Bhutan

[bls31]

BHUTAN IS IN PICTURE THESE DAYS. I ALSO SAW BHUTAN FROM CLOSE WHILE WALKING ACROSS IT


Crossing in on the night of 23 October 1962 from NEFA (Now Arunachal Pradesh) and arriving at the reception camp in India on the 1st of November of the year.
Moving through Bhutan was a heart-breaking and frustrating task. Up, down the ridge and across the valley, up the slope and down once again one travelled half a day and made only two kilometres in lateral distance. All the mountain ranges ran parallel east to west and at right angles to our direction of movement, the only saving grace be that we were now moving on a track and not on trails as earlier. On top of all this some times we did miss the track and had to retrace our steps in sheer disgust.
We had no food, no sense of security with the constant fear of Chinese following us always had gone in hiding. Most of food stuff, provisions and produce had also been hidden lurking in our thoughts.
All the villages en route were deserted save for an odd old man to act as eyes and ear of the rest; others to prevent looting or commandeering by the Indian troops running for safety or the Chinese in their hot pursuit as they must have reasoned.
As good luck would have it the Chinese did not enter Bhutan but we did not know this or their intention. It was a few days in Bhutan that I had to use harsh words to some of the boys who had become desperate, dispirited and dejected. Gnawing hunger, lack of rest and constant fears of capture or death were sapping their will to survive. Some of them quiet prepared to drop by the side of the track. However, my system of keeping a check on the last man of the Signals columns was still operative.
I am glad and can look back with satisfaction that the cajoling, harsh words and rebukes from me made them find some inner strength, a second wind to get-up, once again, join the main body and continue trudging to eventual safety.
Interestingly I met a border guard of Bhutan a few days inside with a single antique rifle for company. He was very keen to know as to how far behind the Chinese were the one-man Bhutanese army deployed against the Chinese advancing in strength.
Miracles do happen. A few days in Bhutan, desperately hungry, we came across a big tree fully laden with Pears or a similar fruit. We gorged ourselves and filled our packs full of the fruit. Strange as it may appear it was the only tree of the type also it was very much unlike a pear tree. I wonder, at times that was it an illusion, a mirage of a gift from God. Whatever it was it saved our life for definite.
Transistor radio carried by some one gave the news that Tawang had fallen. The news did nothing to lift our sagging spirits. Our own AIR was still blissfully playing request songs of Lata Mangeshkar on Vividh Bharati. ‘O Mere Watan Ke Logo’ was still in the future. How lonely and rejected I felt; itappeared to me that the Country and the Nation were not bothered about us!
In Bhutan another shock awaited us when we were asked to surrender our arms to the Government of Bhutan for political reasons. It was heart -breaking to part with these as we had carried our personal arms on us all the way despite hunger and fatigue. A soldier without arms feels naked and looks incomplete to him and the world at large. It was a difficult order to pass on to the boys and needed lot of tact and persuasion to convince the Jawans.
It was heart -breaking to part with these as we had carried our personal arms on us all the way despite hunger and fatigue. A soldier without arms feels naked and looks incomplete to him and the world at large. It was a difficult order to pass on to the boys and needed lot of tact and persuasion to convince the Jawans.
Importance of keeping the morale of the troops and their self-esteem which as it is was low was totally lost on the powers to be.
BLS31

[deveshdahiya]

Salute you Sir and other Jawans. Please, share some of your experiences of life as we (youngsters) learn a lot of things from the experience of our elders. Also, not everything is written in history books and we can come to know about history from our elders also, like the gruelling ordeal which our Jawans faced has not been mentioned anywhere in history books.


As far as current decision of visiting Bhutan by PM is concerned, I feel it is a good strategic step to counter Chinese movements, because Chinese are also doing the same, like the case of 'Gwadar' port in Pakistan or interest of Chinese in Sri Lanka. India can counter Chinese with the help of Japan and other nations of east which do not like Chinese agenda.

[Prikshit]

Salute you Sir and other Jawans. Please, share some of your experiences of life as we (youngsters) learn a lot of things from the experience of our elders. Also, not everything is written in history books and we can come to know about history from our elders also, like the gruelling ordeal which our Jawans faced has not been mentioned anywhere in history books.


As far as current decision of visiting Bhutan by PM is concerned, I feel it is a good strategic step to counter Chinese movements, because Chinese are also doing the same, like the case of 'Gwadar' port in Pakistan or interest of Chinese in Sri Lanka. India can counter Chinese with the help of Japan and other nations of east which do not like Chinese agenda.
Yeah that would be welcome from you sir.
Moreover a strategic win for India as it is moving in right direction as far as foriegn policy is concerned. The Siliguri(Silk route) only access to eartern state is to be safegaurded from China.

[bls31]

Heavenly edited extract fro my book:
Part one

Moving through Bhutan was a heart-breaking and frustrating task. Up, down the ridge and across the valley, up the slope and down once again one travelled half a day and made only two kilometres in lateral distance. All the mountain ranges ran parallel east to west and at right angles to our direction of movement, the only saving grace was that we were now moving on a track and not on trails as earlier. On top of all this some times we did miss the track and had to retrace our steps in sheer disgust.
We had no food, no sense of security with the constant fear of Chinese following us always lurking in our thoughts.
All the villages en route were deserted save for an odd old man to act as eyes and ear of the rest; others had gone in hiding. Most of food stuff, provisions and produce had also been hidden to prevent looting or commandeering by the Indian troops running for safety or the Chinese in their hot pursuit as they must have reasoned.

As good luck would have it the Chinese did not enter Bhutan but we did not know this or their intention. It was a few days in Bhutan that I had to use harsh words to some of the boys who had become desperate, dispirited and dejected. Gnawing hunger, lack of rest and constant fears of capture or death were sapping their will to survive. Some of them quiet prepared to drop by the side of the track. However, my system of keeping a check on the last man of the Signals columns was still operative.
I am glad and can look back with satisfaction that the cajoling, harsh words and rebukes from me made them find some inner strength, a second wind to get-up, once again, join the main body and continue trudging to eventual safety.

Miracles do happen. A few days in Bhutan, desperately hungry, we came across a big tree fully laden with Pears or a similar fruit. We gorged ourselves and filled our packs full of the fruit. Strange as it may appear it was the only tree of the type also it was very much unlike a pear tree. I wonder, at times that was it an illusion, a mirage of a gift from God. Whatever it was it saved our life for definite.

Transistor radio carried by some one gave the news that Tawang had fallen. The news did nothing to lift our sagging spirits. Our own AIR was still blissfully playing request songs of Lata Mangeshkar on Vividh Bharati. ‘O Mere Watan Ke Logo’ was still in the future. How lonely and rejected I felt; itappeared to me that the Country and the Nation were not bothered about us!
Moving on we crossed a bridge and climbed up and there not far away on a plateau was Tashigang Dzong Gompa (monastery) beckoning us. However, for some reason we stopped and spent the night in the open.
A short move early on the morning of 27th brought us to the Gompa. An additional day’s march brought us to a place known as Rongtong where we were issued some rations from the stocks of Border Roads ‘Project Dantak’ then on road construction mission in Bhutan.
Even now whenever I happen to come across Brig Stan Barret of Engineers who was the Project Commander then in the rank of Lt Colonel I make it a point of thanking him for first proper food we had after so many days.
All this time we had been living off the land, eating what ever we could find, any thing if at all, some times raw grains of maize or gram at others and most of the times nothing. We had a sumptuous and filling meal this night with Nb Sub Dharm Singh, the Section JCO acting as the chief cook, the first chapatti was of course offered to the OC of the Section that is me as a show of respect regard and protocol.
I had maintained discipline en route with an iron fist, we shared among ourselves what ever we had; my section clerk had some powder like food item with him possibly sent from his home. One day I noticed him quietly enjoying the same, poor chap mild and docile by nature, he got a mouthful from me and the powder quickly went into the common kitty.

It was at Beefoo that I located the first working radio. I quickly took the Dantak operator into confidence. Changed the frequency to that of the Divisional Command Net D -1, another twist of the dial and I was netted. We had no idea of the current code signs and in the mean time the Div HQ had also moved, not that I knew about this, from Tezpur to Darrang. Communication was established post haste and the operator at the control being

[bls31]

Part TWO Bls31
I quickly passed all the available information that I had about the Brigade and the survivors. It appears that by now we had all been given as lost and our Next of Kin duly informed.
Having done this I felt strangely light and elated. All this time I was carrying too much of a burden, of not being able to perform my main duty of a communicator, on my young shoulders.

We were only hoping that the Army HQ would not be too quick to declare us missing in action. My main worry and that of others all this time was the fear that our families had no information about us. Although I had already informed the Div Sig Regt about us being alive, safe and returning back on the 29th of the month itself, it was not to be.
My wife had already received a telegram from Army HQ. Lt Gen RN Batra, the then Director Signals had also conveyed his deepest sympathies through a DO letter dated 31st October 62. The Adjutant General’s Branch had also been kind enough to send her the pension papers; they had presumed we were all dead; all this official sympathy must have been overwhelming her.
I have no doubt that this must have happened to all ranks of 7 Brigade. That used to be the time lag in the passage of information those days.
At least the Army HQ was functioning like a well-oiled machine in contrast to the forward troops, who were running back helter skelter. Possibly they wanted to atone for their acts of omission and commission resulting in death and destruction privation and ignominy brought to the good name of the Army in general and 7 Brigade in particular.

In Bhutan another shock awaited us when we were asked to surrender our arms to the Government of Bhutan for political reasons.
It was heart -breaking to part with these as we had carried our personal arms on us all the way despite hunger and fatigue. A soldier without arms feels naked and looks incomplete to him and the world at large. It was a difficult order to pass on to the boys and needed lot of tact and persuasion to convince the Jawans.
Importance of keeping the morale of the troops and their self-esteem which as it is was low was totally lost on the powers to be.
I do confess I did not surrender my 9 MM Browning Pistol, virgin in so far that though loaded all the time I had not fired a single round. I returned it back at the time of survey board held on reaching Ramgarh.

We moved on 31st, unit wise and as per the laid down priorities to the reception camp setup in India. Travelling in the Nissan One Ton moving vehicles did feel funny, so did walking on level ground once back in India. We crossed over the border at Darranga when it was getting dark. The reception camp was sited on the Indian side of the border with Bhutan.
The ground under the tents in the camp was all damp due to recent rains. We did sleep on the wet ground and in discomfort but at lest with a feeling of security.

[Fateh]

Every jawan of Infantry get lot of opportunities in service when he has to face more dangerous, risky, difficult and interesting situation like above but who cares for him, poor army and poor infantry, well explained sir, regards

[spdeshwal]

Sir, Thanks for providing insight into the Bhutan of sixties!
Certainly, Bhutan has substantially changed from what you and your team witnessed, specially under the Current King!
Bhutan: The Kingdom Where GDP Is Measured In Happiness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXJwNSkdTH0

Cheers!

[ssgoyat]

Dear Sir,

It was nice of the Chinese that their forces respected the International borders and did not pursue Indian troops escaped into Bhutan. And didn't pursue/pressed the war any further and cease fired soon, after occupying their so-cliamed disputed territory, else the end results of a full blown war could have been very disastrous....

I Blame the overconfident Nehru, who was high on relying the US and the then Soviets that the war wouldn't happen.Resulting into an un preparedness of our Armies on the Eastern theatre, and still pressing his forwarding policy believing the initial success would still entail thwarting any further progress of PLA.

It should have been an eye opener for India, that they can't/shouldn't rely on the US & the then Soviets. (their excuses on Cuban missile crisis). Which the Chinese timed perfectly to take advantage.

More to come, as needed be.....

[ssgoyat]

Dear Sir,

I/We, Would like to hear about your speech/es (if you can thankfully re-call) about ordering/persuading your boys/Jawan's to convince and surrender their arms to the Bhutanese authorities.

I Must say, this one moment of unfortunate/Unexpected surprise from the Bhutanese Authorities would have been very disheartening/Surprising to you.And you would still be carrying deep in your heart word by word.

We've all seen in the WWII movies/TV series infact about the fictitious part of such speeches.
&
but what is real, is real, and stays real...no matter what.


The abject failure of the Indian government/Nehru's decision making is a very big topic in itself and ought to be a separate new thread. About Failures of the Indian Government in containing the Chinese Aggression/keeping up with the Indian Aggression.

A topic which is controversial & for which we don't have many learnedful members like you to contribute and show us the clear trance and truth...

[bls31]

BHUTAN IS IN PICTURE THESE DAYS. I ALSO SAW BHUTAN FROM CLOSE WHILE WALKING ACROSS IT


Crossing in on the night of 23 October 1962 from NEFA (Now Arunachal Pradesh) and arriving at the reception camp in India on the 1st of November of the year.
Moving through Bhutan was a heart-breaking and frustrating task. Up, down the ridge and across the valley, up the slope and down once again one travelled half a day and made only two kilometres in lateral distance. All the mountain ranges ran parallel east to west and at right angles to our direction of movement, the only saving grace be that we were now moving on a track and not on trails as earlier. On top of all this some times we did miss the track and had to retrace our steps in sheer disgust.
We had no food, no sense of security with the constant fear of Chinese following us always had gone in hiding. Most of food stuff, provisions and produce had also been hidden lurking in our thoughts.
All the villages en route were deserted save for an odd old man to act as eyes and ear of the rest; others to prevent looting or commandeering by the Indian troops running for safety or the Chinese in their hot pursuit as they must have reasoned.
As good luck would have it the Chinese did not enter Bhutan but we did not know this or their intention. It was a few days in Bhutan that I had to use harsh words to some of the boys who had become desperate, dispirited and dejected. Gnawing hunger, lack of rest and constant fears of capture or death were sapping their will to survive. Some of them quiet prepared to drop by the side of the track. However, my system of keeping a check on the last man of the Signals columns was still operative.
I am glad and can look back with satisfaction that the cajoling, harsh words and rebukes from me made them find some inner strength, a second wind to get-up, once again, join the main body and continue trudging to eventual safety.
Interestingly I met a border guard of Bhutan a few days inside with a single antique rifle for company. He was very keen to know as to how far behind the Chinese were the one-man Bhutanese army deployed against the Chinese advancing in strength.
Miracles do happen. A few days in Bhutan, desperately hungry, we came across a big tree fully laden with Pears or a similar fruit. We gorged ourselves and filled our packs full of the fruit. Strange as it may appear it was the only tree of the type also it was very much unlike a pear tree. I wonder, at times that was it an illusion, a mirage of a gift from God. Whatever it was it saved our life for definite.
Transistor radio carried by some one gave the news that Tawang had fallen. The news did nothing to lift our sagging spirits. Our own AIR was still blissfully playing request songs of Lata Mangeshkar on Vividh Bharati. ‘O Mere Watan Ke Logo’ was still in the future. How lonely and rejected I felt; itappeared to me that the Country and the Nation were not bothered about us!
In Bhutan another shock awaited us when we were asked to surrender our arms to the Government of Bhutan for political reasons. It was heart -breaking to part with these as we had carried our personal arms on us all the way despite hunger and fatigue. A soldier without arms feels naked and looks incomplete to him and the world at large. It was a difficult order to pass on to the boys and needed lot of tact and persuasion to convince the Jawans.
It was heart -breaking to part with these as we had carried our personal arms on us all the way despite hunger and fatigue. A soldier without arms feels naked and looks incomplete to him and the world at large. It was a difficult order to pass on to the boys and needed lot of tact and persuasion to convince the Jawans.
Importance of keeping the morale of the troops and their self-esteem which as it is was low was totally lost on the powers to be.
BLS31

[bls31]

There was no speech as such, neither we had time, occasion nor the men were in a mood for a speech . Most did not need it . It were the individuals, that too only a few, hungry , tired and dispirited, who need a bit of cajoling, harsh words and rebukes to make them get up and start moving.

[bls31]

There are two books by me "Letters from the Border and Other Less Told Stories" the story of Seven Brigade troops in the 1962 Sino Indian Conflict of 1962 as seen by the eyes of a young Captain and "A Solders Journey Through Life With Two Wives" , ARMY and the wedded one, A Journey from childhood to college, post commission training in Army, love and marriage, problems of long separation due to the exigencies of service , the trials and tribulations of a young single mother bringing up children,troubling times illness, operations recovery and sad demise of the life partner, coping life as a single and still trying to live a productive life.