Every few years, for some time now, I have experienced periods flecked with extreme nostalgia. A yearning for the life that I have had the good fortune
of living as an army man’s daughter. During these periods I tend to watch
umpteen Hindi war films. To tone down the drama I turn to documentaries and
books that talk about the conquests of the Indian military (partition of India, India-Pakistan relations,
Operation Blue Star etc.). The more I read and research the history of the
Indian Armed Forces, the more I feel proud of the fact that my father gave 33
years of his life to this glorious establishment.
Life as a child in various army cantonments was wonderful.
Except for Papa’s long drawn absences due to temporary duties in militant
infested areas, things were simple and times were happy. Rows of identical
cream and red houses, olive green tarpaulin covered Shaktiman trucks, squeaky clean surroundings, black trunks with our
address neatly stenciled in white, sahayak
bhaiyyas in their green vests and khaki pants and the oddly comforting
similarity of the way army families lived and behaved are snapshots indelibly
etched in my memory.
Being an army child taught me several things. For starters,
I learnt the art of adapting and adjusting to new situations in a blink of an
eyelid. There was never any time to fret or mope. Every three years Papa
received his posting order which inevitably set in motion a series of events.
Bidding adieu to friends at school and in the colony, the frenetic cleaning and
packing that ensued, waiting for our truck full of stuff to arrive at the new
station, living out of boxes in a temporary accommodation till a permanent
house was allotted, the first day at yet another new school – every new experience taught me invaluable lessons - lessons which have helped me deal with life’s countless curve balls.
Some may opine that such frequent changes are detrimental to
a child’s growth. I refuse to agree with them. Apart from making me versatile
and strong, these constant movements allowed me to explore the length and
breadth of my country. It made me appreciate the rich diversity that India has
to offer. From the apple orchards of J&K and Himachal to the rivers of
South India and from the lush green tea gardens of Assam and Arunachal to the
sand dunes of Rajasthan and Gujarat, I am lucky enough to have my very own
memories of each region.
The importance of a disciplined and wholesome life is
something that I have come to respect even more now that I am no longer
associated with the forces. Working in a corporate establishment, one quickly
realizes how difficult it is to maintain a lifestyle that promotes not just
professional growth but also personal well being. Long hours at work and the
constant pressure of deadlines leave little if not zero time for sports, books,
friends and family. I feel extremely pained when I see most people, high up in
the pecking order, suffering from obesity, high blood pressure, hypertension
etc. Is this the price that they pay for their status and big bucks?
Growing up we had free and easy access to facilities that
most people in the civil pay exorbitant prices for. As a result, early in life
my brother and I learnt to swim and play squash. The opportunity to interact
with people from all over the country helped us learn how to break the wall of
cultural differences and reach out. Furthermore, we were taught the true
meaning of unity. We weren’t Punjabis
or Gujaratis or Tamilians. Neither were we Hindus or Muslims or Sikhs. We were all,
in one way or the other, members of the olive green family.
Ingenuity and creativity come naturally to army men and
their families. From utilizing the black iron trunks as settees by wrapping
them in colourful coverlets to metamorphosing the fierce looking Shaktiman trucks into harmless looking
school buses by tacking metal cut outs of Tom and Jerry on them - examples of
resourcefulness are found in every nook and corner of an army setup. This very
trait has helped me tackle life’s innumerable sticky situations.
While, at first, the
glitter of big fat pay checks and foreign travels offered by multinational
companies might seem alluring, I personally believe that the pride, honour and
stability that a career in the armed forces brings along is unmatchable. Over
time the everyday drudgery of a corporate career starts to feel monotonous and
dull. On the contrary, life in the forces is always brimming with adventure. It
is most certainly not a life meant for the faint hearted. It is a life that
will make you push your limits and learn to survive. It is a life that I have
enjoyed to the fullest and even though I know I will never be able to live it
again, I at least have my satchel full of memories that I can pull out every
now and then and reminisce to my heart’s content.
