Gladiators@Pune........ Enjoying the hospitality of Brar's!!!!
Saturday, April 4, 2020
STORIES OF MY LIFE : THAT HORRIBLE THING CALLED 'DSSC'
DSSC WAS FOR PAPER TIGERS
It was 1977.
Jose called on us in our Basha at Sri GANGES CITY and while sipping
my/his third whiskey, he asked me, why I had not appeared in my first
compulsory chance for DSSC?
'Sir, DSSC is meant for Paper Tigers; moreover, I believe that, after
the ‘65 ops, a board was put up, a few kilometres short of the IB that had read
'NO psc BEYOND THIS POINT'. Because all the FUs that were created then were
done so, only by psc's of those days'.
'Shut up and don't talk crap', said Jose.
The whisky had begun to take effect!!
'First do it then criticize It'.
'WILCO! Makes sense'!
'That's what I keep telling him', Jaya butted in.
Okay! Okay! I will appear for this stupid exam.
MATERIAL FOR DSSC
After the distractions of attending a Pre-Staff course at my old school
at Sanawar, where Kaka Sandhu was our DS, we re-located to the 'NECTAR CITY'.
My stockpile of study material was just half a dozen précis that had been
issued to me during the YOs, Gunnery and JC Courses. So, I began to collect
study material. I proudly possessed a précis on (the now outdated) 'Gas
Warfare' of 1950 vintage. I had retrieved it from one of my Dad's trunks lying
at my ancestral home. God only knows; these DSSC types might throw a question
at us about Gas Warfare????
The friendly GSO3s at Div HQ were also preparing for their last chance
to appear for that horrible exam. When I went to their houses to borrow some
précis, I could hardly spot them. They were hidden behind piles of précis
strewn all over their rooms, which they had accumulated over three long
years.
I would borrow a précis and their beautifully made, short and crisp
notes. I would read them then and there and keep them back. I went around
NECTAR CITY with a begging bowl and finally managed to collect a motley row of
a dozen odd précis.
YAAD KIYA HAI
Now began the study. It was a Sunday.
'Knock Knock. Who's there'?
The Duty JCO. 'Sir, CO Sahab ne yaad kiya hai'! In our unit it was never
'bulayaa hai'. Always 'yaad kiya hai'.
So back to the unit. 11 kms away. At Chhiata Camp. Jostling in the body
of a 3Ton Lorry. The Jeeps were out of our reach. They all were earmarked
as CO's No1, No2, No3 and so on upto No.30. The 1Ton truck which was solely
meant for the Ladies had horrible pink curtains and cushions and chairs and a
matka with glasses. It was forever going or coming from somewhere, with or
without the Ladies. One dare not ask?
After a week of 'Yaad kiya hai', I was forced to ask for Annual Leave.
Was it as per the Leave Planning? Yes Sir!
Have you completed writing all the reports? Yes Sir!
Have you completed writing the new mob scheme? Yes Sir!
Conducted the Div RCL Competition, taken the central lectures? Briefed
your Coursemate Bhupi in detail? Yes Sir!
If he creates any FU then I will cut off your balls and fry them for my
breakfast. YES SIR!!!!
ANNUAL LEAVE TO STUDY FOR DSSC
`OK go on Annual Leave but spend it in Station’.
`Yes Sir’ (Bloody B.....d).
But next day, it was 'Yaad Kiya Hai' once again. I was let-off in the
evening. The so-called monologue `Conferences’ of the `Old Man’ usually lasted
all day!
On the Third day, of `Yaad Kiya Hai’, Jaya told the Duty JCO who had
come knocking, 'साहब की दादी की death हो गयी है । कल के लिये, टिकिट लेने, रेलवे स्टेशन गये हैं। Actually that was quite true. Daadi Ji had really died! 20 years ago!
On the Fourth day, the Duty JCO was sent by the CO Sahab to the Railway
Station to 'see me-off'. Actually to make sure that I had physically left the
station! I just carried an airbag-full of some précis. I had a vague notion of
studying en-transit.
The Duty JCO saw me off on the train. He went back smiling and confirmed
to the CO that I had actually left the station! Ram Kumar Sahab has begun to
like me by now.
ENCOUNTER AT 'UNDERWATER CITY'
No one knew that my train ticket was only upto the next stop. I jumped
off the train and sat down on a bench of the platform of The CITY UNDERWATER. A
Railway Policeman began to look at me questioningly. Too many Fauji's milling
around on the platform. What if some one from my unit spotted me? He might
spill the beans and God help me if the 'Old Man' came to know? I would lose my
balls!
Since the train going back to NECTAR CITY wasn’t due untill evening. I
had to spend the rest of the day somehow? There was no place, where I could
read my précis. So, I hastily exited the station and caught a cycle rickshaw
for the nearest cinema hall. That would be a good hiding place, I thought. It
didn't matter what movie? I told him to just take me to the nearest one. It was
around noon.
I chose and sat in the front-most row. The movie turned out to be a
cheap, disjointed, adult Hindi film, with clips of soft-porn spliced in at
places for good measure!
I was more than surprised when I began to smell a strong but cheap
`itar’ scent, perhaps, worn by the lady sitting next to me. A soft hand touched
mine. In the reflection of the light of the silver screen, I could see that I
was sitting between two ladies of ill repute. They were wearing garish make up
and cheap jewellery. They began to pass lewd remarks, which I couldn’t
understand!
`मेरे साथ बैठेगा क्या?
Way back, during YOs Course, I had heard some Coursemates recounting
their trips to Poona and recalling such phrases.
Realizing the jam that I had got into and the fact that my reputation
was about to be sullied forever; not to forget the police action associated
with such activity; I jumped out of my seat, grabbed my bag and left the hall
in a hurry!
I prayed that no fauji had spotted me sitting in the front row in
between two hungry she wolves.
I waited for the whole day at the Railway Station and took the evening
train back to NECTAR CITY. A cycle rickshaw brought me back to Shahid Nagar in
complete darkness. Jaya opened the door of our flat and I slid in and slept,
hopefully, unseen! I managed to get 15 solid days of undisturbed study because
I had shifted my study room from near the front door to the bathroom at the
rear end of our flat. Sitting on the WC with a cushion placed on the closed lid
wasn’t that uncomfortable after all!!! It also kept me from falling off to
sleep!
The exam was a disaster yet I passed. More on that later.😃😃😃
- HC
Thursday, April 2, 2020
No Love for the Colonel
The walk from the railway station platform to the cab appeared the longest the colonel had ever walked in his life.
The train journey had passed very quickly, having covered the distance from the military station to New Delhi in a matter of few hours. The Colonel had been granted premature retirement . His thoughts reflected upon the events of last couple of hours before he boarded the train to his home finally.
He stood at attention saluting the regiment flag, the last time he would be doing so, while wearing a uniform. 21 years ago he had first saluted this very flag, as a young subaltern, newly posted to his tank unit . Seemed like a long time ago.
At the military station he had calmly waited to board the train back. He had strictly ordered for no one to see him off. Except for his Jeep driver, Dafedar Mohan and his buddy, Sowar Mahesh, no one else was there. Together the three sipped the tea , warm from the thermos flask, having been prepared by the officers mess staff. A few biscuits were offered along with cheese sandwiches, which the Colonel gratefully ate, sharing with the men.
"Sir, the men will miss you", Dafedar Mohan addressed the Lt Colonel.
Lt Colonel Jack looked away, his eyes betrayed no emotions, but inwards he felt the deep sadness at leaving his family of 21 long years. This had been his only home, a place where he was loved, and loved back ten fold the brave men and officers of his Tank Regiment.
But what had to be done, had to be done. His decision had been final. The old General, his father had been seriously ill last few years and chances of his surviving this year seemed highly unlikely. He swallowed, but didn't say anything.
"Sir, who will teach us hand to hand combat , now that you are leaving? His buddy asked? And I was thinking of beating you in 5 km battle run, this year, but of course you are not going to be there", he joked.
" Don't worry, i will come back to whip all you guys, in pistol shoot and battle tests, so better be prepared". The Colonel had an unbeaten record in both physical tests and pistol shooting, in the history of his regiment , besides being an expert in hand to hand combat. He relished the long hours training his men in fighting. Suddenly he was overcome by melancholy, who would he train with, now, outside as an ex army man? That thought struck an intense chord deep within him. Alone. Now he would be totally alone.
On the other side of the platform, few soldiers waited to see off a young officer of an infantry battalion off for his wedding. There was leg pulling going on, the officer visibly embarrassed but enjoying the banter with his troops.
A cold breeze blew, the sky was cloudy, it was the month of January, and the soldiers rubbed their palms together to stay warm, waiting for the train to arrive. Which it did. Both officers boarded the train . Having given a hug to the teary eyed men, Jack found his seat, pushed his only bag underneath the seat and looked outside at the fast moving scenery, the greenery of Punjab, moving along with the train chugging away at speed.
So, that's it. He thought to himself, now what? He had no intention of working under any civilian, once out in the civvie street. He had no need to. A man of frugal tastes, he neither went clubbing, being a coffee lover, nor did he travel away from his paternal home.
There would be no one to receive him. The train journey passed off uneventfully, and he de-trained, walking slowly, towards his uncertain future.
But the distracted chain of thoughts did not lend him to any reduced sense of alertness . Forever in a state of fighting readiness, he constantly scanned the platform for any hidden lurking danger. Quite too often he had read reports of criminal activity in the station. Gangs would snatch an unsuspecting man's hand baggage and run away, merging with the crowd. Once they melted away, there would be no chance of receiving the lost baggage.
The time in the platform clock showed 10 pm. Certain areas were dark and shadowy. Railway police personal would have by now finished their patrolling and only few police personnel could be on duty.
As the colonel stepped up to climb the stairs, a man pushed past him, making a grab for his hand bag. The Colonel side stepped, whipping a lightening fast forearm strike to the man's throat, sending him pitching forward flat on his face, grievously wounded. Immediately he scanned for more miscreants, finding none, he continued walking up the stairs and away from the scene of an unwanted episode he had hardly needed today .
Having replaced his combat fatigues for a denim jeans and a classic leather jacket, he looked quite a dapper and smart gentleman, a deceptive look for an ex army officer trained in one of the world's most lethal fighting systems, an Israeli combat system. The thief had been taken by surprise, unused to dealing with a fighting man, he had thought it would be a piece of cake, but it proved otherwise.
Elsewhere, another member of the gang of thieves, waited to share the spoils of the nights snatching. Little did he realize, it would be a long wait, as his partner in crime lay unconscious, knocked senseless by the Colonels swift response to the threat, neutralizing it as easy as swatting away a fly.
Having reached the car park, he located the waiting cab driver and got inside. He took a long sigh, it would be a long and lonely ride to his home, now. There would be no one to meet him home. The old General was in the hospital, and his mother too, as an attendant to look after his father. There were no servants , all having deserted a few weeks back. The home would bear a despondent look. But there had been no choice. Someone had to be there to look after the old and ageing parents. The city lights flashed by fast, Jack checked his phone, unnecessarily, for no one used to message him, nor call him. Outside his army, he had no friends. He was completely alone. There was no love in the cold, civilian life that awaited the Colonel. His hands closed instinctively into fists and he punched the seat in front hard, "damn, I need to get back to training", he thought, "or I would turn insane".
- Jaideep
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Friday, January 17, 2020
Saturday, December 14, 2019
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