We Were at War : Not Just with Them, But Within

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 We Were at War : Not Just with Them, But Within


Sirens didn’t just echo through the valleys —
they echoed through our minds.
Not every war is fought with weapons;
some are fought in whispers, in breaking news,
in homes where fear knocks louder than truth.

Not just in the sky,
But in our hearts.
They weren’t just sounds of warning —
They were echoes of history,
Of blood, and borders,
Of fears too old, and futures too fragile.

The youth, the future, the silent protesters in school uniforms and social media stories —
we didn’t start this war,
but we feel its weight.
Not because we are soldiers on the frontier,
but because we are hearts on the sidelines.
And in this war — of ego, borders, power, and pain —
every heart counts.

This isn’t just about two countries.
This is about two kinds of silence —
the one before the bomb drops,
and the one that follows when the world forgets.


 WHAT TRIGGERED THE FLAMES AGAIN? 

                                          On the 22nd of April 2025, at around 2:45 PM (IST), we lost our brothers and sisters in a tragic attack at Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, Anantnag district — also known to us as the Pahalgam attack. It is considered the deadliest attack in Azaad Kashmir since the one in early 2000, known as the Nunwan massacre.We thought this was the actual war announcement from the neighboring country that brought doom to our families. Just when we all insisted on believing that we had started a new independent life, we found ourselves trapped in this mess once again. 


A little while after this, our army conducted a nationwide mock drill across 244 districts on the 7th of May, 2025. It was meant to enhance civil preparedness in the face of hostile threats and emergencies. And that is when — WE WERE AT WAR.

THE REAL WAR.

We were silent, but the echoes weren’t.
The war wasn’t at the borders anymore —
it had moved into our homes,
our headlines,
our hearts.
No trumpet blew, no warning came,
just a pause…
and suddenly,
we were at war.
No swords, no shields,
just breath and burning questions.

We were at war —
Not with the borders alone,
But with silence that screamed in our bones.
With sirens louder than lullabies,
And skies painted in sorrowed tones.

We were at war —
When hearts beat like drums in shelters,
And prayers drowned beneath collapsing homes.
We wore courage not like armour,
But like skin — torn, yet never gone.

We were at war —
With broken news and breaking souls,
With truths twisted and lives untold.
And though the maps marked red with loss,
We bled hope — across every cross.

We were at war,
Not just with them,
But within.


 
       We never stopped for success. We never stopped — because our people were what mattered. So, India was at war — physically, emotionally, and, as Gen Z likes to say, socially at war. Our war for freedom never stopped — not since all those years ago when we first began to exist. Because we never wanted to cease our existence, we were at war — for our cause, for our hearts.We were at war not just for those standing at the borders, but even for us...We fought.
      
      Frequent ceasefire violations were reported especially in sectors near Rajouri and Poonch. Indian army increased surveillance and air patrols along the northern border regions. India officially lodged a protest with Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack, calling it "a provocation backed by anti-national elements". UN Security Council released a statement urging both sides to maintain peace, but no resolution was passed. Meanwhile, Pakistan denied involvement but increased military presence near the Neelum Valley region. Indian citizens began witnessing increased military convoys across states like Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. Public was warned to stay alert through national broadcasts, and sirens were tested in sensitive areas. News channels ran 24/7 coverage, leading to growing anxiety, especially among young people on college campuses. India’s cyber security agencies flagged digital propaganda targeting youth, especially on platforms like X (Twitter) and Facebook.



Screens flicker with shadows and light,
Truth tangled in digital fight.
Young hearts restless, minds ablaze,
Caught in the web of endless haze.



But in the end, no matter who we are or what we do, we just have to believe in ourselves to end this — to come out of the mess we created. Because we know — and we repeat — nothing is going to change the way we feel about ourselves, or the way we stand back up on our feet after taking a headshot.

In the end, what matters is how it all ended, not who ended it all.

We know that maybe "Time" is what we are begging for, but we also know that "Silence" is not what we were born for. We may be unheard, but we are not unseen — not broken, not demotivated.

And thanks to our soldiers who fight for us every day, we will never be vulnerable.

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