a day in a soldiers life
All of twenty one he stood tall and straight
his uniform crisp and new
among hundreds of fellow brothers
he held his head high in pride and
thought about his parents and his villagers
his thoughts went back from the time he had
played police and robbers with his childhood friends
running and screaming among the fields
now with a smile he thought of how he would spend
the three months break he would get with his family
he planned what to buy for his mother
and the bottle of whiskey he would buy from the canteen
should keep dad going for a week he thought smiling
to himself.
the whole night was spent without sleeping
but sharing stories and jokes with other jawans
little did they know
Early morning brought their corporal
to their quarters asking them to assemble as quickly as possible
three years of training brought them to their feet
and he and his group were ready in fifteen minutes
standing erect with other groups facing their officer
they were told that their leave had been cancelled
for they were going towards the border
at first he felt dissapointed that his leave was being cancelled
and that he wouldnt get to see his family whom he had last seen
six months back.
but dissapointment soon turned to excitement that he would be
facing action and he would get to put his training
to test and finally realise his dreams of fighting for his country
little did he know
In trucks they were transported,then aboard a military cargo plane
they travelled in the night,the darkness and their silence
of quiet anticipation to see and do battle
boys will be boys
little did they know
from plane to a truck and the journey continued
and they finally reached the mountains
the warm clothing only went so much in keeping them warm
whispers of many being killed slowly reached their ears
but fear had still to reach its claws into their heart
in the still of night,hushed voices and the cold freezing air
they marched towards and into the mountains
little did they know
They were separated into groups of five and
then told their mission one which they had already suspected
insurgents from pakistan on suicide missions to kashmir
so what was new they joked with each other
and off they went,fifty to five
from hundreds who had trained as brothers
and knew each other by name and the small jokes they
had played on each other they were fifty and now to five
He was the smartest and led into the darkness
and a routine border security march
turned into a routine in hell
his closest friend,one with whom he had shared
the sweets sent by his mother jerked and toppled over
in the dark thinking he must have tripped he bent
to lift him up and that saved him for now
for the others who were standing all jerked and toppled
and one toppled on top of him nearly crushing him
the warm blood gushing out of all his fellow soldiers
and splattering on him brought him to his senses and training
told him that a sniper was shooting at them
little did he know.
excitement,anticipation and youth all now crumbled
in the realisation that his brothers were all dead around him
all of twenty one and a man yet to become a man in full bloom
training took over and lying low he crawled slowly in the dark
and took refuge behind some thick bushes
an ordinary soldier with a rifle and meagre rations and clothing
fighting a superior enemy armed with night vision glasses
and the latest machine guns and ammunition
what could be the outcome
They mercilessly hunted him down with eyes in the dark
and all he could hear was stealthy noises all around him
not knowing from which direction the enemy would come
he silently prayed to god for help and revenge
he wanted to at least kill a few enemies before dying
of which he was certain and that kind of certain knowledge
gives one wings to fly and superhuman strength
even if it is for just a few seconds
little did he know and little did they know
even with night vision the enemy missed him
hiding in the bushes
hero for a second he rose and fell on them
and the explosion from his grenades
ripped him first and then the four of them
his body torn and death just a second away
he thought about his mother
and the military uniform she had brought for his fifth
birthday.
with a smile and tears washing the blood on his face
he passed on.
In memory of all those countless,nameless brave soldiers
who have died and die everyday in protecting me and my brothers and sisters.
I sleep well at night because they are protecting me and are ready and
willing to die so that i can be safe.
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
