Behind Operation Sindoor Is a Story of Grief, Loss, and the Cost of War

A personal journey through a national tragedy

Sindoor, a symbol of tradition, is now a reminder of loss. The image is created by the author on Canva.

Some days leave you with more questions than answers. The last few days were like that.

May 6.

My feed was flooded with Met Gala pictures. My Indian friends and connections also joined in, sharing pictures of their favorite Indian celebrities. After all, it’s reportedly at the Met Gala.

The next morning was like any other. I had my coffee with biscuits as usual, sent my son to school, and kissed my husband goodbye. That day, Copenhagen was green and bright.

So, I settled on my favourite blue chair by the balcony and started scrolling Instagram before beginning my work.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

In just a few hours, everything had changed. And it wasn’t looking good. My screen went from red carpets to red alerts. Confused and anxious, I switched to news apps. The headlines weren’t fake. This was real.

I called home. Just hearing their voices made me feel a bit calmer. But it was also confirmed that things were only going to get worse. So, I kept following the news throughout the day.