an entire program AWWA runs for Veer Naris. You can google and contact them for it.

Stop sulking over the lifestyle,culture and perks-pays of armed forces. Come on Now! You are a patriot. Right! Just leave them alone. And for the records they hardly get anything if you compare them with the armies of other nation. Even a fiddly country like Italy offers more to their army.

Don’t watch news channels who talk against our army and stop buying the newspapers which you think talk too much anti national.

Encourage those media personnels who are trying their bit to patriotism and giving you right news not some masala or sizzling piece.

Try to spend some time with martyr’s family if you can find one and share your happiness with them.Sharing your happiness with someone serving in army from your friends and relative is also a great idea.

Try to lit a diya for our armed forces and pray for our brothers and appreciate their families this diwali.

Paint your Facebook,Twitter, Instagram messaging our troops this diwali and trust me even if they don’t respond they read it and they know it. It will be great if you can spread a smile on any of their faces. 

I guess these many ideas for celebrating this Diwali is not bad. At least I am trying. Try your bit too. This post is in response to #sandesh2soldier initiative by PM Modi and I appreciate this #sandesh2soldier campaign and modi diwali tweet too. If you have not written a post yet then please do so. And yeah spread it too on all your social media handles.

at last

My dear brothers serving there at the borders and even those at the peace stations who are ever ready to protect us just at a call I am very very proud of you and I am proud that I am born to a country where MIlitary is a protector not opperasor. We know it to our gut that you would never turn your back to us and always be there when needed.

Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan can never happen to us because you are as democratic as us. Only an army as dedicated and efficient as yours can protect world’s largest democracy. And thank you for letting our enemies fear you and stand proud as world’s third largest army. And you know, no matter what we say we love you Indian Armed forces. Right ? Happy Diwali!

For more on army life

How not to let army life overpower your normal life

15 attributes which make army officers so charming

Nagrota Attacks:Are we a generation of ***holes?

If you love indian Army then you must read this book based on a love story of a para commando and his army girlfriend which crosses borders defies death and war. here is the link

 Soldier’s Girl: Love Story of a Para-Commando (First)