Ferozepore (3)

MH Ferozepore

Epilogue to Brig .Puri story:ECG confirmed heart attack. Progress uneventful . Later transferred to Army Hospital Delhi.Couple of days after I escorted & admitted Brig.Puri  my CO sent for me.It took him a while before recovering from the shock of a specialist of less than two years going against instructions from AHQ. He even offered a cup of tea! “ Batchu, thum aur mein bacth gaya”( in English for my brother—Son, you & I are saved) he started “ if the sardar had kicked the bucket ( I wonder how this term originated!) during transit both of us would have been doomed”. I failed to understand how he, sitting in Ferozepore,could be blamed for a decision taken by me in Abhor.Well, this only showed how irrational an administrator can get!  “a serving soldier ,more so when he dies in war,would have been subjected to autopsy & diagnosis confirmed, thereby vindicating the efforts taken, Sir”says i. “ Thum lok specialists soctha hain bahut akal wala hain” ( you medical specialists think you are very brainy”) he screamed “you disregarded instructions from AHQ & they will be gunning for you” Then I realized that two administrators can be equally irrational. “ Sir, what could they do to us?” says a confident me . “ Thumko fauj se nikadheyange” (you will be thrown out of army)  . My mind travels fast----SVPR, My name board below appa’s, Private practice, soon own best part of North Car Street, Suba & Chummu in pavadai dhavani, liberally oiled, well combed & plaited hair, varan hunting—Hey where is my Nalanda?! Pl shake me out of this night marish thought process. I am happy that the Brig survived letting me into a future when I will have Nalanda as my granddaughter.