A sentimental pilgrimage to Longewala

Ever since I watched ‘Border’ as a child, I always wanted to visit Longewala in Rajasthan, where just above a hundred brave Indian soldiers held their ground against more than 2,000 Pakistani troops and defeated them. That long-cherished dream finally materialised when my friend, who is serving in the CRPF, planned a trip to Rajasthan with only one goal in mind — to visit the Longewala War Memorial.

Our first stop was Jaisalmer where we spend the night in a desert camp, and rode camels and ATVs across the sand dunes, finishing the night with a traditional Rajasthani dinner under the star-studded desert sky.

The next morning, we started for Shri Tanot Mata Temple. When we reached, the morning aarti was on. According to a wartime legend; during both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, countless enemy bombs were dropped around the temple, none exploded. Several of these bombs, preserved within the temple premises, bear testimony to this extraordinary tale of divine protection.

From Tanot, we finally started our journey to the Longewala War Memorial. The memorial, maintained by the Army, is a fitting homage to the courage of our forces. We paid our tributes at the eternal flame there. The memorial has on display the enemy tanks and vehicles destroyed or captured during the battle. There is also a museum where one can see photos and audio-visual presentations that depict our forces' heroism. The visit was not only the culmination of a childhood dream but left us with an inspiring sense of patriotism and immense pride in our armed forces.

Bharat Arora, Shimla