From Harpur in Uttar Pradesh to Gudigere in Karnataka, many villages across the country that send out young men to the armed forces were joined in grief Friday, a day after the suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir.
At many places, grief combined with anger over Thursday's terror strike that killed 40 jawans.
"No doubt we are proud that my son gave his life for the motherland but the government should take tough steps against the attackers, Pankaj Tripathi's father Om Prakash Tripathi said in Harpur in UP's Maharajganj district.
The time for talking is up, it's time to take revenge, he said.
On the streets, villagers shouted slogans, calling for revenge. Badla lo, badla lo, Pakistan se badla lo, they chanted.
Tempers also ran high in Deoria's Jaidev Chapia, the native village of 30-year-old Vijay Kumar Maurya.
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He left for Jammu only on February 9, after spending time in the UP village with his family which includes a one and half year old child.
"I am proud that my son gave his life for the nation but the government should give a befitting reply to Pakistan as soon as possible, his father Ramayan Maurya said.
The action should be so strong that Pakistan dare not enter our territory and kill our soldiers ever again, he said.
In jawan Bablu Santra's Chakkashi Rajbangshipara village in West Bengal, his wife and mother wailed and his nephew talked of revenge.
"We want the killing of mama', and those who died with him, avenged. Those behind the cowardly attack must be taught a lesson they don't forget, Raghubir Mondal said.
When Santra came home on leave a month and a half back, he had urged the nephew to prepare for the test which could land him a job in the Central Reserve Police Force.
Mondal said his uncle was a hard-working man, who lost his father at a young age. As a college student, he supported his family by selling fish.
At Khudawal village in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district Ashwini Kumar Kachhhi is remembered by some for his smile.
Martyr Ashwini Kumar always wore a smile on his face whenever he met me," recalled Vinay Asathi. "He used to encourage the youth of our village to join the armed forces."