Letters From the Border: What Soldiers Tell Their Families When the Guns Go Silent
Manika | May 09, 2025, 11:19 IST
( Image credit : Pexels )
I was scrolling through reels when I came across a soldier saying 'border se bulawa aa gaya hai' his leave got cancelled. His voice full of power as he said, "I can’t promise I’ll return home, but I promise India will stay safe." It stopped me cold. My eyes welled up—because behind every uniform, there's a beating heart, a family waiting, and letters that never make it to Instagram. This article is not about strategies or politics. It’s about what Indian soldiers write home, what they leave unsaid, and how love for the nation lives between the lines.
Letters From the Border
Soldier with his Son
( Image credit : Freepik )
Long before smartphones and WhatsApp messages, Indian soldiers wrote letters from the front—long, heart-wrenching lines inked with longing, fear, duty, and love. Today, even with technology at their fingertips, many still turn to letters. Because sometimes, the heart speaks clearest when it's written by hand.
But these letters are not always filled with lightheartedness. There are whispers of fear, anxieties about the unknown, and the gnawing worry for those waiting back home. A soldier might confess his homesickness to his sibling, the pang of missing festivals and family gatherings amplified by the starkness of his surroundings. Another might express concern about the well-being of his aging parents, his inability to be by their side weighing heavily on his heart. These vulnerabilities, shared with the intimacy of a handwritten letter, strip away the facade of the stoic warrior and reveal the beating heart beneath the uniform.
When a Letter Is a Last Goodbye
Soldier's Letter
( Image credit : Freepik )
Some of these letters may never be read by the person they’re meant for. That’s the unspoken weight behind each word. Soldiers often write them not knowing if they’ll get a chance to send them. They are filled with messages like:
- “Tell Maa I missed her kheer this Diwali. Maybe next year…”
- “If I don’t come back, don’t cry for me. Smile for India.”
- “Keep our baby’s name Aryan. Brave like his father.”
- “Tell Chintu I haven’t forgotten the promise—I’ll bring him that toy plane, even if I have to cross another mountain to find it.”
- “I know our daughter will take her first steps before I return. Just save the video, and hug her twice for me.
- “Even if I return with scars, they’ll be medals in your eyes. Just be there to hold me.”
- “If this letter reaches before I do, know this—I went down with ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ on my lips.”
Love, Longing, and Laughter Between Lines These letters aren’t just about pain or patriotism. There’s also humor in them.
- Jokes about rationed tea that tastes like “river water.”
- Teasing their brothers about cricket scores.
- Playfully scolding wives for not sending enough photos.
The Unshakable Indian Spirit
Army and their Spirit
( Image credit : Pexels )
Across these letters, one thing remains constant—the Bharatiya jazba.
Whether it’s a Sikh jawan from Punjab writing in Gurmukhi, a Garhwali soldier signing off with “Jai Badri Vishal” or a Marathi sepoy ending his letter with “Jai Shivaji,” they’re all unified by one promise: India comes first.
They write with chests out, not fear. Their handwriting may tremble, but their resolve never does.
Mothers Who Pray, Wives Who WaitAnd behind every letter, there’s someone reading it again and again under a night lamp.
- A mother who folds it into her saree pallu.
- A wife who keeps it under her pillow.
- A sister who smells the envelope hoping to catch a whiff of rakhi days gone by.
From Krishna to Kargil: The Eternal DharmaIn the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna reminded Arjuna on the battlefield:
"Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata..."
Whenever righteousness is in decline, the brave must rise.
Our soldiers are today’s Arjunas—standing tall not for ego, but for dharma. Their letters reflect that too—not hatred for the enemy, but love for their own land.
Why These Letters Matter Today
Soldier
( Image credit : Freepik )
In an age of noise—where debates, tweets, and opinions dominate—the quiet words of a jawan scribbled under a flickering light carry more truth than most speeches.
They remind us what it really means to be Indian. What sacrifice actually looks like. And what love, in its purest form, truly sounds like.
Read Between the LinesThese aren’t just letters. They’re emotional time capsules. They are proof that patriotism isn’t a slogan—it’s a heartbeat. And sometimes, it’s written in blue ink, smudged with tears, sealed with hope.
So the next time you see a reel, a flag, or even just a newsflash about our soldiers, pause. Remember that somewhere, someone is reading a letter that ends with:
"Don't wait up for me. Just pray for India."
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