Kirkee- III

Feb 4^th, 11:30 PM

I switched off the light, pulled the curtains on, went under the mink blanket, and switched off the TV.

I closed my eyes but remained in that way for nearly fifteen minutes.

I felt uneasy as if something was urging from my inside that I have some big job to do tonight, so I should not sleep. The idea of sleeping beside a graveyard came in my mind. It was followed by the story Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I remembered that at home in my laptop I have the movie Rosemary’s Baby which I haven’t seen yet.

I put my cabin luggage at its proper place. I took my seat at aisle. Tirtha was fighting with Sandy over a window seat. Both of them have the reputation to fight for window seats while travelling in train. Now they are facing each other for the first time in air.

A voice was giving weather report in the flight” Pune has recorded maximum of 29 deg and minimum of 17 deg.”

“We have no idea of fog in Delhi so we can’t say whether Qutab Minar will be visible or not.”

The next day is Devarati-Anindya’s reception; I must try to attend it. Even Amrita will be there. She was present at the airport, but I can’t see her in the flight.

I was anxious about reaching in time. A bit tensed.

“oto tension noy,” said a familiar voice from behind.

  Sujata spoke as if she has got immunity from her usual headaches.

I look around from my seat. I saw a lot of known faces were present.

I thought, everyone was in Pune yet I never knew!!

Suranjan? He should be in Boston right now. Then what is he doing in Flight SG212?

The flight was taking off. I wanted to go the toilet. As I stood up everything went dark.

Total black!! Then there was a huge blunt noise. Thud!

I can only hear some heavy movement behind the window. The movement was in beats at proper interval. It was coming towards my window and moving away slowly.

By now I was back in my sense. I searched for any of the following stuff:

TV remote,

My LED torch

Any of my two mobile phones.

I need to switch on the light.

I remembered to have put them beside my pillow while going to sleep.

I can still hear the sound. It was marching of heavy boots!!!

It was right behind my window.

I tried to sit up. It was pretty chilly. One mink blanket is sufficient in 17degree Celsius yet I was shivering.

I gave up looking for the remote or the torch or the mobiles.

Meanwhile, the sound was marching nearer. It reminded of the drumbeats and the Indian Army Kuchkawaz that takes place on 26th January every year.

I wrapped the blanket around me. As I stepped on the floor more surprises were in store. My chappals were gone. It seemed it has also joined the club with the remote and others.

I was keen on reaching the window. I tried to reach the switch board to turn the light on.

The carpet on the floor was very cold as if it was spread on a huge block of ice.

The light was not working!!!

I moved towards the window.

As I about to peep out of the curtain a thought flashed in my mind.

I came back and sat quietly at the edge of the bed.

I was sleeping beside a graveyard.

It is not a good idea to look for the source of the sound. All the dead soldiers were on their routine march.

I went to the dining hall. There was light outside, in the courtyard but it was flickering. I sat at the circular dining table. The head of a musk deer and the skin of tiger on opposite walls made the room appear more eerie.

I wanted to use the bathroom. But, for that I need to go near the window. I had no courage to do that.

Yes I was scared.

   

 The idea of going to the caretaker’s bathroom came in. I opened the main entrance and stepped out in the courtyard. The caretaker’s bathroom was on the other end of the bungalow.

I stepped out and I heard the sound of boots marching nearer. This time it was very distinct. A company was marching in. It was coming just 20feet away from me.

If I go towards the end of the courtyard I will be able to see the backside of the bungalow.

I thought of going.

“There is nothing.” my mind said.

But what if my imaginations are true? No it can’t be.

I came back.

As I stepped in my room I found the light was on so was the fan. I left the switches on.

I could see the mobiles, the remote, and the torch beside my pillow. They were untouched.

The chappals were at the right place.

I picked up my Nokia2600.It was 2:37am.

There are five more hours to go for the sunrise.

For those who do not know: In this part of subcontinent the sun rises at 7AM and sets after 7PM.

I switched on the TV. Most channels were showing similar type of programs like TV Shopping, Creative Vision, Tele Shopping, Active Buying etc.

The series of incidents came that took place in the last three hours made me sleepless.

It all began with stupid thoughts, which was followed by a bizarre dream where the flight I was travelling with my near and dear ones had an air-crash.Then there was the strange sound.

Where’s the sound now? It has stopped now.

There was no sound apart from that of the TV.

I felt monophonic, I was longing for company.

5^th Feb, 10 AM

The Maruti Gypsy moved out of the CQA (M) mess main gate. The Sikh jawan stood up and saluted. I looked out to see the cemetery. It was shining in the morning sunlight. I kept looking at it until the top of the big cross disappeared from my sight.

I have spoken to my family before getting on the car. Everything was OK.

Kirkee-II

continued from Kirkee-I

3:00 PM, 3^rd Feb 2010.

I checked from the care-taker of CQA (M) about the Agha Khan Palace, Dugruseth Halwai Ganesh Temple and Shanibarwada Palace and set out.

I called up Sushmita. O yes she is a Sen.

“Tumi tumtum koreo jete paro!!’.You can take tumtum

What is this tumtum all about?

They are six-seated auto rickshaws. One more big difference is that in other autos they use scooter’s handle but here they have big steering in tumtums. The view of tumtum reminded me the big10-seater autos which were among Delhi’s main attractions many years ago.

I didn’t think of tumtums but instead I took a metred auto. In Calcutta we don’t have any such autos. In Bhubaneswar autos do have meters are there but as vestigial appendages. In Mumbai and Bangalore they are present and used. Pune falls in that group.

The equation of fare is:

                          Total Amount = (Metered Reading X 7) – 3

It took twenty to twenty-five minutes for me to reach Yerwada, where the Palace is located. The fare was 53 rupees.

Agha Khan Palace is a marvellous white architecture surrounded by large trees with nice landscaping and lush green lawn everywhere. God knows what prompted the Agha khan to built a palace and donate it to the British only to keep our Mahatma confined after he called for Quit India Movement in 1942.This is where Kasturba died on Mahashivratri of 1944.

I later learnt that Agha Khan III built the palace with the intention to be a source of employment for the famine-struck villagers in the surrounding areas. Later his son donated it to the Government of India in 1969 in memory of MK Gandhi.

The place was not crowded and few foreign tourists were there.

The compound of the palace reminded me of our Central Park in Kolkata. Couples took every corner behind the bushes. A lone security personnel was whistling if he spots any nuisance in a place associated with Bapu. I found his whistling seldom stops, whenever he turns on one side someone starts snogging on the other. A nice cat-and-mouse game was on.

The ticket was as usual Rs.5 as in case of other monuments belonging to the Archaeological Survey of India.

The palace is a multi-storeyed building one but only the ground floor is open to the public. The palace had a good collection of items used by the Mahatma. They include charka, cutlery, bed, mattress, earthen wares, mala, chappals, letters etc. A small amount of Gandhi's ashes are kept here as well. His room along with the adjacent bathroom is maintained just as they were. In this room Kasturba died. There are several paintings depicting his life but some are damaged.

What surprised me was the bathroom attached to the room in which Mahatma and his wife stayed. It was very spacious about 20ft by 30ft. It was tiled, had modern bath tub, commode, and basin and yes a geyser. Mahatma is said to have lead a very simple life then how came his bathroom be so luxurious? This idea baffled me a lot. May be it was in a palace. I can’t comment on his other places of stay like Sewagram, Sabarmati as I haven’t visited them.

This is what I learnt while on visit to the museum:

Here Gandhiji and his wife were interned in 1942 after declaration of the ‘Quit India’ resolution. He was accompanied by Miraben, Shri Pyarelal Nayar, Smt. Sarojini Naidu, Dr. Shushila Nayar and his personal secretary Shri Mahadevbhai Desai.

Here are some of the milestones in Mahatma’s life at Aga Khan Palace.
- 10th August 1942 Gandhiji and his colleagues where brought here from Bombay
- 15th August 1942 his personal secretary and long time-aid Shri Mahadevbhai Desai dies of heart attack
- 22nd February 1944 Kasturba breathed her last after prolonged illness.
- 6th May 1944 Gandhiji and his colleagues were released from Aga Khan Palace because of his failing health and necessary surgery

A corridor followed by a walkway leads to a closed place. There is also a board, on which it is mentioned “This path was taken by Mahatma during Ba’s funeral.”

The Samadhi of Shri Mahadevbhai Desai and Kasturba are in a closed ground below the actual level of the palace. Charles Correa later built the samadhis. They are octagonal white marbled structure. They were typical Hindu memorial with a tulsi plant in each.

My next destination was Shanibarwada and Dugruseth Temple. Both are situated near Manpa (Mahanagar Palika) but across the river. The Shanibadwada fort looks classic from outside with a big cavalry statue of the Peshwa in the compound. But inside just the foundation of the majestic palace is there. Here I think some hidden vigilant cameras are absolute need. Not for security purpose but for voyeurs’ pleasure.

Shanibadwada was a wooden palace which is said to have been razed by fire.

Dugruseth Halwai Ganesh Temple is situated few hundred metres from the fort. It looks like a simple temple ,the idol can be seen from the main road.

Inside? It seemed to me that it is one of the most prosperous temples of the country. Inside the structure is silvered along with huge a chandelier at the centre of the temple’s ceiling. What caught my eyes was the pure gold ornament of Shri Ganapati.

7PM, 4^th Feb 2010.Hinjewadi.

One after the other Buses are passing by. God knows which one to take.

Jophy (Jophy Joy) suggested,” Aundh tak bus le na.”

In Infosys Jophy’s creation Channel[j] or J-Toonz are quite famous.

Sushmita Sen said” Wakad”

I came via Parihar.

Sanket is not reachable.

I need to go to Khadki Railway Station.

Boarded a tumtum.

Right opposite to me sat a girl who was speaking in Bengali in her hands free.

And her eyes were glowing simultaneously which suggested that she was planning some mischief.

“Haan,” she whispered in her phone “ shonibaar din jabo Monday-Tuesday leave nilam.”

“Take a hotel near the Pune station and spend the day here and there, I will come by the evening. Raat ta ek sathe katiye pordin Kamseth hoye,Lonavala chole jabo.Sekhane ami ghor book kore rekhechi”

“Muuahh!!”

“ Na ekhane keu Bangla bojhe na!”

I went on listening to her plans which she was explaining in my native vernacular.

She also got down at Auand with me.

“Excuse me?” I called her.

I was cautious, as I didn’t wanted her to listen to my offbeat Hindi which is always studded with gems of Bengali words.

  “How to go the Khadki Bazaar?”

“Bus number 11 or 153”

Back at Torna.

I went towards the window to see the cemetery. Nothing was visible.

Dinner arrived when I was browsing the news channels on TV.

Rahul Gandhi will be on 1-day Mumbai visit. Balasaheb has called him the Prince Of Italy.

All channels were babbling the same story.

In one channel I found weather updates. Pune has recorded max. 29 deg and min 17deg.

I was much interested whether Delhi will have fog covered morning the next day because my return flight to Calcutta was via Delhi. I was not interested whether my flight will land in Delhi but whether I will be able to see the magnificent top-view of the Qutab Minar just before landing at IGI Airport. 


                                                                                                                                                                                                      to be continued

Kirkee-I

7 AM, 3^rd Feb 2010.

Pune Railway Station

 “Kirkee, Kirkee, Kirkee” Col. Lotay shouted in the phone.

I reached Pune Station by Azad Hind from Howrah sharp at 6:50pm after a journey of thirty-four hours. I am patient of colitis; moreover seldom I use the loos in train hence I wanted to reach my room as early as possible.

“Col. Lotay main Khadki suna hoon, Kirkee nahiin.”

“do no ek hi hain,the car will take you to CQA(M) OFF-MES,its in Mula Road.”

“Any nearby landmark, sir”

“Yes. It’s in the cantonment area, near the ammunitions factory “Col Lotay continues, “and you have a war memorial right next to your place of stay.”

I came out the platform and walked towards the MCO.A man in uniform came forward as if he was waiting for me and asked, ”Aap?”

I brought out my ticket and showed him my identity.

“Aiye sirji, mujhe Brig. Sharma ne bheja hai, Lotay saab aapko bataya hoga mere baare main, aaiye”

We came out of the Pune Station; I found a typical Maruti Gypsy used by the milltary was waiting for me. We left the station. After crossing the Pune Engineering College, the car took a right turn.

On the way I spotted a big Shopper’s Stop. Size? It stretched longer than the Howrah Station’s both complexes taken together. Then I spotted a board

MILLITARY AREA

KIRKEE CANTONMENTMENT BOARD

After going some distance I started seeing the scenes that I have seen in several cantonment areas like Ambala, Allahabad, Dehradun, Kurseong, Tura, Colaba etc

“Yeh rastaa Ammunition factory ho ke sidhe Khadki station tak jata hai. aur daaiyen taraf hai Bhaiyawadi aur thoda agey ek church hai, uske baad military officers ka residential.”

He took a sharp turn towards left after a hundred metres or so I saw a board:

CENTRAL QUALITY ASSURANCE (MILLITARY)
KIRKEE AMMUNITIONS FACTORY
KIRKEE CANTONMENT AREA,PUNE

The car entered a well maintained compound and stopped. As we were entering through the gate a Sikh army man who was sitting at the gate in his duty stood up and saluted. I felt a bit embarrassed.

This is why sometimes I feel why not the common citizen should salute a man in uniform instead of the vice versa.

Coming back, it was quiet a big compound. There were two houses one seemed to have been built in the pre-independence era and another was a new one. In the compound there was tennis court, a flag-hoisting corner and even a small stage. The old house was a bungalow type. It has a thatched roof covered with what in Bengali is called taali and had a big courtyard. There were two rooms “Raigarh” and “Torna”. The new one had the dining hall, bar, reception, kitchen in the ground floor and two rooms “Lohagarh and “Singharh”.

The Torna was allocated to me. It was a luxurious one. As one enters he step into a modern drawing-cum-dining hall. The hall had a huge sofa, a circular dining table with four chair , a refrigerator and a cupboard full of cutlery set. A skin of dead tiger, heads of musk deer and a bull were hung in the wall. There was two bedded bedroom across the hall. The bed room had an adjacent dressing room, a huge window and adjacent to the window was the bathroom. As per my habit I went straight to the bathroom. I was so delighted to see the geyser that I switched it on immediately. I removed the curtains of the window. The curtains were light ones, they allows light to pass though I cannot see what is there on the opposite side. I found the window opens in the back of the compound. A big tree and behind was a small wall and it shares the boundary with the cemetery. Yes, the Kirkee War Cemetery.

11 AM, 3^rd Feb

“When you go home tell them

Of us and say for your tomorrow

We gave our today”

As I was stepping down into the cemetery these words were flashing in my mind. Many years ago I visited Kohima where I saw the most famous war cemetery of The World War II, there I saw these lines written on the War Memorial. Even I saw another cemetery in Imphal also. Well, stepping down means stepping down, the cemetery is few metres below the level of the main road.

Walking on the Wimbledon grass I moved towards a huge it is the memorial that commemorates more than 1800 soldiers who died in the First World War (1914-1918) who are buried in civil and cantonment cemeteries in India and Pakistan where their graves can no longer be properly maintained. It stood at the centre of the graveyard and was surrounded by twelve concrete structures in arranged in circle. On the same memorial are commemorated almost 200 East and West African servicemen who died in non-operational zones in India in the Second World War, and whose graves either cannot be located or are so situated that maintenance is not possible.  In front of it there were lines of graves stones about twenty in each row. With beautiful flowers and plants the place looked more like a garden of peace than a graveyard. This pattern of lines and rows were also followed in different sides of the cemetery. The Stone of Remembrance is a brightly polished limestone. The cemetery gate opens in the Mula Road, it is written on the wall KIRKEE WAR CEMETRY 1939-1945.These words speaks a lot. Soldiers fighting for the Commonwealth Forces serving Her Majesties were buried here. I did not go on to count but it seemed there were nearly 1500 hundred graves.

I don’t know what happened to me. I had planned to stay at the cemetery for just ten minutes, but something attracted me to stay there longer which was nearly an hour. I lingered around the whole place. In spite of the fact that it was a grave, the arrangement of the stones, the huge cross at the centre, the mast trees (Debdaru in Bengal), the Wimbledon grass, arches of bougainvillea together gave an awesome look. The gravestone carries the name, number, rank of person lying at the grave. They also had the name of the regiment the soldier belonged to, the date of there. Some of their ages were also mentioned. I noticed most of them were in their twenties. The huge cross in the centre is the symbol of sacrifice. The plaque behind the cross has names of soldered who sacrificed their lives.

The last line from Kohima cemetery “we gave our today” seems to hold true for all war cemeteries throughout. Thousand brave soldiers who left their home to fight for their nation died in foreign soil. This happen still today, Indian soldiers dies in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone.US Marines and other NATO forces dies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gaza Strip. Today the bodies of dead soldiers are carried to their home. But whenever anyone stands in front of a war memorial or a war cemetery a mixed feeling feels their mind. It is not the feeling of standing among the dead but being surrounded by brave soldiers who are sleeping peacefully forever.

I returned back to my room. After having my bath I lied on the bed as I was to switch to switch the TV on I turned my eyes towards the window only to discover that I can see the cemetery even when I am lying on my bed. The geometric array of white granite grave stones all neatly paced out in neat rows and columns, all facing towards the central stone of remembrance. It appeared that the men in uniform standing there on the richly manicured lawn shouting out their name, number and rank.

I don’t know how every alternate second my eyes were turning towards the grave even though there was something very interesting was being shown in Star Movies-Juno.

I walked up to the window and pulled the curtains on.

Staring at a grave 24X7 is not a good thing to do, my mind suggested. I came back to the bed.

Not even five minutes had passed I started thinking that I am depriving myself from a wonderful view.

So, I went back again and pulled the curtains off. I started watching the cemetery with its sun bathed grass from my bed. How teenage girl Juno was spending her gestation period took the backseat of my mind. Thousands of thoughts started pouring in.

How they died? Just a one-liner in a sealed envelope used to reach their home carrying the news of their death. Today people forget the heroes after initials hues and cries for few days. Then it would have been much worse sixty years earlier. At times not even any letter carrying the news of death would have reached the family.

                                                                                                                                          .. to be continued