I am in the midst of
covering some important temples in these blogs. But 2days back I came across a
video on Anupam Kher (from his recent Shimla visit), that touched me much and I
promptly shared with a few of my friends (which I will cover in the next blog
now as a sequel to what is to follow) …. And today (5.7.2021) I received this
from a very senior official. It moved me beyond words, then I thought of
putting it first immediately…. I am reproducing it verbatim.
*IT HAS
BEEN MORE THAN 20 YEARS SINCE THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE.... *
It’s Almost a Year Past., A Letter
from a Village in the State of Himachal Pradesh., Came to Ministry of Defense. The
Writer Introduced Himself as a School Teacher and Puts Forward a Request....
It Says., if Possible that His Only
Son Has Died a Heroic Death in the Kargil War and that the Day of His First
Death i.e., Memorial Day is Coming in a Few Days i.e. On 07/07/2000 and On the
Day of Remembrance of His Son's Death., He and His Wife would Like to See the
Place where His Son Died. It's Okay if You Can't., if it is Against National
Security., and Letter also Says that He is Withdrawing His application.
The Department Officer Who Read the
Letter., Said., It Does Not Matter whatever the Cost I will Pay (if Not Paid by
the Department) from my salary., to Bring the Teacher and His Wife to the Place
where the Boy had Died and An Order Issued Accordingly.
On the Day of Remembrance of the
Deceased Hero., the Elderly Couple Brought to the Ridge with Due Respect. When
He was Taken Near the Place where His Son had Died, everyone who were on Duty
Stood Erect and Saluted.
There
was Only One Soldier., with Hand-Full of Flowers., Bowed and Sprinkled on the
Teacher's Feet and Rubbed His Eyes and then He Stood Upright and Saluted Like
Everyone Else.
The Teacher was Stunned and Said...
“You are a Great Officer... Why should You Touch My Feet and Worship..? Like
Others could have Saluted and I would have Greeted You in Return..!”
“No Sir. Here I am a Slightly Different from Others., i.e.
Everyone who have Been Here on Duty and., Posted Less than a Year or So.” “I
was with Your Son who Fought with the Pakistanis on the Same Mountain Ridge in
the Same Regiment., and the One who Saw Your Son’s Heroism Live on the Field.
and Not Only that....” He Stopped for a Moment....
The Teacher Took the J.C.O's Hand and
Said “Tell me... Whatever it is Tell Me without any Fear... I will Not Cry.....”“I Know You will Not Cry.,
Sir... but I Should Not Cry'na....” the J.C.O. Continued....
“That's where the Pakistanis were
Shooting Hundreds of Bullets Per Minute with Their H.M.G. Five of Us Advanced
Up to a Distance of Thirty Feet., and We were Just Lurking Behind that Rock to
Watch. The Pakistanis are Also on the Verge of Retreating and Saw the Rock
(Us). Just., if They could able to See Us (Bit of Leg., Hand or Even Our Kit)
is Enough to Shatter the Bullets On Us. Indians Progress in the Scale of
Brigade Strength is Yet to Begin. We Don't Know what to Do..!! then....” The
J.C.O. Sighed a Little.
“What Happened..?” the Teacher
Enquired... J.C.O. Continued.....
“Their Shooting will be Going On... No Point in Wasting Time... I am
Going to Do the ‘Death
Charge’ this Thirty Feet., i.e., I am Going Take Their Bullets On Me., and Run to Their
Bunker and Throw the Grenade. After Destroying., You All Capture Their Bunker
and about to Run Towards Their Bunker with Grenade.”
“That’s
when Your Son Looked at Me. ‘Are you Crazy..? Your Wife and Children are
Depending on You., and I am Still Unmarried., and I will Do the Death
Charge and You Do the Covering’ and without
waiting for an Answer., He Ran for ‘Death Charge’ after Taking the Grenade
Forcibly from Me”
“Bullets
Shattered Down Like Rain from Pakistani H.M.G. Your Son Dogged Over and Reached
the Pakistani Bunker., and Took the Pin of the Grenade and Threw it Right into
the Bunker and Sent Thirteen Pakistanis to Death. H.M.G. was Paralyzed and the
Area Came Under Our Control.”
“I was the First to Lift and Evacuate
Your Son's Body. Sir., He had Forty-Two Bullets in His Body.,
Sir. I Lifted His Head in My Hand., Only then He Breathed His Last
Breath. I asked the Superior to Give the responsibility for Bringing the Coffin
to Your Village., but., Sir., Refused and another Important Duty to Do.”
“Maybe had I had the Privilege of
Lifting the Coffin I would have Put These Flowers at His Feet. I couldn't., but
I have the Privilege of Putting These flower at Your Feet., Sir.” and J.C.O.
Ends with a Sigh.
The Teacher's Wife of was Covering
Her Mouth with Sari and Crying Silently. The Teacher didn't cry., and Looked at
the J.C.O. decisively and the Soldier Didn't Cry., and Saw the Teacher.
Don't Know what the Teacher Thought.
From Shoulder Bag He Took a Package and Handed Over to the Soldier and said.,
“I bought a Shirt to My Son to Wear on when HE Come to Town on Leave., but He
Didn't. Then Came., the News of His Heroic Death...”
“Now.,
Who will Put on that Shirt... I Brought it to Keep it where He Died. Maybe He
will Come to This Place as a Vapor and Let it Put it on., but Now I Know Who is
to Wear This Shirt. Without Refusing., Please Take This.”
Tears Rolled Down on the eyes of the
Soldier., who Reached Out and Took it.
One last thing the Kargil Hero's Last
Word was *JAI HIND*
NOW ITS TIME TO KNOW......
Kargil
Hero's Name : Captain Vikram Batra.
Hero's
Father Name : Girdhari Lal Batra.
Hero's
Mother Name : Kamal Kanta.
P.
S. : My Dear Friends., These Peoples are Our Real Heroes. Unquote
Civilians, who may not have held a
grenade or even seen one except in movies, are demanding evidence for surgical
strikes or disputing the heinous Pulwama massacre of CRPF Jawans’. Be that the
case one must salute the supreme sacrifice of Captain Vikram Batra for our mother
land and also share in the sorrow of his great parents-though this has happened
decades ago. It is because soldiers like Capt. Batra gave their life for the
mother land, many are now able to do endless debates on the TV and social media !.
Jai Hind.
(Such real incidents must be included in the course
syllabus for our children. There are plenty of heroes down the centuries, if one
cares to recall them. Not what was being covered/taught earlier during our
student days. I have absolutely no idea of current curricula though.)
Be happy. Be safe.
ॐ तत् सत्
8 AM
