Saved thy legs

SAVED THY LEGS
The place was IMA : Indian Military Academy at Dehradun where discipline and soldiering is drilled inside the human body. Those coming from Military schools and colleges feel they have boarded a reserved compartment and have a smooth go while those afresh to this new way of life feel themselves imprisoned at least for the first six months and later sail in the same boat . The first six months end with an Exercise where one goes to forests in a mountainous regions to put into practice what all is learnt in theory for comprehending the subject better.
Everyone was on their heels on the morning of 12Dec87 collecting their packed breakfast for it was too early to have it at 0600h in the shivering cold. The packs were half hanging on everyone’s shoulder as had to be taken out after boarding the trucks and buses which were lined up properly for embarking them. There was a long queue to withdraw weapons from the kot (place where weapons are kept safely) and some were fixing the rifle slings so that it could be carried on the shoulders easily . Soon there was a long whistle and all the GC’s (Gentlemen Cadets) stood in a ‘fall in’. The Under officer gave the report to the DS (Directing Staff) who asked everyone to clear the rifle chamber by cocking the rifle and firing in air to ensure safety that there is no bullet in the rifle chamber, gave some important instructions and said, ”Mount.”
Everyone rushed into the vehicles to get a good seat and the buses started off. One behind the other there were 8 vehicles full and soon we were in the outskirts of Dehradun into the thick jungle after about 2 hrs of the journey. The area was at the piedmont and hence more or less plain as it was the start point from where we were to proceed further by foot. Everyone dismounted after reaching there and were busy fixing their packs on their backs by helping each other. The load was enormous comprising basic requirements and a bedding to sleep at night .After dismounting soon everyone was in their respective groups. The area was distributed and I along with 10 GCs was busy digging out the defences which was a hard work of about 3 hours.
“Gentlemen your breakfast timing will be dovetailed in your working hours so carryon and be ready for the next task by1200h.” Said the DS
We knew what would happen if our defences are not ready by 1200h(We would not be able to sleep the whole night) so we were on it. I had a toast of omelette in my mouth and was looking at others while they carried on digging and the same was done by me when the others had their toast in their mouth. But we had hot coffee together from the canter placed in the vehicle. Soon we were seen huffing, puffing and sweating back to work. Our clothes were mingled with mud and the soil grains could be felt under our socks. We rested in turns and after about two and a half hours we expected that we would be able to finish our work in time and thus would be able to sleep today. Soon the whistle blew and we all were again standing in a ‘fall in’.
“Gentlemen you may rest for about half an hour , do your administration work and then we are going in for a raid” announced the DS.
“What? A raid during daytime ? Is he out of his senses ? “I said to my friend, Deepak.
“No not the actual one, but for practice which we will be going in the night” Deepak said to me in a whispering voice standing next to me.
The raid meant going at least 8km and after killing the mock enemy return 8 km.
“Since this will be a mock raid so we will go only about 3 km.” Said the DS as if he was doing a favour to us.
But still 3 km in mountains up the slope was too much as we had to go again in the evening for the actual raid. We some how got ready with our packs and started off in the desired direction up the hill. We were hitting the stones with our shoes enroute, got scratches on out faces from the thick ‘Sarkanda grass’ which has razor sharp leaves. The packs were heavy and with the weapons a lot of stress on shoulders could be felt to which we soon got used to it. There was no water in the complete route so only our water bottles were the source which could help us fight dehydration and I made sure that not more than one third will I consume till the time we reach midway so that enough reserve is left for the return journey. We reached midway after sometime and were tired due to which everyone sat like a dropped sack and was not ready to move inspite of repeated requests made by our team leader. But after frequent requests one of us took the initiative and joined him in motivating others to raise them on their feet and after lot of persuation managed to succeed. We did a drill of killing the mock enemy and after this had to return.
We started back but reached early due to the descend down hill. It was 1600h and we were already late for the lunch .The vehicle containing our hot food was waiting for us with the complete catering staff. We had the delicious lunch and were to attend a debriefing class on conduct of raid after this.
“What did we do now and why this class after conduct of the raid, it should have been taken before we went for the raid practice”, I said to the DS.
“10 front rolls and after that I will answer your question”, the DS said to me.
Tuned to roll on DS orders with out thinking I started off rolling and quietly sat down in my seat on the ground to listen to what he had to say further.
“Gentlemen this raid was done the way it was not supposed to be. Now one by one you will speak out the mistakes made by you ”
“Then what are you meant for?” I said to myself but did not ask him this time.
The points were given by all of us one by one. I wondered how everyone was able to answer when pressurised and if they already knew the answer why did they commit the mistake at the first place itself. I dozed off in between.
The lecture rather a discussion finished after about an hour and we were broken off for another 2 hours after which we were to give our detailed orders one by one in the night and thereafter then were to go for the actual raid after dinner at about 2200h and return by 0200h next day ,this time on a different route and 8 km one side. Our minds were numb. It is this time which actually matters as the degree of difficulty is much more and we were to be assessed on it. We were busy preparing the orders for its delivery before the dinner and finally be prepared for conduct of the actual raid. We carried on like this all night and finally returned after carrying out the raid by 0330 h.
We were then in our areas not to rest but to be prepared for the enemy attack .The DS was away about a km far from us and we were all scattered in our respective locations. Our eyes could hardly open as were sleepy .our legs had already said,
” Thank you! I am sorry but I cannot carry you anymore.”
Our brain however kept us alive and was repeatedly saying,
”Never give up you are under test now.”
In order to have a bit of good night sleep we selected a place in between tall ‘Sarkanda grass’ which was about five feet plus in height and dry. No one could make out what was lying below the grass at the ground level and if some one would attempt to approach us the noise of the dry disturbed grass would wake us up from sleep thereby giving us enough time to move to a safe place inside our trenches which we had dug just nearby about 5 -10 m ahead where we were actually supposed to be present. We lined up for sleeping one by one in parallel positioning ourselves laying our bedrolls in between those tall Sarkanda grasses and covered ourselves with the blanket and were dead logs thereafter. No amount of disturbance could now wake us up so easily.
At around 0200h in the night I felt some vibrations in my body. These were external vibrations and not emanating from inside. The soil grains vibrated so did my body cells on the epidermis. I overlooked it and went to sleep again. Again it happened for the second time, this time with the greater intensity. I felt a bit uncomfortable longing to know what it was due to so I got up and could see a flash of light on the top of the sarkanda grass for a second, this happened 2 to 3 times so I got up and saw the area around over the grass top. I could see two bright truck lights facing me and this time the lights hit my pupils straight and I closed my eyes with my hand over my face. I then realised it was advancing towards us with its right wheels straight on to our legs and was at a distance of about 20 m from us. The speed was slow since it was advancing through the uneven field. I immediately pushed Arun who was sleeping next to me to get up as the truck was heading towards us. He said that it will not as it would turn to other side when it comes near us and dozed off again. I tried to wake up Akshay also who also acted in the same way and did not show any interest in getting up. The time was less and the truck was now getting closer. I immediately advanced towards that truck with both my hands raised up .The driver saw me and halted as I approached the vehicle from the co driver’s side by stepping on the footrest of the truck with one leg on it and the other hanging. I asked the driver,
“Aapko pata hai ki aage kya hai?”(Do you know what is in the front?)
The driver replied ,” Khaali ghaas hi to hai”(Its only the grass)
Now I was convinced that he did not know that there were 20 live human legs lying parallel to each other on the ground to be crushed at one go within few seconds had this driver not stopped. I apprised him of the fact and he also was shocked to know of this as a result of which he immediately turned his truck to the left. I got down instructing him to carefully see and drive the vehicle to which he agreed and went away thanking me.
I returned satisfied to my place on the ground and wanted to share the good work I had done but everyone was sleeping to glory so I did not think it correct to disturb anyone at this time to inform what had happened. I sat for some time thought of what all happened and then lied down on my bedroll to complete my sleep but was not feeling safe due to this incident which could have happened had I not been awake more so as we were not visible from anywhere outside the grass. I was thus half sleep and soon the chirping of birds gave the message of outbreak of dawn. I asked Arun to get up but he avoided it . After sometime a whistle was heard and everyone got up, turn by turn quietly rolled their bedrolls and proceeded towards the trenches to take position in them before the DS arrived to check our presence there. After we were in the trenches I narrated to Arun what all happened .
“You did a great job but keep it to yourself only as it would reveal our secret and you know what will happen if the DS comes to know of it “he said and probably he was right. I also convinced myself as it would have harmed more than the praise I would have received so kept quiet.
We finished our exercise and came back to Dehradun in one piece intact . This was the price I received for which I am thankful to God forever and have a great sense of satisfaction that I could save all the legs including mine that day on which we are walking today.