By R.Swathi
The February 1998 Coimbatore bombings not only shook the city but rattled the nation. In the aftermath, army personnel, commandos, and National Security Guards flooded the city. Revathi, then a resident of Coimbatore, recalls the terrifying days that followed: “One bomb was found less than a kilometre from our home. Had it gone off, I wouldn’t be here. So many of us owe our lives to the defence personnel!” Deep appreciation spurred her and her Rotary colleagues to action.
With Raksha Bandhan around the corner, she decided to do something simple yet powerful: tie rakhis to the personnel stationed in Coimbatore. She ordered hundreds of rakhis from Bombay and visited every hall where the personnel were stationed to tie rakhis to them. “All of them were so overcome with emotion!” she reminisces, eyes welling, “I was not expecting anything in return. But they all reached into their pocket and insisted that I take whatever they had. However, there was one personnel who refused to get the rakhi tied as he didn’t have anything to give me. Overcome, I told him that he is putting his life on the line for me. What can be bigger than that?”
What began with 500 rakhis in 1998 has grown into a heartfelt movement. Today, Revathi sends over 5,000 handmade rakhi kits every year to soldiers at the border, especially on the Line of Control. Last year, she was invited by the army to personally tie rakhis on the frontlines—a moment she calls “one of the most unforgettable of my life.”
She describes the tear-jerking reactions of the moment: “You have to see to believe the conditions in which they are defending the nation. There are constant shootings there, and just the day before, two of the soldiers had laid their lives. Thus, my being there for the festival was like a rainbow for them. While returning from the border, we also met a personnel from the Dharmapuri district who was so happy to meet us. I tied a rakhi to him also, and his eyes got moist too. He also regretted not having money with him, but I told him ‘Nothing doing’.”
Initially, Revathi bought readymade rakhis, but in subsequent years, she began crafting them herself. As her heartfelt endeavour gained popularity, friends and family stepped forward, sponsoring materials like beads and various kit items. Each kit contains a rakhi, chocolates, vibhuti & kumkum sachets, and a pocket-book to write ‘Ram Ram’ with a small sloka and a photo of Shirdi Sai Baba. Revathi explains the thoughtful inclusion of these seemingly religious items: “A lot of thought and consultation go into what we put in the kit. Each battalion has its own war cry, eg, Gorkha has ‘Jai Ma Kali’, Rajputana Rifles has ‘Raja Ramachandra ki jai’, Sikh regiment has ‘Jo bole so nihal’, etc. Each battalion echoes the war cry irrespective of religion. These items help in giving a lot of mental and spiritual strength to the comrades.” She notes that women personnel, in particular, appreciate the kumkum, and the inclusion of Hanuman Chalisa books last year significantly uplifted the jawans’ spirits.
Revathi credits not only universal forces but also the invaluable help from friends, family, and children from Arcadia school, who volunteered in assembling the rakhi kits.
Operation Sindoor has only paused, and our forces stay vigilant. Revathi Ganesan’s heartfelt mission powerfully reminds us that, beyond their immense sacrifice, our soldiers deserve to know they’re deeply valued. To volunteer in preparing the kit, contact Revathi at 90429 44171.
