The divided village of Simari, where the gushing waters of the Kishanganga River serve as the only border between India and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) along the Line of Control in Tangdhar on May 3, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI
A river flows through it, dividing the village between India on one side of the gushing waters and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the other. If Operation Sindoor has ground zero, it is Simari, where the sound of artillery fire still reverberates for villagers trying to shake off the memories of that night a year ago.
It was from this border village surrounded by high mountains that the Army fired shells across the Krishan Ganga River to signal the launch of Operation Sindoor, India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack on the night of 6-7 May 2025 to eliminate terror networks in Pakistan.
After a year, silence seems to have settled over the picturesque village at the foothills of the Shamshabari range in Tangdhar sector, about 180 km from Srinagar. Life has returned to its daily routine, but outsiders are met with calmness and some distrust. Many leave knowing only Pahari.
Simari, literally on the edge of the country, has 500 inhabitants and only about 80 houses. In addition to the traditional mud and wooden dwellings, there are about a dozen modern concrete structures. If it weren’t for the roaring waters of the river, people from one side to the other would literally be shouting to be heard.
The river is also a constant reminder that this is a divided country – literally and metaphorically.
And Operation Sindoor was felt not as a news report of what was happening to others, but as a firestorm passing overhead.
Ghulam Qadir is one of the few people who speaks, albeit reluctantly.
“We didn’t just hear about the war…we felt it as shells lit up the sky,” Mr Qadir told PTI. The community bunkers were home for days after the first night of shelling.
He is proud of his village. Simari Local High School was identified as polling station number one. A hand-painted slogan welcomes visitors with the statement: “Democracy starts here”.
“Now you should understand that we are the first village in the country and the torch of democracy in the country,” he snapped when asked what it was like to be a resident of the last village in the country.
Guardians of democracy
The school is a sign of Simaria’s resilience. Although physically separated from the rest of the country by a security fence, the people here see themselves as the primary guardians of the country’s democracy. The village is mainly dependent on the army units stationed in the area and many work for them as laborers.
As commemorations take place across the country to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, life in Simari is a delicate balance between everyday mundanity and the fear that their village’s remoteness could make them the center of conflict.
Drones from across the border were more difficult for Iqbal to deal with than shelling. The army opened fire several times to thwart their advance. “Some of the intruding objects (drones) fell in our area. They were successfully removed by the army,” he said, praising the army for providing all kinds of assistance during these turbulent days.
Located eight kilometers from the Teetwal area which has been developed under the Border Tourism Plan, access to the village is not easy. Tar roads give way to landslides and fast-flowing waters from the surrounding slopes.
Pahari is spoken here and the culture and customs are different from heartland Kashmir or Kupwara district of North Kashmir.
India carried out airstrikes on nine terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. About 100 terrorists were killed.
Published – 07 May 2026 14:31 IST
