The day after

The firing has stopped and once again the azaan from the mosque right on the Pakistani side of the border rents the air, interspersed with the tolling of bells and bhajans from a nearby temple on this side of the border.

Though the temple is so near the post, BSF jawans on duty have hardly had time to visit it. Throughout the year they have been taking positions to keep vigil over the border or they have been engaged in retaliatory fire against an enemy trying to give cover to infiltrating militants to keep the pot boiling in Jammu region. quot;We ha-rdly have time to go to the temple. But our strong belief that God is always with those who stand like arock to safeguard their motherland gives us courage,8221; said Ra-mesh Kumar, a BSF jawan, pointing to a signboard with the words, quot;A wealthy nation is one which has secure borders rather than gold depositsquot;.

When firing started during the Kargil conflict, people residing along the international border were forced to migrate to safer villages. Now once again the area is engulfed in a familiar calm, and they have started returning. Like earlier migrations, this time also they were greeted by ravaged houses.

There is hardly any structure without bullet marks. Some of them have been repaired and white-washed to prepare for a 8220;new millennium and new hope8221;. Both the residents and the security personnel guarding the border want to savour every single moment of this new-found peace, however shortlived it may turn out to be.

The gate on the border was opened this month after a long, long time to let through UN vehicles. The gate too is pock-marked with bullets. Visitors peep through these holes to catch glimpsesof the other side. But life is the same on both sides, there is nothing there to differentiate it from quotidian landmarks on this side.

A thick wall constructed just opposite the border gate on the Indian side has throughout the year borne the brunt of enemy fire. The incoming bullets from across have taken off the plaster; yet another story of death and destruction. A sentry said that had it not been for this wall, they would not have been able to go about their daily tasks without fear of getting hit.

An abandoned tea-stall a few metres away from the border gate is once again alive with the chatter of customers. Interestingly, no one is discussing war or migration. All they are talking about is film actress and heart-throb Madhuri8217;s marriage and India8217;s new crowning glory, Yukta Mookhey.

When asked whether he feared re-occurrence of the summer firing from across the border, Ravinder Singh, a farmer, blithely replied that he has been used to this game of hide and seek since childhood. 8220;We know oneday we have to die, so why die every moment fearing bullets from across?8221;

When this reporter, keen to see the Pakistani side of border, tried to light a torch in the evening, Post Commander S. Togdayal standing nearby yelled at him to switch it off. 8220;Sahib, kyon shanti kharab kar rahe ho?8221; He meant that the Pakistani Rangers would spot the torch-light and open fire in this direction. 8220;And we will have to retaliate,8221; he said.

BSF jawans said peace had returned to the area only a few days ago and all of them wanted to preserve it as long as they could. 8220;We don8217;t want to spoil our evenings by once again pulling the trigger. All we want is to open rum bottles and have two pegs to beat the cold.8221;

Hope the other side shares the sentiment.