Idhar Udhar Ki Baat

  “Yaar, the new Commanding Officer(CO) is top-notch—he’s whipped the unit admin into shape in just three months!” the Havildar remarked to his buddy, a Naik, as they sat on a bench at the Jammu Railway Station. Their suitcases covered with camouflage pattern cover, marked with their ranks and names, caught my eye.   I found myself wondering if soldiers ever exchanged similar reviews of my command. “Yes ustad, but the pichla (previous) CO was better although I was always on my toes. During his command the unit killed twelve terrorists. It felt like I was really contributing to something important.” “I don’t know about the previous CO as I was out of the unit. But, You? Making a difference? Aren’t you just the CO’s photographer? What kind of sense of achievement can you get from clicking pictures?” “I feel I had a major contribution in getting the twelve terrorists killed and also ensuring the operational efficiency of the unit.” “You are talking as if you were the adjutant of

  "Yeh kadam ka ped agar maan hota yamuna teere……." These lines by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan come to mind as I pass the kadam tree, sheltering the statue of Brahmastra from sun and rain. The tree's yellow pom-pom blossoms often go unnoticed by those who bow their heads to the towering tricolour nearby. As I move on, the sight of the café and the cinema hall comes into view. The hall feels like sitting inside a tunnel; it’s also the place of my first public pretense as a child. I had come to watch an English movie with friends, but not knowing "chikni angreji," I simply laughed whenever they did. Ahead, I spot the dilapidated building of my old school, peeking through tall elephant grass. I’m reminded of the countless punishments I faced for being a poor student, but the sight of a crab and a tortoise crushed under a truck’s wheels the night before reminds me that, at least, I survived. Just a few meters away, a newly built path has started caving in. I wo