Sunday, August 05, 2007

Celebrating 60 years :Be a Soldier

In 1999 July, I had travelled to Ladakh, on a project.That was the Kargil war period. On our way back to Delhi, almost all flights were cancelled due to bad weather. We, around 40 of us, sat at the Ladakh airport for almost 5 hours doing nothing - sleeping, yawning, cribbing and ofcourse asking this silly question "Any info on the flight?" every ten minutes. Apart from us there were atleast 500 people at that small airport waiting for the weather to clear and the flight to depart.

We had musicians travelling with us and so a quick music n dance n dappanguthu session happened which sorta lightened the mood for the crew which was tired after a 5 hour wait. The others who waited at the airport joined us in the fun.

But suddenly the situation turned grim and there was complete silence. Before we wondered what had happened, we saw a coffin covered with the National flag that was being sent through the X-ray.. That triggered too many thoughts.. Someone at the border, had sacrificed his life fighting for the country, fighting so that people like us could lead a peaceful life...singing, dancing, having fun at the airport.We felt awful.. don't ask us why. It was the sight of a coffin with the Indian flag on, people shouting "Bharat mata ki Jai" as the coffin went through the X-ray, the thought of a jawan/officer losing his life fighting for the country...

Hours later, as we finally boarded the aircraft, the coffin too travelled with us to Delhi and throughout the journey wherever we turned we could see only moistened eyes all around.

Everytime I see this video, it reminds me of my Ladakh trip and the life of an Indian Army official at the border.. braving the severe weather conditions, serving the country... surviving the most difficult battle in the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS3qKRa_-gY

Vande Mataram!

14 Responses:

Karthik Sriram said...

Very good post, akka!

I really get into a spine vibrating mode when I see videos of soldiers in snow/other inclement weather terrains. Those guys must be really given more reservation kinds. With people clamoring more reservation for OBC,ABC. XYZ who did no anytoher thing than being born into a particular sect, these are people who literally put their lives on the line everyday, 365 days a year. Give the kids of these brave men as much concessions as possible as really there is no payback for what their fathers are giving to India.

LKS

Anonymous said...

true bubby. we forget them so easily don't we? and the pittance that the jawans get. it is so sad.
just hope we don't have to ever face a large scale war.

Slogan Murugan said...

:(

What for? I still think that it was a war that was stage managed by a few people to make a lot of money and to gain power. Mostly on that side of the border.

Slogan Murugan said...

Like most wars. I don't know why. I'm no longer patriotic. It's a silly, foolish emotion and it costs too many lives. Everywhere.

Karthik Sriram said...

@ Slogan Murugan,

I feel these concepts of Global Citizen, 'World is one' concepts to be humbug. I feel your patriotism for your country is the "feeling" that you have towards your parents. Thaai ku Thaai Mann!

Just two years of living in the US has hammered the fact that how un-patriotic we are - patriotism in India is paying 1000 rupees for Kargil nivarana nidhi and keeping mum. To me Patriotism is:
1.Paying taxes upto the last cent with no cheating
2. obey road rules & the Law. RTO office la poi, just bcoz u have better business, paying 100 extra to get your work done is the best example.
3. VOTE. Padichavanga Vote podalena, India will never improve. Only because the padichavanga dont vote, raw scoundrels and rowdies are politicians today.


Just to recall the ARR album lyrics - "Thaaye un peyar sollum podhey, idhayathil minnalai paayume"

"thai aval pol oru jeevan illai,
aval kaal adi pol sorgam verillai
thai mannai pol oru boomi illai,
bharatham engalin swasame!"

Filbert said...

Truly touching video. Thanks for sharing...

Teesu (very very Indian, very very good) said...

well, this blog definitely put a lump in my throat! Anycase, I could never get through even one line of saare jahaan se Accha without breaking down!NEVER. Now, am slightly better. Will post another incident in this connection on teesutalk.blogspot.com soon. Only thing: why SHOULD lives be lost in this pointless manner? That is the point. There are other ways...

Anonymous said...

nice thought provoking post.
naan ennatha solla? thukkam thondaiya adaikuthu!

thanks for sharing the video (veetula poi kandippa paarpen).

@LKS, kannu, padichavanga ellam vote poda booth ponaa anga namba voteaa already kuthittu poirukaanga.

so padichavanga ellam nallavanga!num solla mudiyaathu. padikaathavanga ellam roudiesum illai.
echa cha echacha kachacha kaha! purinjadhoo? :p

moneykandaan said...

really nice...iam not able to express...just i can say..."VANDE MATARAM".anbudan,perumaiyudan indiya kudimagan.

Anonymous said...
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ambi said...

sorry for putting sec comment, i could not control myself.

Camiseta Personalizada annachi enna solraaru? :p

paavam avaru postla poi nachunu 4 commentu pottutu vaanga, E ottitu irukkaru polirukku. :)

Anant said...

Your commentators may like to have a look at the following old post of mine.

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