Balidanam Veer Lakshanam

This was the motto displayed in entrance arch in a big army campus on the way to turtuk. The meaning is Sacrifice is the sign of a warrior. It has been a tradition from time immemorial that it was considered a warriors duty to sacrifice one's life for the country or a just cause. The tradition continues even now that our armed forces are ready to lay their life to defend our country from external and internal threats, so that people like me can live peacefully. I do have a feeling that as a nation, the leadership and people included, we don't value the lives of men and women who are serving our armed forces. Is it because we have many people willing to serve and lay down their lives for the country, that their lives have become cheap? If you see western countries, even a few causalities in fighting creates a lot of public outcry! Those countries use technology extensively as a force multiplier and try to minimise human causalities. Why cant we do the same? For example, our armed forces operate in harsh conditions in high altitudes in Himalayas without adequate facilities resulting in a situation where more soldiers die to weather conditions than fighting! It is high time that our soldiers get their due and their lives are taken more seriously...

Leh Travelogue

Actually it is a mini-travelogue. This is my first attempt at writing about my travel. So please bear with me! :-)

Leh Travelogue