Nature aflame in its pristine glory;
bold brush by the Devine Artist
in
his creative fury.
Prayer and peace.
The East was red,
and cool.
Steel grey Thinglian, Rullam and Tawitlang were
stark silhouettes in the misty morning haze,
and Eastern Mizoram was only a whiter shade of black,
at
dawn;
but darker in ninteen sixty seven trying to set itself free
from the 'Vai'.
_________ Oh! what a convoluted desire ________.
Untold misery,
brought on many a content 'Kapu'.
and soldier blue, alike.
Death and horror _______.
Wreath on the Memorial to mourn,
and resurrect the 19 AR Dead,
in
the rising sun . . . . .
Pipping of the SM – Old Passang Tamang,
all aglow;
as
Honorary Captain;
silent sentinel in the saddle of Serchchip – Tlang!
The East was golden ________
The warm smile of satisfaction barely flickering on his face
hewn in granite,
on
seeing me at last, in the Gorkha hat
and the Assam Rifles sky blue.
Celebrations.
New motto – "Uddhaymo hi pari puja".
Best Post trophy.
Mina Bazaar and Durbar.
Tug – o – war; ________
the rope broke again and again,
old 'Kappus' and older ranks joined hands,
to
heave ho!
The BDO was glad;
said "19 AR band wasn't bad”.
Gave away a cash prize and had a drink or two.
on
the quiet (!)
Bara Khana
and 'Kalroh' – 'Kalroh' in pouring rain,
the kids were happy
It
was too good to be true.
Fourteen hundred hours _______,
My
telephone rings _______
Doc Tumbi all atwitter 'Sir, Sir, five dead in Mat River.
Shivers.
The damned MNF again !
as
predicted by Range!
"No Sir", the Doc stuttered,
"it’s the Pioneer’s guard that has caused the carnage;
and I hear that they are not giving up".
'Good Lord;
I
exclaimed and how I wished it was the MNF!
The situation was black.
'Wait', I said, 'I'll come down'.
_________ cracking commands.
Located Chou. – "Follow me with forty of our best,
armed to fight ( if need be ________
our breathren in arms )".
"Inder,
go look up the wounded in Serchhip hospital and arrange air
evac".
'Come SM Saab, let us go' ( hope he gives me some ideas )
_______
Old SM was already there;
pistol; the much wanted epaulettes;
all decked out to pass his maiden test in the Captain's
rank;
Tricky situation.
The radio's dead and disturbing news _______
No, ________ I can hear,
the Dogras, but cannot send.
Vehicle breaks down!
No
officer in the Range can be raised!
-------- now I must depend on my savvy and military horse
sense;
(
And of course exercise the potential (?) of my command ).
Mat river at long last ______ the Dogra 2IC well in control
Pioneers disarmed,
situation taken over by self.
Poor Pioneers ______
look like sheep,
their basha in shambles,
gore and entrails _______
ransacked ______ they were stormed by a frenzied mob.
BRTF Grade one lost;
OC
police wanted to march
_______ 'Have a heart', I said 'you can't take away my
friends.
I'll bring them, disarmed; as also the BRTF half dead.”
JCOs in Officers club for the Independence Day Dinner,
__________ all the same KB chased out to retire.
'Have a drink! I said, 'Huncha Huzoor',
"alikati
khanu parcha". the SM said,
'Kina bhane aju ta sapai kura bhayo!"
