Salutes and salutations... In fact, one interesting question I always asked to myself.. Where from the feeling of ‘respect’ arises within us?? And, how do we express that feeling?? By the hand or from the heart?? Is it an expression of inundating gratitude, out-bursting obligation or even absolute loyalty?? During my initial training days, I was taught how to salute with and without caps; with and without plate in hand; with No.2 and while going for No.2; while sitting on bicycle as a peddler or pinion etc.. etc.. and also was told that it was illustrated as a true ‘mark of respect’!!!. WoW!!! Then I felt a bit of pain, when I sadly remembered that I never saluted my parents till today, and they never demanded too!!! However, I first practiced saluting me on the mirror umpteen times to learn how to ‘respect’ me first!! Later, I was eagerly and enthusiastically looking outside for a striped officer to salute, and when my wait prolongs I will go out and like in the Charlie chaplain movies will start saluting anything and everything that comes across me, be it black boards, pillars, bushes or even cats near the galley!!.. See, practice makes a person perfect!!! Yes, meanwhile I found some worthy ones there whom I felt like saluting in public, but unfortunately ‘rank’ wise they were refrained for that deserving ‘mark of respect’.. What an irony!!! Time went on…. I learned more lessons on practicing ‘mark of respect’…. one more step ahead, that ‘you should ‘command’ respect; and not demand’.. Yup!!! Yet, many occasions in my naval life I heard striped ‘castle class’ forcibly asking ‘stripped’ ‘cattle class’, ‘why didn’t you salute me??!!!’ To me it seemed to be as a most irritating or idiotic question, as one forcefully demands other to ‘respect’ him??!! May be they wrongly understood from the academy as if he has to give a ‘command’ each time to make others to ‘respect’ him??!!! Whatever.. one fact I realize is… I still respect a very few in the ‘striped class’ close to my heart, and I pamper that feeling till I’m taken to the grave.. Unfortunately, trainees are vulnerable to cruelties of these sadists’ mostly!! In Circars I remember, once after a stringently exhausted parade practice, we were fully tired and hungry like hyenas were standing in a very long line under hot sun, keeping the aluminum plates and mugs in hand staring at the entrance of mess!! By the time someone in PT dress passed by, and factually none noticed his presence as priority was entry into the mess… Without any provocation, he suddenly turned and shouted at once.. ‘why didn’t you salute me??’.. and forcefully picked and isolated 4-5 from the line and asked them to stand in nataraj posture (dancing pose on one leg), with their stretched hands holding the mug and plate on their either hands!!! When looking at their pathetic stature, his humor sense heightened and turned out as a real sadist!! He ‘commanded’ them again to put the spoons in their mouth, and called the cook to bring tamarind (imli) to place it on the spoon!! Don’t you feel such animals are fit only for concentration camps??..!!! “First obey, then complaint”… And, if you complaint you are at fault!!! This story became longer than expected… Will continue with more ‘saluting’ stories… till then accept my salutes from the heart.. Jai Hind...
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 06:14:53 +0000