"Company, saabdhan!" barked the Under Officer, and the NCC cadets fell in line, stamping our feet in response.
"Company, beeshraam!" he called, and we relaxed.
The Indo-Pak War of 1965 was at its most intense. Physically fit college students like me were drafted into the paramilitary to assist the army. I was thrilled, and my pride knew no limit in my willingness to don a khaki uniform and patrol up and down the streets. Our duty was to ensure that people followed the wartime restrictions. Streetlights were turned off, and vehicles shaded the upper part of their headlights with black paint. Since the road traffic was sparse due to the war, it felt eerie to walk on the deserted roads late into the night. But we were not lonely as we patrolled in pairs. The shadow of the deadly war didn’t deter us from amusing ourselves with jokes. In fact, the smart uniform and boots fired me with a patriotic zeal I never thought I possessed. I was ready to take on any enemy!
It was a real war we were facing, but we were not armed with real weapons. They said it was too dangerous for a novice to carry a rifle, but not too dangerous for him to face a rifle! We had to be satisfied with the standard army baton, which I twirled in my hand as we ambled on the road. In normal times, I would have given a wide berth to a drunkard on the road. But the war had turned us into conscientious citizens. I didn’t hesitate to march up to him and poke him with my rod. "Move on!" I barked, imitating my Under Officer. Intimidated by the sound of our boots, even the dogs became silent and receded into the shadows.
It was so bitingly cold that we shivered even with the woollen coats provided to us. Thankfully, bonfires had been lit at regular intervals for our benefit. We literally skipped from one fire to another to keep our limbs warm! It was fun to exchange stories with other cadets while standing around the fire. As the night wore on, it was time for us to leave the scene and hand over the duty to the regular army men. I winded my way home and fell flat on the bed, utterly exhausted. Tomorrow would be another day. It was a taxing and testing period for us, but all for the sake of the nation. Still, I felt sad when the war came to an end. I still miss the discipline and rigour of those wartime days.