An Aman Yatra was organised under the aegis of Dagger Division for the schoolchildren of the border areas of Baramulla district in the Kashmir Valley. The visit was flagged off at a colourful ceremony by Maj Gen MC Bhandari, GOC, Dagger Division which was attended by officials of the civil administration and people from neighbouring villages. The group comprised 27 boys and six girls accompanied by two teachers. This yatra was aimed at moulding the young and impressionable children of the Kashmir Valley towards the national mainstream and expose them to the rich cultural and historical heritage of India.

The group spent three days in Delhi visiting major tourist attrations including Raj Ghat, Qutub Minar, Teen Murti Bhawan, Zoo, Nehru Planetarium and light and sound show at Red Fort. The children were very excited during their visit to Appu Ghar and thoroughly enjoyed the various rides. They had the privilege of meeting the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani at Qutub Minar who congratulated the Army for exposing children of the border areas in the Kashmir Valley to the national mainstream. The group then proceeded to Jaipur and visited the Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Hawa Mahal and B N Birla Science Museum. From Jaipur the children had their first-ever train ride to Phulera which was a very delightful experience. Later in the day, they visited the holy shrine of Dargah-e-Sharif at Ajmer.

On the return journey, the children were treated with a visit to an amusement park, 'Pink Pearl Joy City', which they enjoyed very much. During their brief stop-over in Delhi, they met the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi with whom the group shared experiences of their visit. A large section of the media was present on the occasion and the children displayed a rare confidence in their interaction. They were full of praise for the Army for providing them such a wonderful opportunity to come out of the Kashmir Valley and visit important and interesting places in an organised manner.

From Delhi, the group arrived at Jallandhar where they had an enjoyable picnic at Patni Top. Finally, they arrived at Bandi to a rousing reception and it was a wonderful sight to see their exuberance and confidence as they recounted their experiences with their relatives and friends. The feedback received by the children was very encouraging and this trip has made an ever-lasting impression on their young minds. Such excursions are part of the civic action programmes being undertaken by the Army to win the hearts of the people of the strife-torn Kashmir Valley.