First of all a tribute to all the
martyrs who have happily laid their lives in the service of our motherland and
a Salute to all the Indian Army Personnel.
I am confused with how should I
address him. Should I mention Late Jaswant Singh Rawat or Rifleman Jaswant
Singh Rawat, Fourth Garhwal Regiment? Based on his extraordinary act of
bravery, I would choose to believe that he is still among us and is serving at
the India-China Frontier and shall address him as Jaswant Singh Rawat, Fourth
Garhwal Rifles.
As we head towards Tawang, the
Switzerland of North-East, about 500 kilometers from Guwahati, the Gateway of
North-East we shall come across Jaswantgarh, a war memorial at Nuranang in
Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh, which stands in memory of 4039009
Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, Mahavir Chakra awardee (posthumous) of the 4th
Battalion of Garhwal Rifles. A journey towards the picturesque Tawang through
pristine hills of Arunachal Pradesh can't be complete without a stopover at
Jaswantgarh Memorial that stands testimony to an Indian soldier's unparallel
bravery. It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War in November 1962. Even
as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an
altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for three days assisted
by two local Monpa girls named Sela and Nura. They set up weapons at separated
spots and maintained a volume of fire that made the Chinese think they were
opposed by a body of troops. Finally the Chinese captured the man who was
supplying rations to Jaswant and he revealed to them that they were opposed by
only one man.They attacked in force, Sela died in a grenade burst, Nura was
captured and Jaswant supposedly shot himself with his last cartridge when he realized
that he was about to be captured. Jaswant has killed around 300 Chinese soldiers after confronting them with continuous fire for three days. It is alleged that the Chinese cut off
Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China. However, after the ceasefire,
the Chinese commander, impressed by the soldier's bravery, returned the head
along with a brass bust of Jaswant Singh. The bust, created in China to honor
the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle. The post
that he had to repulse the Chinese
troops has been named Jaswantgarh in recognition of his valor and
sacrifice.
The Garhwal Rifles are today
deployed on India's western borders, but the unit makes it a point to keep at
least half a dozen personnel at Jaswantgarh to take care of Rawat as if he were
alive. He is served bed tea at 04:30 AM, breakfast at 09:00 AM and dinner at
07:00 PM. Five army soldiers are at his service round the clock. There are no
chores to be done. Life couldn't have been more comfortable for Baba Jaswant
Singh Rawat, but for the fact that he is no more. These soldiers not only serve
'Baba' but also render their yeoman services for travelers along the hazardous
portion of mountain terrain. Besides coming to rescue of travelers in trouble,
they run a snack store where they serve tea, coffee, samosas, and pakoras to
serve the tired tourists charging a nominal price that goes to upkeep the war
memorial. They make his bed for him, polish his shoes and deliver the mail sent
by his admirers. They even clear the mails the next morning after 'he has gone
through them'. They change his bed sheets every Tuesday. Each morning, his bed
is found crumpled, and his freshly ironed clothes lie scattered on the floor.
The army men posted over there believe that Jaswant Singh is still here all the
time, although no one can see him. According to locals and soldiers posted near
Jaswantgarh, Rawat's spirit roams the area, and he comes in their dreams and
solves their problems.
Jaswant Singh Rawat is the only
soldier in the long history of the Indian army, who is known to have risen
through the ranks after his death, and this rifleman has been promoted to Major
General, and is still believed to command troops guarding the dizzy heights of
India's eastern frontiers with China. He also gets his leave, salary –
everything that a living soldier gets. A Leave Certificate always hangs on the
notice board issued by his commanding officer for ten days casual leave to
attend a marriage ceremony of one Yoginder Yadav from November 5, 2008 to
November 14, 2008. Jaswant Singh's family members apply for leave on his behalf
whenever needed, and if the leave is granted, the army men carry his portrait
is to his native village with full military honors and when his leave expires,
again his portrait is brought back to its original place.
Myths, folklore and superstitious
beliefs are also strong among the soldiers. Army personnel passing by this
route, be it a General or an ordinary soldier, make it a point to pay their
respects at the shrine of Jaswant Singh, or else they invoke his curse. A Major
General once refused to pray at his shrine while crossing the area, saying this
was just a superstition, but he met with a mysterious road accident a few
kilometers away from here and died.
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