It was January 1972. My uncle Krishna moyya had purchased a car and was driving down to Chennai from Calcutta. Our family also joined them. We started our journey from Jamshedpur( now in Jharkhand ). As we travelled southwards, we got the news that the Indian Army was returning from Bangladesh. The whole country was on a high after the Bangladesh war.
We had already witnessed blackouts and rationing of commodities. Blackouts are switching off lights voluntarily and keeping the doors and windows closed in the evenings and nights. This was to prepare the people in the event of bombings. Since Jamshedpur was famous for its Iron & Steel Industry and close to Bangladesh, it was a likely target. At a fixed time every evening, we would hear a loud siren and start swithching off the lights and closing the doors and windows. Within minutes, the entire town would drown in darkness. Still, the blast furnace was a big worry because it could not be closed.We also listened to elders discussing the war, Mrs. Gandhi's strategy and finally the victory.
There was a lot of excitement in the atmosphere. The villagers and travellers lined up on the sides of roads to welcome the Army trucks. The soldiers beamed with happiness and waved with a 'V' sign. We waved back sreaming 'Jay hind'. After many trucks passed, I asked my father,"When will Indira Gandhi come?" He was puzzled. I had imagined her fighting the war like Jhansi ki Rani.
He explained in detail how the Prime minister takes the decision and the armed forces fight the war. Somewhere in my heart I felt it was not right. The leader of the nation should lead the army with valour and set an example. How can the ministers sit in Delhi and send the soldiers to war? However, I joined back the crowd and waved proudly at the victorious army. I have always cherished this memory.
We had already witnessed blackouts and rationing of commodities. Blackouts are switching off lights voluntarily and keeping the doors and windows closed in the evenings and nights. This was to prepare the people in the event of bombings. Since Jamshedpur was famous for its Iron & Steel Industry and close to Bangladesh, it was a likely target. At a fixed time every evening, we would hear a loud siren and start swithching off the lights and closing the doors and windows. Within minutes, the entire town would drown in darkness. Still, the blast furnace was a big worry because it could not be closed.We also listened to elders discussing the war, Mrs. Gandhi's strategy and finally the victory.
There was a lot of excitement in the atmosphere. The villagers and travellers lined up on the sides of roads to welcome the Army trucks. The soldiers beamed with happiness and waved with a 'V' sign. We waved back sreaming 'Jay hind'. After many trucks passed, I asked my father,"When will Indira Gandhi come?" He was puzzled. I had imagined her fighting the war like Jhansi ki Rani.
He explained in detail how the Prime minister takes the decision and the armed forces fight the war. Somewhere in my heart I felt it was not right. The leader of the nation should lead the army with valour and set an example. How can the ministers sit in Delhi and send the soldiers to war? However, I joined back the crowd and waved proudly at the victorious army. I have always cherished this memory.
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