Well, its just been a few days that our Republic day has gone by...and since i being a defence personnel's kid, every year its almost as a ritual that we all in the family on this day would get up early ,done with all our morning chores and couched comfortably on the sofa, bean bags or chairs in front of the TV as early as 7.00 in the morning waiting for the Republic day Parade to get started. My Dad an Ex Indian Navy Officer, would take pride on guiding us and telling us about all the Marching Contingents and telling us the stories of those regiments, the medals that they had won and their acts of bravery and valor.
Looking at the Parade on this day, I had always had this feeling where the normal Janta i feel takes it lightly or for that matter is basically oblivious of what is the life of a soldier, their day to day routine and of course their family life. Its this thought that actually made me write this post.
My Dad, had joined Indian Navy quite early when he was hardly even 18 and continued serving the nation till he was 52. He had his first Posting in Mumbai. My mom back then, newly married had just joined him and at that time Mumbai was called Bombay and for all the people living in Villages used to call it Bombai nagri in a sense of awe. She too had played an immense role in bringing us up, getting us educated and making us whatever we are today. Being in the Navy and especially when you are deployed on a ship means that you are actually sailing almost 6 to 8 months in a year or in case if the ship is being commissioned from another country meant that you had to be there an entire year or even more than that. Given the technical Prowess and the scientific advancements that our country has made now, most of the warships now are made in India itself. But back then these warships had to be procured from other Country and most of the times it was Russia, UK and the US. Dad of his 34 years of service had been on a ship for more than 18 years, where these ships were being sent for good will visits to other Country with whom India shared a good rapport. I remember those days when Dad used to come after a long stint and the moment he was home i used to hug him tightly and he would embrace me with equal fervor.
There was a Unique fresh smell that use to come from his clothes whenever he was back from the ship, and that he use to tell me was of the freshener that was used along with the air that was circulated inside the ship. I just loved that smell and would just sit close to him so that i used to get of whiff of it. He used to teach me different foreign words and tell us its meaning and of all the different Tasks, exercises (in the navy a joint Operation is basically called an Exercise) that they had done while he was on the ship. Me and my brother used to keep asking him till late at night if he he happened to see a whale, Particularly a Blue whale :P, dolphins and all....and he used to tell us every thing, and then mom would scold us to go to sleep lest we miss our school the next day. Move over watching Sindbad the sailor on the TV or in the Cartoons, My Dad was my Sindbad back then who used to come home loaded with all his adventure stories. But there were days when i used to miss him a lot, I had my Tonsils operation when i was 7 or 8 and on the day that i had to get operated i was shifted to a big dormitory where there were all children's mostly my age. I could see every child along with their mom and dad besides them. My Mom sensed that i was actually missing Paa, hence was comforting me, and i at that point writhing with pain in my throat wanted just my dad at my side and he as usual was away in Russia on a Joint naval exercise. Slowly when we were mature enough we started understanding as to why he used to be away for so long, His experiences that he used to share with us moved over from Dolphins and Whales to the Naval exercises that they had conducted, why it was done, weaponry that those ships used to carry, their striking range and all. Being in the defence also means that you are always on the move and that the serving personnel along with their family most of the time are not there at a single location for more than 4 to 5 years. That meant that we had our schooling done in varied parts of India. Being posted every now and then to a new location and joining a new school every 4 to 5 years. I would say that its this shifting that makes us the defence kids strong emotionally...We knew joining a new school that these would just be our temporary friends and that we they too would shift to someother place soon or it could be us before them, but for those many years we used to foster such bonding and memories that would be etched in our minds so deeply that even today when i talk to my friends, its appears so fresh that it seems that it was just yesterday that we all had met.
At the same time, we being humans parting with our friends after long time spent together wasn't easy either. Promises and vows were taken to be in touch over the phone or through letters were taken. Some would get teary eyed too. Thanks to all the social networking sites that we have today, it has made us more easy for us to be in touch. Then off to a new location and with the hopes that life would unfold more surprises and we would find and make more new friends there.
Life in the Armed Forces is not easy for the person who is actually serving nor for their Family either. I see that for the people that do not belong to this community have always seen defence personnel being robust, Physically fit and to describe in today's lingo at their "macho" best but what actually defines this community more than being physically strong is actually their emotional toughness. Mind Over body is the mantra for these people and that holds true for their family too. The habits that they possess are very well inculcated into their family as well, Completion of any work on time, Discipline, Mannerism are somethings that come so naturally to their family members that it actually becomes a Part of Life. Its this habit that makes me come early to work every day, catch the same Local every day even if it means reaching my Office, almost half an hour early.Not boasting but i hardly remember my father teaching me all this but this almost came naturally to me watching him every day, That's how it was for me.
As the popular adage goes that "Once a Soldier, always a Soldier" holds true for a defence personnel even after he/she retires. I still see in my father that same rigor, enthusiasm, the discipline that he had when he was serving and as a small child who sees a superhero in his father, for me he still is and will remain a role a model forever. I hope that as an Armed forces personnel's son i continue to imbibe those values in me and may be even pass on these very values to the my siblings and to the next generation as well.
This i think could be a small tribute to those guarding our Country.
Proud to be a soldier's son...!!!
Jai Hind
Over and Out :)
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