I switched on the television in search of some channel that was showing the celeberations of the day... and as usual I came across an NDTV exclusive ( I know, I know... damn the channel ;) ).
This was a special episode that managed to revive my faith in humanity. For some reason, obviously as dumb as me, I felt a swell of pride at being an Indian. At being the grand daughter, niece and great grand daughter of brigadiers, captains and colonels alike.
Families on both side of the border suffered loss because of the wars fought between the two countries. Most soldiers who died during these wars were listed Missing, by either side. And this left behind wives, mothers and sisters still living in hope that maybe one day, their loved ones would walk back, alive.
Today, I saw an army officer, who survived the war, make an effort to seek out the family of a Pakistani soldier who died in his arms, and to inform them of his brave demise. The news was bound to bring grief and an end to the hope that the family lived on... but it also filled them with pride to learn that their son/husband/father died because of a bullet in his chest, not his back. That he died in the line of duty, and died a brave soldier.
Similarly, a father, also a retd army officer, was told of the brave end of his son in the line of fire, by a Pakistani officer who survived the war. He proudly told the father of how his son single handedly stopped the advance of 13 tanks even after being severely hurt.
...it mustave brought grief, no doubt about it.. but then it's an army thing, I can tell from experience... that families accept deaths of their soldiers with great pride and honor. It mustave made the families proud to learn that their sons died fighting for their country.
"You'll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race," says George Bernard Shaw... and how very true...
Bravery doesn't come to all of us. And when it does, it doesn't come easy. And there are millions of people on either side of the border who've given up their lives in the name of their country. In the name of land. Let alone dying, they live under horrible conditions; no facilities, lack of food, clothing... and on top of that they are payed meagre wages. Where on one side, war is a question of upholding honor it is also the fastest and cruelest ways of tackling the population problem. On a more serious note.. I think this initiative by NDTV and the army officers concerned is superb. Because bravery doesn't have borders. And families need to know....they just do.
I absolutely promised myself to not question myself about why wars even need to be fought and why people must die (again)...and I'm going to stick to it. So, this post is only to salute these soldiers who have fought fearlessly, without giving a thought about their own lives, to make mine more secure. To families who have, with even more bravery, (??) borne the loss of these soldiers with pride. And a prayer that there need be no more wars at all in the future. That families across the globe need never have to suffer such loss again.
To all soldiers and their families, I bow down.
P.S: written on sunday, the 15th of January 2005..hence, the "today"
"I shot him dead because –
Because he was my foe,
Just so – my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although
-THOMAS HARDY
one of the war poems i read and reread many times...just like it is said in the GITA...it is the soldier's dharma to fight and die in war and no one can rubbish it.
"Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown.."
'love the poem.. and how very true.
I really like this initiative NDTV's taken.
I am full of gratitude for the men who protect our border, and despite my hate for war, I know that if it weren't for them, you and I would be in the midst of it.
Kaushik.
P.S. Please explain what waaande mataram is? I was always under the impression that it was more like "vande mataram"
Hi Preets!
I too did have some serious thought on the same, while watching the NDTV exclusive! And even i had serious discussions over with my friends!
Never the less, when it came for me to key it down in my blog, I was totally blank, with no words!
You have written it to a perfect 10! Keep Going! Godspeed!
Enjoyed reading your post. Coming from a quasi-military background, I could very much identify with the spirit of it all. Remember, the soldier is the only one who is ready to lay down his life for the country. How many of us are? That's one thing you need to admire about men and women in armed forces. The other thing I admire (and I wish at least a part of it comes to civil life) is the punctuality and discipline.
i agree with all of you and it's like you guys have snatched words out of my mouth
lol...now that KAUSHIK seems to have mentioned it, the other meaning does seem to clear out from a blurry one.
"waande"- in the dialect spoken in mumbai means trouble or a problem as in "aaj to waanda ho gaya"
i am sure that it was a harmless mistake but like they say the most harmless can cause the greatest harm....thanks KAUSHIK for bringing it up
@kaushik: i was wondering where a mistake pointing would come. lol. thanks by the by. i dint realise.
@d'pak: thanku for your kind words.
@pradeep: aah...military?? thank you for coming by. i'm glad you enjoyed the post. 'hope to c u again.
@sis: thankus.
@c.k: ggggggggrrrrrrrr... got it. got it. stop pulling my leg. lol, i'd totally forgotten the mumbai waanda. shukriya anyway.
thanks for visitng guys! bless you.
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Something I read:
"War is the worst thing that humans do, but the soldiers who fight wars are the very best of humanity."
makes sense to me!!
thanks for visiting. 'hope to c u again...
i know, that poem is amazing...very heartfelt post...there is something beautiful about going down fighting...but to not question wars?read catch 22, if you haven't already...or Kurt Vonnegut's slaughterhouse five...they drove home the point much more effectively than i can...
Hey preetika, we all respect our soldiers since they are on the borders so that we can sleep in our home safely. Nice article keep it up. Jai Hind
@the monk: the reason i've said i wnt question wars was 'cuz i've already done so in a previous post. you can chk out here:
http://wenisaynothing.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_wenisaynothing_archive.html
@rahul: thank you for your kind words.
thanks for visitng guys!
dunno. i'm more of a pacifist.
i don't like wars, though they're thrilling and passionate and all.
As, most of the time the ultimate reality remains that no good can come of it.
JAI HIND!!
@amelie: i dnt like them either. but since they did happen..
@sis: lol. yeah.
thanks for visitng guys!
do you, as a rule, not type the second 'i' in visiting, as in 'thanks for visit(i)ng guys!'
na.. 'was in a hurry :) and i c u've taken on kaushik's job.
preetika, If article is such a nice than people has to come to read it no need to thanks it was a very nice article keep it up.
thanks rahul. (again..lol)