Barmer, May 8 -- Over 50 years have passed since the 1971 India-Pakistan war but its memories remain fresh in the residents along border villages of Rajasthan. With the states conducting civic defence drills like during the previous war, many citizens in border villages near Barmer remember building bunkers and going into hiding when the war sirens were previously sounded. "During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, we built bunkers and supported the army. We used to go on reconnaissance missions and inform the army of any movements on the Pakistani side. If a war breaks out today, Pakistan will not last more than four days," the residents said. "Back then, Pakistan dropped 16 bombs, but none exploded. It was all due to the blessings of Goddess Hinglaj. The army had instructed that a long siren meant we had to take cover, while a short siren meant no immediate danger. If the army needs us again, we are ready to help in every possible way," they added. Shanti Devi, a resident of the remote Gadra Road village, recalled how villagers tried to survive during the 1971 war. "We cooked dinner during the day. At night, not a single fire was lit. Windows were sealed with mud so that not even the tiniest light could escape. Even the flame from the cooking fire was covered." Prag Singh Sodha (82) from Ramsar said: "Even during the 1971 war, the army conducted mock drills. We were taught when to hide and when it was safe to come out. We understood the sirens." "We made bunkers in our fields - these were pits where we would hide whenever a long siren sounded. The siren usually meant Pakistani planes were approaching, so we knew an attack was coming. We had already dug hiding pits near our homes. As soon as the siren went off, we would rush into them and stay hidden for hours. Only when the army sounded the short siren would we feel relieved and come out," he said. Among the residents is Chain Singh (65) from Harsani village who fought during the 1971 war. He said that the villagers along the border had supported the army in both the 1965 and 1971 wars and "we are ready again". "Back then, our army had advanced from Ramsar to Chachro in Sindh province, Pakistan, about 80 km deep. But that land was later returned," he said. "During the 1971 war, the administration trained locals on how to respond to two types of sirens: one indicating danger, the other normalcy. When the danger siren sounded, we would either lie flat on the ground or stand stiff like wooden planks," he said. "If we could not reach the pits in time, we either lie down or freeze in place. We used to go on horseback at night and during the day to recon the area and report back to the army. We had 4-foot-deep and 6-foot-wide pits ready. As soon as the siren sounded, our whole family would enter the pit. We would cover it with wood and thorn bushes so nothing was visible from above. All this was to evade enemy eyes," he recalled. "Pakistani terrorists have repeatedly attacked and killed innocent civilians. If they are not taught a lesson now, they will keep doing it. PM Modi will definitely teach them a lesson. We are fully prepared to support our army. The army is at the front, and we are right behind them-we are their guardians on the border," he added. Many of the villages in Barmer are just a few kilometers from the international border. When war broke out in 1971, residents willingly gave up their homes so Indian soldiers could stay and operate from there. Shyam Singh from Ramsar, located merely 22 kilometres from the Indo-Pak border, said: "We left our houses and moved into the fields. Soldiers stayed in our homes." He recalled that back then, electricity had not reached most of the region. "So during the blackout orders, torches, fire, even cigarettes - everything was put out. People were not even allowed to smoke. It was all to avoid giving any sign to the enemy. The nights were full of silence and fear." Narayan Singh, now 71 and a retired Army man, was just 16 at the time, recalled: "Whenever the sirens sounded, the entire village would plunge into darkness. Not even a lantern was lit. Everyone would stare at the sky, silently praying no enemy aircraft would appear. We built morchas (makeshift bunkers) outside our homes, and whenever there was an emergency, we would rush inside them for safety." Ransingh Dedusar (82), a resident of Dedusar village, said: "There were army camps near our home. We used to serve food to the soldiers and helped in every way we could."...