OUR CORPS GEET:

 

MOTIVATION, HISTORY, TRADITION AND PRIDE

 

 

-         Yashwant Deva

 

  

   Unseemly controversy had arisen about our National Anthem before and even after its adoption as to who had written it, the language of the lyrics and whether they were a true reflection of the national ethos and sentiment or written in praise of the British monarch as mischievously suggested by some devious interests. Recently, even the adoption of Ashoka Chakra as our national insignia has been embroiled in unsavoury views and counter-views and the Times of India as other national dailies rightly deplored the uncalled for hullabaloo. 

 

   To a soldier, pratha (customs), parampara (traditions), veer gathayen (tales of valour) and ethnicity have a strong pull and motivation. Infantry units, organized as they are on the basis of class composition, promote their identity and collective psyche by cultivating pride in “colours,” symbols and war cries, drawing strength from religion and history. This is how supreme sacrifices are made. This is how a young leader guides and goads his men to battle. This is India’s strength; this is what sustains us and infuses resilience and courage to face adversities; this is what makes us unique.

 

      Our Corps has a diffusion of customs, traditions and history with only a few that we can call as our own and that are rooted in our glorious past. Most smack of ethnicity supplanted by “nativity;” and influence italicized by the Raj. How else can we explain overly emphasis on history of the British days with three books already written and the fourth in the offing, photographs adorning messes that grimly remind us of the Englishman ruling us, the nostalgia about “royal” in dresses, accoutrements, and adornments, the un-Indianness of drinking toasts and the center spread of  “Colonel in Chief?”

 

   The Corps Geet is a singular exception. I prefer to call it geet rather than “song,” more because of solemnity of the former than triviality of the latter.

 

The Motivation

 

   I did a bit of study to reinforce commendable research done by Lt Col S D Umalkar on the history of the Corps Geet and a recent tete a tete with elders of the Corps Maj Gen M C Rawat and Mrs Usha Rawat who had made invaluable contribution to lending music to the composition and have been torch-bearers in rousing  motivation. They have made a name in promoting our culture and traditions through the medium of RAAG. 

 

   Shabda (word or lyrics) and Nada (sound or music), both discretely and in concert are instruments of sadhna (missionary pursuit) to achieve ananda (eternal bliss). Ananda ensues from victory, be it of mind over matter attained through Bhakti Yoga, be it of right over wrong achieved through Karma Yoga, or more appropriately Veer Yoga, if I may coin the expression. The call for dharam Yudha, or exhortation for Jihad in its true sense and import, or the pursuit of shubh karman aptly describe the motivation, viz.

 

Hatwa va prapsaye swargam jitwa va bhokshasay mahim,

Tasmad uttishth kautaya yudhaye krit nishchaya.

 

Or what Dasham Padshah enjoins:

 

Deh Shiva var mohe, shubh karman se kabhoon na taroon;

Kabhoon na daroon, jab jaye laroon, nishchay kar apni jeet karoon

 

 

  In Sikh Religion, SHABAD (I spell it the way it is pronounced) has a profound virtue in understanding the Ek Onkaar. It is the initiator triggering jigyasa (yearning), or what is expressively termed as  aahavaan, i.e. call to the believers to protect their beliefs or soldiers to follow His path, and a sankalp (pledge) to carry it out whatever be the odds. The one, which has led Sikh LI to battle is from the Gurbani.

 

Soora so pahchaniye, jo lare deen ke het.

Purja purja kat mare, kabhoon na chhade khet

 

   It is difficult to translate such dicta but attempt I must. “Brave is he who fights for the underprivileged. He sacrifices himself slain to pieces, but does not give up the hearth.”

 

   A piece appeared in the Times of India titled , “Shoonya to Nada Yoga: Journey of Peace” under the column, “The Speaking Tree” in the issue of March 10, 2003 in which philosophy of Pandit Amarnath on Nada is described by his daughter. Panditji says, “Nada, or sound is divided into two parts – aahata and anahata (spelt as ahada and anhada in the piece ibid, purveying like- sounding words in English “heard and unheard”). Japji Sahib in Pauri 28 expounds:

 

Aad aneel, anad anahat, jug jug eko vesh

 

   Panditji further explains, “Heard means that which is possible for one to hear through the physical ears, and unheard means ‘felt,’ which is the condition of nada before it is musically shaped and regularized. Then come shrutis, then swaras (notes), which from time to time have been explained by the masters.”

 

   From shoonya (zero or nothingness) comes the unheard and the heard. It is the aalingan (embrace) of the aahata and anahata, shabd and nada, sadhna and aahuti (sacrifice). It is communion, it is communication, it is azaan for the believers to gather, it is call to battle. Its indigence is defeat. The Bible says:

 

“If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound,

Who shall prepare himself to the battle?”

 

The History

 

     Col Umalker did a commendable job to dig out the minutes of the Corps Committee, the original signed copy of the lyrics as penned by Sh Anand Bakshi, my contribution in rewriting it, music composed by Mrs Usha Rawat and Prof Som Datt Battoo rendering it in Raag Pahari and its staff notations for martial adaptation by Lt Col H B Brall and Maj Noel Andrew for the brass band. The two versions of the lyrics and the music appear in the draft of the pamphlet on Corps customs and traditions being written by him. I reproduce these historical pieces, lest the future generations of the Signals forget the pride and glory of the Corps.

 

 

   What comes first, the Shabda or the Nada is often a debatable issue. Both are rooted in the cognitive sciences, the theory of neural communications and computing. The mukhra, or the first two lines, viz. Poorb, pashchim, uttar dakshin, shor hai charon ore, Desh ki rakshak, desh ki sevak meri Signal Corps, written by Anand Bakshi were a masterpiece but he couldn’t go beyond them. The antra were pedestrian and prosaic. I was asked by the Corps Committee in its 38th Meeting to “approach” Sh Anand Bakshi to request him to revise the lyrics and bring the content updated on modern means of communications.

 

   It was during the interregnum between Operation Trident and Operation Pawan, that I had two meetings with him, the first one  to apprise him of Corps Committee decision and generally convey the motivating thoughts that should be incorporated in the Geet. A month later, in the midst of a highly pressing schedule of arranging inter-service communications for a possible participation of naval elements in Ex Brass Tacks, I managed to snatch a few minutes to have a second meeting with him. He expressed his regrets that he couldn’t find time to revise the Corps “Song” but was highly appreciative of the fact that it needed what he himself termed as “drastic amendments,” I was prompt enough to ask him, “Bakshi Sahib, do you mind if I make some changes?”  “Zaroor, aap jaisa chahen,” was the response.         

 

   The only change that I had in mind then was to substitute “shor” by “goonj.” The inspiration for the rest of the Geet came much later, the shabda came when I was listening to SHABAD in the Gurdwara of E Composite Signal Regiment, the unit which later earned the distinction of being the first unit to be inducted in Operation Pawan. Whereas Anand Bakshi was perhaps inspired by nada to form-fit lyrics, I was inspired by the Corps Ethos, more so by the Gurbani and the Geet Celestial, the Bhagwatgeeta.  

 

   Meanwhile the Corps Committee also invited composers. Three of them sent the proposal. Of them Mrs Rawat’s rendering was indeed most suitable and befitting. She reminiscences, “It was at the spur of the moment. Main gungunati rahi. Music apne aap hi ban gaya.”

 

 

The Tradition            

                 

    The 39th Corps Committee in February 1988 formally approved the lyrics and the music.  It couldn’t have been more timely as the Geet was sanctified by the blood of the Signalman in Op Pawan and the goonj (fame) of the Corps had indeed reverberated chahun ore -- Poorab-pashchim, Uttar-dakshin. We had literally and metaphorically proved ourselves as masters of the tropo-ionosphere following the example of Pawan Putra Hanuman, “Bhumandal par vichre hum Pawan-poot ki bhanti.” I suggested codename of the operation as Pawan-Putra, General Joshi, then DGMO, later Chief, dropped Putra and accepted Pawan. The relevance, however, did not detract.  

 

   I did not like the Corps Committee’s mandate of obtaining approval of Sh Anand Bakshi to the “ammendments.” As the Corps Geet had been sung in battle, Sh Anand Bakshi was shown the final version and given the honorarium. However he conveyed, ”General Sanib ne likha accha hai.” 

 

The Pride

 

   The Corps Geet is pride of the Corps, and the profession of soldering. It draws its strength from tradition, anchorage from the past glory and portrays a vision of the future. It beckons the Signals to battle, is the rallying point of faith in the destiny of the Corps, the cardinal point of its pride. Like the Geet Celestial, the Corps Geet is eternal. It is irrevocably linked with the progress of technology, viz. “Pathpradarshak nai sadi ke, takniki raj hamara.” It has grandeur of its own, and an entity that is inviolate. In its wordings lye the essence of the Corps activities, aspirations and achievements; its tune reflects the glory that is the Corps. It must be guarded against extinction, against mutilation.     

   

   The first stanza is symbolic, viz. “Jimmy hai chinh hamara, teevra chaukas nara,” meaning Jimmy is the symbol, the icon, the idol. That we opted for a Greek God is immaterial; it only underscores our pluralism. It could well have been a Hindu God a like-animate, e.g. Lord Hanuman or inanimate “Shankh” of which there are six shalokas in the Geeta itself. The Geeta names the shankh of different warriors, viz. Panchajanya blown by Hrishkesha (Lord Krishna), Devdatta by Arjuna, Paundra by Bhim, Anantvijayam by Yudhishtra, Sughosh by Nakul and Manipushpaka by Sahdev.

 

   All human endeavours fall under two categories the preyas, (of senses or VIRTUAL) and the sreyas (spiritual or of cosmic consciousness). Teevra and chaukas are sreyas virtues, going much beyond the pale of swift and alert; connoting strength, self-assurance and sublimity to the rigours of REALITY. Achievements both here and hereafter are born of competence and manly action. Strength nurtures life, knowledge the life after. Competence, strength and knowledge are essential to waging electronic yudha or the sublime war. And thence “Electronic yudha mein mahir, teevra chaukas nara.”

 

The Samarpana

 

   They played the Corps Geet when I left Op Pawan. They played the Corps Geet when I was finally dined out from the Headquarter Mess. They played the Corps Geet when I laid wreath at the Corps Memorial before shedding uniform, nat mastak to the shahidaan-e-Corps. Then there was and forever there is a lump in my throat, a tear in my eye, and shabda on my lips, “Desh ki sevak, desh ki rakshak meri Signal Corps.”