The next remembered halt was Bangalore. Big city, big roads, big buildings and big courses in schools. Our colony had 5 buliding of same colour and size. Many a times I baffled and would enter a wrong building. The worst at my school was a subject called Kannada in which i made the world record of getting fail marks or say a null, a zero.
Dad was as usual busy, and here I understood the life of Army in real sense. The parade ground was within a stone throw. Everyday while retuning from school I would notice the young energetic ,dynamic (every adjective is less for them), soldier marching, in every climatic condition. Bangalore was one of the recruitment centres. The Trucks laoded with neophytes would be common view. Men from every part of India come here to achieve dignity and strength and earn respect and admiration.I have witnessed the metamorphism of these new
kids in the block, to masters of Army. Within no times these repelling figures are made to sit in a row for a hair cuts, next phase their uniforms and the final phase when they are on the ground. There you see the elegant , classy ,magnificant , ideal aspect of Indian Army. To join defence is the most difficult work in world. And a person blended with discipline , confidence and passion can achieve it.Several times, while playing in the army ground we watched their training session of tuff work out. Sometimes, we used to get so inspired by those sessions that we would try to climb those big fatty ropes and jump those wide crater and run as fast as we can. I used to get astonished at thier stiffness and accuracy. The chapter of admiring the profession took a path and urge of joining Army cropped up in my mind. But ofcourse it was too early for me.
I recall when my father was posted in Ranchi, Dipatoli Cantonment ,the last posting of my father.I frequently accompanied with him to near by market called Butimord. "jai Hind sahab" he used to get a salute and believe me more than him i felt pride for being honoured.
To cite up with a incident in Ranchi, which is associated with my sister.She had problem
in transport for going to her school "Gurunanak Public School" as she was the only candidate of that area and the school Bus refused to pick her up. Soon the problem was in the ears of Major Sahab and he was kind enough to provide with vehicle called "Shaktiman". Giant for a single person to travel. Eventually She became famous for her extraordinary school bus and many used to moke at her while others threw comments like "ohh lo aa gayi army ki ladali" but my sister was quite proud of her shaktiman and would step down like a queen elizibat.
Life style in Army aside duty fascinates me, smartly dressed in greenish uniform with a blue cap, closely chopped haircut, washboard belly and powerful physic makes them more attractive. They are the apple of every girls eye and envy for all boys.
Dad once had an excursion named as "Exercise" whereby all were posted to a place where the ongoing War situation was held for one month; or in other words, it was a virtual war, to expertise thier men. I would listen to his stories of the adverse and unfavourable situations he and his fellow men had to face. I wonder at their courageous acts, when my father narrates
some incidents of Indo-Pak War 1971. He was quite young at that time and he describes that at those moments the level of energy increases sponteneously, whcih make them more accurate in thier action in battle feild. the motivative enzymes are they themself.
I realized that army people are so different from others. Whenever i feel homesick I take up leaves and rush to home but there are persons at the border who don't have such choice. At the highest altitude like Seichine they stand days and night to protect us where the winter is so vigorous that it can make your blood clot as described by my dad.I used to amazed at people who stay away from there family for a long period of time ; though they are always aware that they can die at any moment.
It reminds me of one of the most patriotic songs by Lata Mangeshkar:
" Jab Desh me thi diwali, wo khel rahe the holi,
Jab hum baithe the gharon me, wo jhel rahe the goli"
Though, I was unable to join army but I get so fascinated towards them that I sometime unknowingly question my father "Dad, Why You Retired ?" And he would just laugh at me and says you need not require a status to serve your country but standing right from here you can also contribute to your motherland. But "Be a Army Man , Be A Winner" had a special meaning for me.
This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis
I feel proud to be a daughter of a Man who served his country for 28 years and being a part of such a wonderful life.
