One black tin box and you have furniture; a roof, even that of a tent, makes up for home and friends and colleagues become family. What more do you need to celebrate Diwali? The ethos of the army percolate down to the families of our soldiers- nothing is impossible, not even celebrating a festival that demands grandeur.

The celebrity amongst the festivals, Diwali, bows down to the indomitable spirit of the soldier. Whether it is the Himalayan heights of Siachen, the desert of Rajasthan or the vibrant jungles of North East, nothing will stop a soldier from reveling in the festivities. The Wives are not far behind.

A blushing bride of my soldier, I was looking forward to celebrating my first Diwali with him. Cometh the day and not cometh the man! Exigencies of his profession ensured that while being in the same station, he was absent from the celebrations. He came home only next morning. In that experience, was an important message that most wives of soldiers understand sooner than later. You gotta keep the flag flying high- with or without the man.

The fauji wives share their stories

 “You get used to it. It is tougher on the kids. To my daughter, I draw the corollary between her school holidays and my husband’s leave plans. She understands that papa will come home when he gets his holidays from ‘his school’. But I ensure we celebrate,” says Shelly Saxena.