Letter to a Daughter

1^st October 2016

O Teynu Kala Chashma Jajda Hai….

Aarti’s phone was ringing. Her daughter of twelve, Munni would often change the caller tune depending on her current favourite. She rushed to pick it up when the caller’s name popped up, “Sirji.” She loved to call Subedaar Ranjit Jha of Bihar Light Infantry by this name. It just made her happy. She had been waiting anxiously to hear from Sirji for many days, ten days to be precise. With no news there was an air of uncertainty and sadness in the household for Ranjit always made it a point to ring up daily. It was not just for Aarti and his parents who lived with them but he longed to speak to the light of his life, Munni. A soldier’s life is tough but his family too lives a thousand deaths in the absence of news in a world where sms, whatsapp and mobile call was cheap and had reached everyone. To Aarti the phone was her life line. She had studied upto class four only and Ranjit would help her read and write the text messages whenever he came for his annual vacation.

“Kya Sirji, you forgot about us? Have you found another woman that you’ve stopped calling this one?”

“ArreyNahin. I was on duty and there was strict instruction not to contact anybody. I will talk to you later but is Munni around? Call her, I need to talk to her urgently.”

Munni was standing just next to her mother for she knew her father would want to talk to her. The mother handed over the phone to the girl who shouted, “Baba, I am very angry. Every day I would wait but you never called even once. You know how the other children in the school would make fun of me saying tere Papa shahid hog aye hain. I would cry alone.” Her eyes could no longer hold back the tears as she spoke to Ranjit.

“Munni  beta, sorry. I promise not to do it again but I also want a promise from you.”

“What is it Papa?”

“Promise me that you will tear off the letter which I last wrote and should be reaching you anytime now.”

“But why Baba. I love reading your letters. You know I have kept all your letters safely in the drawer of my desk, neatly folded and I read them once in a while.”

“No Munni, not this one. Just promise me. Don’t open it. The moment you get it, rip it off and throw it in the dustbin. Promise?”

“Ok Baba, promise!”

After that Sub Ranjit spoke to Aarti who kept smiling. As she put down Sirji’s phone she asked Munni what promise had she made to her father. Munni told her honestly and went back to her room to study.

Two days later when Munni returned from school, she instinctively opened up the letter box and she found an inland letter there. It was addressed to Miss Artika Jha and she didn’t have to even turn it upside down to read the sender’s name. The round black stamp on the back showed it had come from army post. Her heart stopped as she remembered the promise she had made to her father. She entered her home and even as her mother offered her a glass of water, Munni ripped the letter into small bits and threw it in the dustbin in her room.

Munni was very quiet that afternoon and her mother understood that the letter must have been troubling the little girl. Munni finished her lunch and went back to her room. Aarti left her alone as she went back to her room to do some sewing and soon lay down for her afternoon siesta.

Munni tried hard to concentrate on her books but just couldn’t. What was in the letter that her father did not want her to read? Unable to control herself, Munni emptied the dustbin on her bed and the bits of paper fell down. Meticulously she sat down to put the torn bits of paper together. At first she was unable to set the jigsaw puzzle right but she quickly started putting the pieces right keeping the printed side of the inland letter facing up. Now it came together logically and properly. She then tore off a page from her long notebook, put glue all over it, picked it up carefully and placed it over the letter…..bingo!

Munni had never lied to her father nor had she ever disobeyed her. But her age was such that inquisitiveness got the better of her caution and she turned the page upside down and started reading the letter where some words had had smudged but good enough for her to read.

56APO

28^th September 2016

Dear Munni,

How are you my little one? I always keep thinking about you and have your smiling photo in my top shirt pocket and when look at it before going to bed. Today I am writing to you and I want you to read this out to your mother and your grandparents.

You must be wondering why I am writing a letter when it is so easy to call you on Ma’s mobile phone as I often do. No, not today. For I cannot make a call from where I am. I cannot even tell you where I am right now. By the time my letter reaches, you will understand things better.

For the moment all you need to know is that I am good and could not be better. Today I have been selected to be part of a special team for a very special mission. Me and my mates are all excited for what does a soldier want in life? Action and doing something good for the country. I have seen many actions within the country from people stuck in flood affected areas to places torn by men killing others in the name of religion. That’s not what we army men are trained for. For us it is using our guns against the enemies of Bharat Mata. And today we are going out to do just that.

You would have read how some madmen from across came and killed 18 of our jawans. For the soldier dying in battle is one thing but to die without firing a bullet in retaliation and getting burnt is sad. We have seen so many such deaths of good jawans and officers and we always felt like retaliating but as loyal soldiers we only work on orders of our superiors and they never gave any such orders. But this time it is different. We will not let the death of our jawans go unpaid for. Those who did and those who were the masterminds will have to pay. For once we shall teach these blood thirsty killers that humney choodiyan nahin paheni hain. We shall make them pay, teach them a lesson of their lives.

We have checked our guns, our bags are packed with enough ammunition and our commanding officer has carefully taken us through the entire plan. He is also coming with us in this mission. The helicopters that will carry us across the border are all ready and are targets have been carefully identified. In fact everything has been planned so well, that there will only be one outcome- victory for us and death to the enemy. We have been told “Leave no buddy or body behind.”

Even though we have all things stacked in our favour, in war nothing can be certain. The enemy is by no means to be underestimated. They too have been trained by the Special Forces and will surely fight hard. But one thing is certain, My Dear Munni, I shall return a hero anyhow. If I come back safe and sound, we would have vanquished the enemy and everyone will applaud. If, however, the enemy bullet finds me, I will still come home to a hero’s welcome wrapped in tricolours.

You have always been proud of your Baba and surely I will not let you down even today.

You are now 12 years old and turning into a pretty girl. Tomorrow if Baba is not there, I want you to study well and follow your dreams. Take good care of Ma. Teach her English so that she is able to read your mails on the computer. Tell her to keep up with her hobby of stitching clothes. Buy her a sewing machine with the money that will come her way from the government. She can earn some money and will stay engaged during the day when you attend school and college. The government will give your mother good money which should take care of your needs and marriage when you come of age.

Your grandparents are already so old and may be badly affected. Kiss them, hug them often and be kind to them till they are around. Tell them that their son lived and died for the country.

I need to drop this letter in the army post box now. Wherever I am, here or from up there, I will be watching you My Love. Remember a soldier never dies and for you, my Munni, I will always remain with you forever.

With Lots and Lots of Love,

Baba

By now many a tear drop had fallen on the letter in front that even if it had been intact, no one would have been able to read it. Munni folded it back and held the letter close to her chest. She ran out to her mother’s room and took the phone lying beside her mother. She had to speak to Baba and unhesitatingly she dialled. After a few rings, Ranjit picked up on the other side.

“Baba…Baba…”

Ranjit knew why Munni was crying. The soldier, who had a couple of days ago gone into enemy zone and eliminated dozens of terrorists, today felt weak holding the phone line to a little girl on the other side.

“Baba…Baba…you are my hero and will be my hero forever. Forgive me Baba for reading the letter but now I know how brave my father is. To those boys in school I will tell them that they can joke and have fun because my father keeps awake on the border and kills the enemies of the country. Baba, I love you Baba.”

By now Aarti had woken up and saw the letter in Munni’s hand. She held it in front but could not read it. She held her girl tightly as the little one kept sobbing and talking to her father, she realised from the tremor in his voice that Sirji too was crying.

 SS