MODI DRUMS UP SUPPORT IN MEGHALAYA

IIt might not be music to the ears of his political opponents, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did manage to get some rhythm on the drums and cymbals at Mawphlang on Saturday.

Taking time off from his busy schedule, Modi played traditional musical instruments from Meghalaya. He tried his hands on the Khasi drum known as Ksiang and Nakra Bom at the Mawphlang heritage village, about 25 kms from here.

Not satisfied with just the drum, he tried his hands at the hand-held cymbals much to the amusement of the traditional dancers, while local musicians played the drums.

Visibly impressed with his  effort and also  the colourful dance and attire of the troupe, Modi then clicked pictures of them. He later happily chatted with locals sipping a hot cup of tea to beat the chilly weather in the area, which is home to the famous sacred grooves.

The Prime Minister was also shown around the village where the artists showcased some of the local artifacts and the traditional methods of tool making. The Prime Minister also took a keen interest at the locks made by the local locksmiths.

Modi was accompanied by Governor, V Shanmuganathan, Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma and Union Minister DoNER, Jitendra Singh.

Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister went to Mattilang Amusement Park in Upper Shillong and visited the Elephant falls.

He took some pictures of himself with the falls at the backdrop. The falls is one important tourist spots of the State where the cascading water is said to give the impression of the head and trunk of an Elephant’s, hence the name.

Modi who stayed overnight here at the Raj Bhavan witnessed a cultural show at the State Convention Centre last evening. The Shillong Chamber Choir performed before the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

The North East Zone Cultural Centre presented “Colours of the North East,” a cultural dance show of the eight north-eastern states.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to visit the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Cultural Centre at Quinton road here and the Catholic Cathedral Church at Dhankheti, but these itineraries were cancelled.

Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister took an Air Force chopper from the Eastern Air Command’s helipad and left for Guwahati.

Badlu Ram and Assam Regiment

What does Badlu Ram, who is dead and buried cold from World War II, got to do with 295 recruits of 315 batch of the Assam Regiment (AR)?

Nothing much, only that Badlu Ram’s body draws ration for the recruits of AR. So every year new recruits march and dance into the Indian Army, singing: “Badlu Ram ka Badan zameen ka neche hai, to humko uska ration milta hai…Shabash Hallelujah…!” (Badluram is buried, so we get his quota of ration, well done…)

The story is interesting behind the regiment’s song. It is said that one soldier, Badluram died in action during World War II from one of the AR’s platoons. 

However, the quarter master erred in striking out his name from the list and therefore ration was drawn in the name of the dead soldier and therefore there was surplus ration.

https://youtu.be/LQrS50Q6MLA

So when the supply route of this platoon was cut off by the Japanese, the extra ration of Badluram proved to be a lifesaver during this crucial period. The song therefore praises that legacy.

The song was composed by Late Major Proctor in 1946 and is a take on John Brown’s body which was popular marching song during the American Civil War.

Apart from the Badlu Ram song, the recruits also sang and danced other songs of the regiment, in this unique attestation parade, of one of the best fighting regiments of the Indian Army.

Each year this induction parade, held at the Parson Parade Ground of Assam Regimental Centre Happy Valley, is a treat to watch for the people of the State Capital. This year, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General, Subrata Saha reviewed the parade.

Lt. Gen. Saha during his address to the new recruits recounted the contributions of the North East and Assam Regiment towards nation building.

Raised on 15 June 1941, AR has earned several laurels including seven Battle Honours, three Theatre Honours, Nine Chief of Army Staff citations, 23 Army Commanders citations and two United Nations citations.

The regiment would be celebrating the platinum Jubilee year of the regiment from 16 to 19 November 2016 here in the State Capital.

“The Army Chief would be present during the platinum jubilee celebrations.   Colours will be presented to 16 and 17 Assam and 1 and 2 Arunachal scouts at the Assam Regimental Centre during the occasion,” Lt. Gen Saha informed.

NINE FOOT CHINAMAN AND NEHRU

After the humiliating defeat at the hands of Chinese in 1962, the image of the "nine foot Chinaman overrunning the country,” was created by then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru to hide his follies.

Military historian and documentary filmmaker, Shiv Kunal Verma who penned the book “1962 -The War that Wasn't,” says the image of the “invincible Chinaman” was created by Nehru to exonerate himself and others from the humiliating defeat and his book exposes that.

 

This phobia about the “mighty Chinese” still persist to this day in some measures, despite India having one of the best armed forces in the world now and are no push-overs, Verma said.

“The nine foot Chinaman did not overrun parts of northeast India during the 1962 war. It was Nehru and other bureaucrats who lost the war for India,” the author emphasized.

Verma who has filmed the Kargil War and has authored several other books like the Northeast Trilogy recently handed a copy of the book to Eastern Air Command chief, Air Marshal, C Hari Kumar here in Shillong, Capital of Meghalaya, India.

According to Verma, Nehru committed one of the biggest blunders before the war by putting up political appointees in the armed forces, who lacked battle experience.

Nehru in fact “handpicked” Lt. Gen. B M Kaul – know to be close to Nehru- to lead the war who had no experience, the author pointed out in his book.

“Right up to the rank of the Brigadier, before the 1962 war, there were mostly political appointees, who lacked experience of war,” Kunal said, who detailed these findings in his book.

 

Nehru, moreover, overlooked warnings from different eminent personalities and committees of a Chinese build-up along the borders and of an imminent attack.

Then Home Minister, Sardar Patel and also the Himmat Singh and Kulwant Singh committees gave adequate warnings to Nehru about China’s intent. “Sardar Patel had in fact written a letter predicting about this fallout (China attacking,) but unfortunately 38 days later he died,” Verma said.

The reason for overlooking the advice of the experts was because Nehru considered himself a historian and viewed China favorably from history’s perspective. He further had defense Minister, VK Krishna Menon, with Communist leanings, to guide him.

Despite these, much could have been salvaged had the Assam Rifles postioned at the forward posts to slow down the Chinese advances.

“It is still a puzzle why the Assam Rifles were not put up at the borders. The Assam Riflesw had the experience fighting the Japanese during World War II and also fighting with the allied troops in the First World War,” Verma said.

Another blunder was not deploying the Air Force to stop the Chinese. “The Air Force was not deployed because of fear the Chinese Air Force would bomb our towns and cities. But at that time China did not have ATF (jet fuel.) They couldn’t even fly within China,” the author said.

Meanwhile, Verma believes there is little possibility of a war between India and China in the near future. But border skirmishes would continue.

“They don’t want the border settled. They want the borders to be alive based on Mao Tse-Tung’s theory. The Chinese have an expansionist mindset,” he said.