017 NCC CAMP: BEDTIME FLASH STORY

Many students in remote areas had a feeling that they were caged in a bowl made of mountains. They used to hear stories of the city from some migrant students whose parents were there for government jobs. They used to think that they were missing the liveliness of the city - big buildings, shops, trains, fancy cars and multi cuisine food.

All NCC cadets in school were excited when they heard that they are going to Dehradun for a 10 days camp. It was no less than a dream coming true for them.

Instructor told them what and all to pack. Everyone was supposed to take their own bedding. Sanju packed carpet, mattress, quilt, bedsheet, blanket, steel glass and plate.

A bus was booked by the school. All the students along with the NCC teacher sat on the bus in the morning at 6 and reached the destination in the evening at 6.

Kids made their beds in tents and started living in tents. For the next 10 days, they were to get military training. Their usual day was: get up early in the morning for physical training, breakfast, drill exercise, lunch, after noon training on survival skills such as map and compass, evening assembly for cultural programs like singing, dinner and go to bed.

But a few days were reserved for full day activity on special topics such as shooting, tracking or city visit. The 7th day was reserved for tracking, when all cadets went for a visit to a nearby place. They started right after breakfast and reached there in an hour. In the destination point there was a small tea shop. All cadets made a crowd to buy biscuits and tea. All were eating food made by military cooks for the last 7 days. Even though food was of good quality, they were homesick and were longing for home food. Sanju looked at cupcakes in a glass jar of the tea shop. His mouth filled with saliva; he too entered the crowd in order to buy.

The Shopkeeper was first taking money from cadets and then giving them items along with the change. There was only one shopkeeper and many buyers. Cadets were pushing each other in order to buy things faster. Sanju with great effort pushed other and reached the front. He asked the shopkeeper to give him 2 cupcakes. Shopkeeper took money from him and gave back the change first and then he gave cupcakes. Sanju first kept the change in pocket and then took cupcakes in both of his hands. He then turned back to walk to his friends. One well-built guy suddenly shouted and took cupcakes from Sanju's hands and ran away like wind. Sanju could not understand what happened. He just saw himself empty handed and no sign of boy who took his cupcakes. He didn't even see his face to recognize him. Sanju asked the shopkeeper to give him other cupcakes, but he asked for more money which Sanju didn't have.

Frustrated, Sanju walked back without cupcakes but with a lesson on being extra careful in the crowd.

#homefood

#hostel food

#kids

#crowd

#getting robbed

#cheat

#Homesickness 

#cities

#safety

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016 Fire Shooting training

016 the target: Bedtime flash story

Excited by firearms and travel, Sanju joined National Cadet Core in 8th class. 

While getting ready for the first class of NCC, he dressed himself in NCC uniform and looked at him in mirror with pride. It was similar to Army’s khaki pant and shirt, cap and black leather shoes. 

First day was just some briefing and second day onwards it was a military parade drill. 5 days a month they had NCC classes and same drill continued for many months.

One day instructors came with rifles and told cadets about rifle. They first explained rifle’s various components and their significance. Then they explained aiming – 

In prone position, hold the rifles steady.   

keep the eye, target and bead in the crook of rifles in one line. 

pull the trigger without movement in any part of rifle or body.

 

After ensuring each cadet understood the fundamentals, they gave rifles without bullets to each cadet to practice for some time. Before dispersing they asked everyone to come early next day.

Next day instructors came with all firing gear – boxes of bullets, carpets, bags and rifles. Gear was distributed among cadets to carry and they started walk towards firing range in hill. Out of excitement Sanju picked up rifle. Rifle’s weight was too much for Sanju’s age. With great effort he was barely able balance himself and walk. Initial route was an uphill which added to Sanju’s difficulty - his knee pained and he was thinking of giving rifles to someone else walk without any load. Instructor saw his gait and said “why don’t you exchange with a light weight article” but Sanju’s pride did not allow him, he replied “Sir I am fine and can carry it slowly.” They reached the top of the hill and then down journey on other side of hill started. Sanju thought he would run very fast, as he used to do when walking downwards. But with rifle weight he wasn’t able to balance and he walked downward slope more slowly.

After a walk of an hour, they reached firing range away from population. They cleaned the place, filled bags with leaves from trees and then put the carpet parallelly. They put bag in front of carpets to make support for rifles. They then walked to other side and put targets. In the tree nearby there was a bird’s nest which had eggs. Instructor asked them put targets away from tree to avoid any harm to eggs.

They were instructed to fall in line and then final instruction were given. Instructors opened the ammunition box lick and then magazines were loaded into the rifles.

Sanju’s turn was in first round.

Sanju was quite confident of hitting all 10 bullets to target within a radius of 1 inch. Lowest circle was supposed to win. Sanju took prone position and with left hand resting on bag he held the rifles steadily. With right shoulder supporting the butt of rifle, he loaded the bullet. He then tried to aim by closing one eye and aligning target mid-point and bead in the crook. He has aimed perfectly as waited for fire instruction from instructor.

Instructor loudly said “fire” – others fired causing a loud shooting sound

Sanju’s eyes blinked and rifle started swinging. He knew his aim is gone. He tried to aim again but could not close only one eye. He tried again but both eyes closed simultaneously as he panicked.

Instructor shouted at him- “Sanju fire!”

With closed eyes, Sanju pulled the trigger of trembling rifle.

He thought he has hit the eggs in nest.

Before he could think further “load and fire” shout of instructor hit his ears.

He loaded the rifle again…

Without much variation, he just repeated actions of first round for all 10 rounds.

After completion, they first put the rifle on the sides, collected the cover of bullets and then ran to see their result in targets.

Sanju was devasted to see none of the bullets hit the targets. He then went to see the nest. 

He took solace from the fact that eggs were unharmed in the nest.

Over the years, Sanju learned firing and after many years he hits 10 out of 10 in an inch radius.

#skill development

015 faster than super computer: True story from our childhood

Have you ever told a bedtime story to your children?

When was it?

015 faster than super computer: Bedtime flash story 

Winter vacations just started. They used to go to ancestral village in winter vacations but this year father had some office work so father decided that they would go to ancestral village after 2 weeks.

Since school stopped and there were no other kids around. Kids were feeling bore in home. They asked father to get additional magazines from city. Father used to get Nandan, Champak and few comic books every month from city. This time he got additional comic books of ‘Amar Chitra Katha’, ‘Pinki’, ‘Billoo’ and ‘Chacha Chaudhary’.

Bholu who didn’t know how to read, so he just browsed the comic books and hid them in the kitchen. Pappu and Sanju used to have a competition on reading the books first so they searched for the comic books fervently. They did not suspect Bholu and fought accusing each other of hiding the books. Bholu enjoyed their fight as they hit each other with school books and pillows.

Before fight could escalate, Mother came from kitchen with Comic books drenched in water and scolded them for keeping the books in kitchen. Mother had accidently poured water on books. She warned father to not to bring comic books for kids from next month.

Bholu who was enjoying the fight between his elder brothers told them that it was he who kept the book in kitchen because no one tells him what’s written in the books. Sanju attacked Bholu with pillow but Pappu affectionately came in his rescue. Pappu then decided to read Chacha Chaudhary comic to Bholu.

Pappu told Bholu about ‘Chacha Chaudhary’ who was an old man with a mind sharper than a super computer. ‘Bini Chachi’ was his wife. ‘Sabu’ was a giant from Jupiter who decided to stay with Chacha Chaudhary because he liked Paratha and Halwa made by Bini Chachi. And Rocket was their loyal dog.

Pappu read all comic books to Bholu. Bholu was happy but then he had another desire. He wanted to eat Sabu ka paratha.

Bholu threw all tantrums to get Sabu ka paratha.

Mother cooked a paratha made of ‘Sabu dana’. Neither Bholu nor Pappu and Sanju liked it.

Mother then cooked them Aloo ka Paratha. Pappu and Sanju liked it but Bholu didn’t like it. He cried, cried and cried… Every day he was after mother to make Sabu ka paratha.

Father thought that Bholu was looking for a big Paratha. He borrowed a big tava from a community kitchen in nearby village. Mother made a big paratha for entire family.

Bholu was not impressed. He cried and said it wasn’t the paratha Sabu ate.

Mother than looked at picture of paratha in comic book.

She shaped the normal paratha just like it was in comic book. She garnished Paratha with mint plus tomato chutney coloured just like it was in comic book. She then carefully garnished paratha and Chutney exactly like it was shown in comic book. In dining table, mother kept plate with paratha and father opened the comic Book right next to Plate.

Bholu sat on father’s lap, Pappu loudly read the comic book and mother slowly fed Bholu peace by peace by her hands. Bholu was enjoying the blissful moment. He liked the taste and the manner he was treated.

After few bites Bholu cried again as on the other side of dinner table, Sanju had finished all the parathas faster than super computer.