Kathua, August 2026- On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, students of Bharati Vidya Mandir School tied rakhis on the wrists of CRPF personnel at the CRPF Group Centre in Hiranagar, embracing the jawans as their brothers in a gesture that left many personnel visibly moved.
A Heartwarming Celebration
The event, organised at the CRPF Group Centre, brought together young students and security personnel in a celebration that transcended the conventional boundaries of the festival. Dressed in their school uniforms, the children arrived carrying handmade and store-bought rakhis, moving from jawan to jawan to tie the sacred thread on their wrists, accompanied by traditional tilak and sweets — customs central to the festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.
For the personnel of the CRPF Group Centre, many of whom are stationed far away from their own families and hometowns, the gesture carried deep emotional significance. Several jawans, who spend long stretches of duty away from their siblings and loved ones, were seen visibly moved by the affection shown by the students, with some unable to hold back tears as the children tied rakhis on their wrists and wished them well.
An Emotional Exchange
Personnel at the centre described the moment as a rare and cherished opportunity to experience the warmth of a festival that many of them are otherwise unable to celebrate with their own families due to the nature of their postings. For jawans deployed in far-flung and often high-risk areas, occasions like these offer a brief but meaningful connection to the familial bonds they are separated from during their service.
The students, for their part, expressed pride in being able to honour the personnel who work to ensure the safety and security of the region. Several children spoke about viewing the jawans as their own brothers, extending the spirit of Raksha Bandhan beyond blood relations to include those who serve and protect the nation.
A Growing Tradition
Such gestures have increasingly become a part of Raksha Bandhan celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, with schools, community organisations, and civil society groups organising similar events at CRPF, Army, and police establishments across the region. These initiatives are aimed at fostering a sense of goodwill and emotional connect between local communities and security forces stationed in the region, while also instilling values of gratitude and national pride among schoolchildren.
Officials at the CRPF Group Centre welcomed the initiative, noting that such gestures go a long way in boosting the morale of personnel who often perform their duties under challenging circumstances, away from the comforts of home. They expressed appreciation for the school’s initiative in organising the event and said that such interactions help strengthen the bond of trust and affection between the forces and the local population.
Symbol of Unity and Gratitude
The event at Hiranagar is among several such celebrations expected to take place across the Kathua district and the wider Jammu region in the days surrounding Raksha Bandhan, as students, women’s groups, and local residents extend the spirit of the festival to soldiers and paramilitary personnel stationed at various security establishments.
Teachers accompanying the students said the initiative was designed not only to mark the festival but also to help children develop a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices made by security personnel who serve far from their own homes and families throughout the year.
As the rakhi-tying ceremony concluded, personnel at the CRPF Group Centre exchanged sweets and words of gratitude with the students, marking a heartfelt end to a celebration that, for many, symbolised the true spirit of Raksha Bandhan — one of protection, affection, and belonging that extends beyond the boundaries of family.