This day .. that year

[third eye]

Each year as this time of the year comes the mind goes back to the atmosphere that prevailed at home back in 1971.

Coming from a family where everyone wore a uniform - Olive Green, Khaki - IAF / Police there was palpable tension all around.

Then in school I still have vivid memories of dad calling from the Western front to know if we had news of my brother who was then inside E Pak or brothers in law / relatives flying from Pathankot, Amballa, Chandigarh etc or of cousins in so many places.

Some news was good some very bad.

There was a stoic sense of faith and though everyone had their minds with those away yet maintaining a regular life as far as possible.

Radio was the primary means of news , a phone call was god sent and one call meant that we had to relay messages of so many colleagues of dad / brother / BIL to their folks whom they could not get thru to so each call was followed by hours of hectic activity.

Neighbours often stayed all day and began each day with' Sab theek hain na ?'. They meant well but it irritated everyone who wanted to blank out the anxiety we faced.

All in all a trying time.