The Evening Dedicated to the Heroes

Submitted by rajat on

Shaheedon Ki Mazaaron Par Lagengay Har Baras Melay

Watan Par Mitne Walon Ka Yahee Bakee Nishan Hoga

At least three different people enquired the meaning of this one line from the Sankalp Volunteers in recent days. The literal meaning comes from the Indian History and Tradition. A Mazaar is the place where some great people who had done good for the society in their lifetime are buried after they die. Because they had lived such a fantastic life and were an example to follow, so each year, in their memory, people from all walks of life held a Mela at their burial place. The above line is a comparison of the Shaheed's with those great men.

In one line- It means that "We will not forget you!."

Most of the readers of this post including me, were fairly grown up to understand what happened in the Kargil War. The entire Nation stood by the soldiers and their families in the Summer of 1999. But as the years have passed, dust accumulated on these feelings.

I too forgot this great day of 26th July 2007. A day which I should have remembered religiously. We, as a team.. did not want to let the day pass of indifferently.

What we thought a handful of us, weak and selfish(for who else will forget the sacrifice of a person who die for him) people, could do was to organize a small programme to pay tribute to these great souls.

The Memorial Service was held at MG Road on the evening of 28th July, 2007. The feeling and the cause brought together 6 of us to celebrate their sacrifice. Throughout the evening the feeble and the weak voice that we have, did it's best to fight the Bangalore traffic to let the sky hear- Jai Hind. Vande Mataram. Kargil Shaheed Amar Rahein.

The Bangalore Times page 2 of that day must have predicted a very wonderful day for us. We were there, right under the stars, in the midst of a million people, shouting out, the best we could, just to let them know.. they will not be forgot. Six people tied together by the bond of Indianism.. remembering those who died yesterday so that we can see our today..

We lit candles.. we saluted them.. we at some moment had a little tear in our eyes.. "We will not Forget You"

The day also gave us an opportunity to ask ourselves a question.. "Will I live to be a person who every soldier who dies in Kargil would love to die a hundred times for? Will I prove to be a worthy recipient of the safety and the assurance they gave me by protecting the nation even at the cost of their lives?" The answers are very personal.. the soul must answer.. the mind must approve.. the body must enact..

One last thing.. all through the evening.. It was not just Kargil Shaheed's, but every single soldier, who gives away their life for us who we lit each small candle for..

Shaheed Bhagat Singh wrote in his diary:

"Ah Not for Idle Hatred

Nor Fame

Nor Self Applause

But for the Glory of the Cause

You Will Not be FORGOT"

You will not be FORGOT..

Vande Mataram.

Jai Hind.