Kargil: Times change, but the footprint stays

Seasons take turns to return over and over again, similarly times change, too. But some things remain static, constant; if not outside, at least the imprints in the mind remain unchanged. One could feel that while travelling through the rocky, rough terrain as we drove further from Srinagar into the mountainous region towards the Drass village in Kargil district. As a part of the team headed by Chef Sarita Chavan, we had gathered from Goa and Maharashtra, to proceed to the foothills of Tiger hill where the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Divas was to be celebrated amidst army veterans, their families and a handful of civilians on July 26.

After struggling with delayed flights and bad weather, the team finally landed in Srinagar on July 22 with amidst a 35 degree temperature. Unlike we expected, it was really hot and we didn’t use our shawls and jackets. Spending a night there, and enjoying the Kashmiri ‘Wazwan’ food, we drove early morning to Drass. The roads were broad, with scanty houses along the way, some stray furred dogs sleeping or moving around. The houses were wearing a deserted look, army jawans standing in position every few metres with their rifles. The broken window panes, locked doors, all telling a sad and scary story of what these houses must have gone through. Many homes were just abandoned and the people living there never returned to repair their dwellings and put the pieces of their lives together. Looted and abandoned properties seen at every nook and corner – everything was just left to decay and die. Every home had a square opening atop, some wide open, the others sealed with tin, plastic or wood. The purpose of this opening was not known to those of us living at the sea level.

A small rivulet accompanied the road we took. As we kept climbing uphill in serpentine turns, leaving the dangerousness out of our minds, as the excitement to be amidst the army was more stimulating. None of us lived under the shadow of fear and death. The same scenery repeated for miles, displaying a wounded civilisation. We encountered few left out Kashmiris living in the shattered surrounding, trying to mend things, and breathing life into those tiny towns that once bounced with life and laughter. The walnut wood walls spoke of a forgotten era, of family get-togethers sipping hot and sweet ‘kahava’ and rushing to take shelter in hide outs when attacked. The dusty, deserted and unmanned houses, shops and buildings were a common picture now, along with heaps of scrap of bunkers.

My mind questioned – where have all those people disappeared? Where did they go leaving behind a legacy of roofless homes, sealed windows, broken panes and locked doors! Life seemed scattered, shattered and tattered. The only respite now was the flowing white water down from the frozen glaciers, in the form of waterfalls, pure in nature. As we travelled further, the river became fierce, flowing with force. Each one of us wanted to live that moment, stay there forever.

We passed the transit camp 254 and headed for Sonamarg where the Jojila tunnel project work is ongoing, under which a 365 metre deep tunnel is taking shape to connect rest of Srinagar to Leh Ladakh during the winters when several meters of ice covers the roads, cutting all connections to city life. The people living in Kargil go in hibernation. The work is going on speedily and the tunnel would make it possible to travel to the border even when roads are deeply buried in the ice.

Once we reached our destination at Drass where our job was to prepare the ‘Vijay Bhoj’ a special meal for the army and their families who were to visit to celebrate Kargil Vijay Divas. The kitchen was in a tinned shed, full of big utensils, multiple burners in all corners and two dozen men busy in chopping, cutting, peeling and cooking. We helped them in all sorts of work from peeling potatoes, to chopping tomatoes, cutting salads, fruits, cleaning pulses, washing pudina, coriander and shaping harabhara kababs. Some helped with meat and chicken gravies. Others marinated pieces of paneer. It was fun!

While at work the men seemed casual, commenting on their capabilities, talking of the great companions who laid their lives in various ambushes, battles, and how they look forward to continue in the army and aim to get a martyrs death, their pride and love for the country, their respect for the Shaurya Chakra and the Param Veer Chakra as well as their postings at different locations and how they have asked for a specific posting. The men in uniform were also chatting and sharing their dreams. Some expected to get medals, the others dreamt of farming and carefully mentioning the place they belonged to... Barely, Delhi, MP, Rajasthan, UP or down South.

As we rolled the balls and flattened the kababs, enjoying these interesting conversations, we felt emotions rising in the chest. These young men, brave and strong, willing to lay their lives for the nation, to protect us, civilians were living such a hard life in difficult situations on the border, battling with bad weather, winds, ice, heat... All of them coming from different regions, adjusting to extreme climates, but one string tied them together – their love for the nation.

Deployed on the mountains, taking positions on their given spots, standing or sitting for hours, we wondered whether they move or not, and if they ever feel thirsty or tired, clad in their heavy gear, guns in their hands. It's unimaginable unless one steps in their shoes. Living a hard life, still being humorous and smiling with no traces of any stress on their faces made us humble. Salute to them and their families who are sacrificing their sons and, of course, daughters to the wider and broader cause of the nation.

Irfan drove us from Srinagar to Drass – a six-to-seven hour journey. On our way, we stopped at the zero point, Vijayak Zojila Pass at an altitude of 11694 ft. Border Roads Organisation’s projects were on throughout our way. Friendly and helpful Irfan was with the team, taking care of our stay, food and travel. The tall, fair, bearded guy with typical Kashmiri features speaking in his local language... along with Hindi was quite informative. At Drass, we stayed at an altitude of 10500 ft but the temperature was high even during the night, and warm clothes were not needed at all.

“This is the first time that the temperature is so high in July. During winter, the temperature goes down to minus 60 degrees here,” told one of the jawans who was posted there for two years, living amid the tall, dark and rocky mountains. The barren terrain where no vegetables grow, people store food to last for the winter. We could see frozen snow far, atop the mountains, capping them in white and some melting glaciers within our reach.

The three days that we spent in the army campus, cooking, visiting the War Memorial, attending the cultural event, enjoying thrilling demonstrations, patriotic songs and honouring ceremony and following the ‘Vijay Bhoj’ thereafter – were memorable. The Kargil Vijay Divas event on July 26 began early, with a wreath laying ceremony, honouring the martyrs by their families, the chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force officers which was later followed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation – everything giving us goose bumps. The families of the Veer Jawans who were invited to participate in the event mingled and exchanged words of pride. When all stood still for the National Anthem after the ceremony, it was an unforgettable moment.

‘Shahidon ki chitaon par lagenge har baras mele, Vatan par mitne walon ka yahi baki nishaa hoga’ (meaning, the memorials of the martyrs will attract footfalls year after year, those who die for the nation will be remembered forever...). Jai Hind!