Guest Column | A literary legacy of leaves on track

The anticipation and thrill of revisiting the once-familiar railway station, now undergoing significant renovations, led us to arrive well ahead of schedule. I instinctively made my way to the beloved book stall that held a special place in my heart.

Travelling by train used to be the norm in the services. Whether returning home or heading back from any corner of the country during leave, trains were a lifeline. The concessional warrant granted to soldiers on leave was a given, leaving us with no reason to consider any other mode of transportation. However, since hanging up my spurs seventeen years ago, my travel for vacations and family commitments has predominantly revolved around cars or flights. Recently, driven by a desire to experience the newly launched Vande Bharat Express and to steer clear of potential disruptions caused by farmers’ agitation, I made a conscious decision to opt for the train for the first time in years. This journey took me to Delhi and onwards to Terminal 3, marking the beginning of a long-overdue trip abroad.

While travelling, I reminisced with my wife about my days as a young Cavalry Lieutenant. Our Commanding Officer (CO) was an exuberant man, determined to make every hour of the day count. (Representational Image/HT File)

The anticipation and thrill of revisiting the once-familiar railway station, now undergoing significant renovations, led us to arrive well ahead of schedule. I instinctively made my way to the beloved book stall that held a special place in my heart. In line with my New Year’s resolution to explore more books authored by Indian writers, I eagerly scanned the collection in hopes of discovering a gem. However, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment as I found the stall transformed into a typical kiosk, stocked with soft drinks and packaged snacks. The limited selection of books and newspapers bundled in the corner barely hinted at the bustling book stall that once thrived at the Chandigarh railway station. A similar scene greeted us at the New Delhi railway station and the airport, where books seemed to have been pushed to a mere fraction of their former space to accommodate cosmetics and perfumes.

While travelling, I reminisced with my wife about my days as a young Cavalry Lieutenant. Our Commanding Officer (CO) was an exuberant man, determined to make every hour of the day count. A true professional, he was dedicated to shaping young officers into well-rounded individuals. Among his many directives, he emphasised the importance of cultivating a reading habit among officers, which he believed was the bedrock of personality development. He had a set of standing instructions, one of which mandated that each officer, upon returning from leave, bring back a book of their choice to enrich the regimental library in the officers’ mess. The second-in-command was tasked with ensuring the faithful execution of this directive.

To ensure that the acquired books served their intended purpose, officers were required to present book reviews during the officer’s study on Saturday, followed by a beer and an open house literary session. However, not all officers adhered to this rule, and appropriate actions were taken against those who defaulted. For instance, Captain M, a music enthusiast, returned from leave with a Beatles LP record (played on a record player akin to the old gramophone prevalent at that time). Although his contribution was well-received, he was assigned the task of delivering a talk on the origin and ascent of the Beatles! On another occasion, Major K returned with a Reader’s Digest instead of a book, citing its chapter on “humour in uniform.” The second-in-command found this explanation cheeky, and as a consequence, Major K’s leave quota was curtailed by a week.

The result of the regiment’s literary pursuits became evident as officers excelled in their professional courses, crediting their success to enhanced application and focus fostered by their reading habits. Personally, I found myself married to a wife who was not only more educated but also academically brilliant than me. When asked by the CO’s wife about this unexpected turn of events, my “star-struck” better half offered a charming response: “Mrs. R, I was swayed by his intellectual air.” I remain grateful to my Commanding Officer for instilling in me this distinctive aura.

avnishrms59@gmail.com

The writer is a Chandigarh-based freelance contributor