Divakar Shetty Adyar
Mumbai, May 8: When vermilion was smeared on the forehead of a lifeless woman, the silent weeping spoke volumes. The whole nation turned its collective silence into seething rage. The grief of innocent Hindu women left behind in the wake of the bloodbath in Pahalgam was not confined to their homes—it burned deep within the soul of the country. Though time passed, the flame within showed no signs of dying down.
The vermilion from the foreheads of women who lost their husbands in the terrorist attack had been wiped away. To avenge the heinous act of the terrorists who had robbed these women of their sacred mark of marriage, India launched a counterattack named Operation Sindhoor. It is the story of how India brought justice to the sacred vermilion.
This is not a tale of victory in battle—this is a proclamation of justice over silence. It is not a conquest in war—it is the rebirth of Bharat Mata’s vermilion.
From midnight Tuesday, the roar of decisive strikes echoed across the skies, land, and waves. A coordinated tri-forces operation involving the army, air force, and navy targeted and destroyed terrorist bases across nine different regions in Pakistan.
The soil of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir seemed to shudder in shame. In precisely targeted strikes, over 80 terrorists were neutralised—men responsible for countless innocent lives. Justice may still be incomplete, but for those tears shed, there is now at least some solace. The message is clear: India is the land of Buddha’s smile, but it also possesses the fierce glare of Goddess Durga.
This was not war—it was a measured response. Not an invasion, but a powerful assertion to protect values. Terrorists may not understand the worth of a pinch of vermilion in India. But after today’s operation, they surely must. In this country, a woman’s Sindhoor is sacred. It cannot be defiled. Operation Sindhoor is not merely a military success—it is a battle fought for faith, for Sanatana Dharma, and for the unwavering resolve that the vermilion must remain on women’s foreheads.
Today, Operation Sindhoor stands as a solemn tribute—an answer to the pain and loss of those left behind. May peace once again flow through the winds of Pahalgam. And from there, let only cries of Bharat Mata Ki Jai! echo—never again the wails of innocent souls.