Idhar Udhar Ki Baat

"Don’t go out, just watch," said my father’s Tamilian  friend, who was in his early nineties. His attendant had arrived to change his diaper, and he wanted me to witness the process. In that moment, I suddenly realized that such helplessness could one day happen to me too. It felt like he had made me stay to drive home that very point. As I twitched my nose a little to block out the smell, he added, "Now, maybe you'll understand why I said it’s good your father passed away in his sixties. He was spared this shame, pain, and inconvenience." I remembered his utterance when my father died and fond him to be illogical and strange. I reflected on how this man, once the pillar of strength for the entire village, was now so vulnerable. Sensing my thoughts, he said, "I’m still better off than many others." I admired his positive attitude and couldn’t resist asking, "How is that, Uncle?" He explained, "I receive a pension, so I can af...

  HANDS OF GOD "Saab there is a Regimental Medical Officer waiting for you ever since you had gone to Operation theatre. I told him it may take more than two hours but he decided to wait,” informed the Nursing Assistant as soon as Major Bhupinder Singh, the Maxillofacial Surgeon sat down in his office. "You should have told him to come tomorrow as that is the nominated officer’s OPD day," said Bhupinder "I told him so but he said that he doesn’t have any ailment and he wants to meet you otherwise." "Okay call him in, it is already late for lunch and we have called someone for a meal." A minute later an officer in combat dress walked in and saluted to say, "Jai Hind Sir, I am Captain Babu I had come here to meet my unit soldier Sepoy SP Singh. Two months ago, he got an enemy bullet on his face and you operated on him. When I evacuated him, I didn’t think he could survive and if he did, he would have to keep his face covered for the rest ...

  " Kisi bhi Jawan ko kabhi gali mat dena (Don't abuse a Jawan)," said Subedar Bhagat Singh (Retd) when I met him during my first leave after passing out. Subedar Bhagat Singh met me when I was coming back from the shop after purchasing milk.  I had touched his feet. As advised by my father I was to touch the feet to pay my respects to all the ex-servicemen of the village, when I met them in public,  irrespective of the rank they retired. It was already twenty minutes and the discourse of Subedar Bhagat Singh was not coming to an end. I could get away only when someone called, " Tipu teri mummy bula rahi hai (Tipu your mother is calling). On the second day again, I met Subedar Mela Singh and he took off. All this while my mother was waiting for the onions for the tadka . After four days my mother got fed up of my standing in the street, listening to the ex-servicemen. She banned me from leaving the house. In those four days I got some good practical lessons f...

  “My source tells me that there are four Tamil Tigers who establish a sort of check post at Kirimchi crossroad. I hope you know it is your company area of responsibility,” said the Commanding officer with a bit of anger. “I know that sir, it is just four kilometers from my post,” I replied. “I am told these Tamil Tigers collect tax from the locals there. This means that you are not dominating your area of responsibility. I give you one week… you should either kill these Tamil Tigers or force them to leave the area.” “Wilco, sir.” That day in the evening, I asked the company, “We are extensively patrolling our area of responsibility yet, the Tamil Tigers are collecting tax from the people at Kirimchi Crossroads.” “Saab, we always move out on foot. This gives enough time to the civilians, who are on the lookout, to run ahead and warn the Tigers. We will have to change the way we move,” said Hari, the two-inch mortar detachment commander. “We do not have vehicles as t...