Home means many things – nostalgia, pride, belonging. But Home also beats with many heartbeats, not just mine. In this part, you’ll hear Amit Bhargav’s pulse – exuberant and full of camaraderie bringing in the pulse and colour of the reunion. And once the music settled and the stories paused Manu Chacko offered his gentle thank you, the closing note: a reminder that gratitude ties us all together. Between them, they complete what I could only begin. This is unedited and carries the sentiments of the writers.
Laying it Raw
Started from Delhi with a heartbeat of 72 and that settled at 152, a heart beat normal for a SW, as I reached the precincts of the Sky Warriors. And some welcome it was, need to find a better word than awesome.
Bear hugs and back slaps do make your body sore but your soul smiles. That human touch and the recounting of days long gone has a magical effect in the time worn bodies. We all need witnesses to our lives and who better than meeting with your old partners in crime...and plenty of them.
In children of the unit we once again saw the faces of our own toddlers, with whom we could not spend much time due to various commitments at that stage and realized what all we have missed in our lives. But the fact that those children have blossomed into fine humans, makes the heart swell with pride.
We all must have done some good in our times, as the legacy of love, affection and excellence is writ large on the everything in 152. That sense of pride is hard to achieve but easy to fritter away, and the fact that it seems consistent is an ode to the leadership down the decades.
Tiger is the team and the Team is the tiger. A wave of hand, a subtle nod or an eye contact was enough to get things done. Zen is the word which may just begin to describe the exalted state of calmness in the unit. Tiger runs a tight ship and unit willingly follows.
Eight months to prepare for Staff College is a fine legacy to leave and the response seems to be amazing.
Man may leave but memories don't and our in house raconteur made them fresh again with his stage presence and skills in the party hosted by Major General CS Pannu. Leg pulling, if any, was missed by me as I had a date with Mata Vaishno and barely made it to the jig. Boy, I would have missed a great ambience had I had been a bit late. Moments like these are the biggest take aways at this stage of life.
Oldies dancing making way from places far and wide and dancing away to glory was perhaps the moment to savour, these people just added layers of pure camaraderie.
Our boys have a plenty of sense of humour and they deploy it wisely enough, while recounting your crimes, to confuse you as to whether it is appreciation or the condemnation coming your way. Better to take it as appreciation and carry on.
Facilities are becoming 5 star and with it comes some regret of joining the unit a decade or two earlier.
Old soldiers fade away...well not quite, our oldest man did patti parades better than most of us to attend every event on time...and his wife looked like fresh cherry in new ensemble on each occasion, as did most of the veteran couples. A big salute to their formidable spirit.
Wise words and sane advice was given by the generation gone by to the present one...Fine Principles always remain relevant...One for all and all for one is what makes the Army what it is...and we will be fine till we remember that.
Hospitality is not about fine stays but all about the finest warmth that one generates. Surely we carry enough of warmth to last for a couple of years.
Lezim (or Lazium is a folk dance from Maharashtra, India, named after the instrument it features: a wooden stick with jingling cymbals. The dance incorporates vigorous, strenuous calisthenic moves and is often used as a fitness drill by schools and institutions, especially during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi) is something that we are genetically modified to do and when the beats find the crescendo it finds us ahead of it. Veterans may have beaten the present ones in this one aspect.
Workshop officers can be trusted to extend their covers over the years. One Brigadier did exactly that to add to our festivities. As it is when one joins us he may check out but shall never leave.
Ladies of the unit were a step ahead in welcoming all and the way they interacted, it seemed that years were never ever present between past and the present.
Unit will get to 60 and 70 too...with a champion cyclist at the helm we may soon see this outfit producing an Olympian with a medal.
Every brick wants to be a wall...And this one perhaps became part of the finest and the tallest of the walls. Nothing but gratitude for being part of that wall.
As we trudge back with heavy legs and heavier hearts nothing but a prayer reaches out from the bottom of the heart to god high above to give the adversaries of the SW a chance to survive because this lean, mean and dirty pack will give no quarter and ask for none.
Jeet...Hamesha Jeet.
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Chacko’s words reminded us of the quieter strength behind all the noise. A thank you note – simple and heartfelt
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Gratitude
Lot of good words and blessings have been showered on the current team for the event. We are grateful for the same and mindful of certain moments where we slipped and will learn from them. The major weight has been pulled by the youngsters and they deserve all the kudos.
It was our privilege and honour to welcome the senior guests / veterans to the unit. Irrespective of rank, we have tried to give the same courtesy to all. Our endeavour was to keep everyone close and reduce travel time compromising on some wonderful Guest Rooms offered by the main Cantonment.
We wish we had more time to hear old stories about the Regiment. Possibly we should cater for enabling events in next get together.
We wish we had more time to discuss Regimental affairs and agendas for improvement. Again time was an impediment.
We wish we could spend more time together. And more importantly more time with our men with whom we grew up. However, life can afford only so little such moments.
We wish to lay a foundation for a culture wherein there is no requirement for anyone to nudge us to comeback especially on special occasions.
We wish the Regimental WhatsApp group discusses matters of relevance rather creating divisions based on political affiliation and religious divides. Thankfully we didn’t have any during the celebrations which gives us hope that those were harmless banters on social media while being idle. Also bring back the officers who graciously exited and extend apologies for erring.
It is a short sojourn. Hopefully our acts should seed worthy qualities in our future generations.
Thank you for taking out time and money to make this trip, doing all the patti parades, being on time and being there as role models worthy of emulating.
Your presence for the last few days has definitely energised us and certainly act as a booster to push the envelope for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
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Between memories, heartbeats and gratitude lies the truth of Regimental life. We carry it in our bones, we relive it in reunions, and we pass it forward in any which we can and will do with every Raising Day yet to come.
My Regiment. My Home. Always.
As always … beautifully written!! 👌👌
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