The war that reshaped many destinies

Brig Jagbir S Grewal (Retd)  

The 1971 India-Pakistan War not only liberated Bangladesh, but also provided succour to multitudes of people in Jammu and Kashmir. Liberation of the hamlet of Budgam is one such instance.  

My battalion, 18 Punjab, was then manning the Line of Control (LoC) in Kargil sector, and from the ridge-line we also overlooked Budgam. Its hutments were tucked within Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, but a few grazier huts stood vulnerably close to the LoC. Otherwise, the entire area was devoid of inhabitation and greenery.

A peep below into this pocket of civilisation from our battalion’s defences presented a soothing view amidst rocks and boulders, because neither a blade of grass, nor trees nor greenery was seen elsewhere, except for this hamlet, where a few groves of dwarfed walnut and apple trees, providing small shady jaunts, stood along the water channels. Here the flattened valley floor, smoothened with fine mud accumulated over the years, had become fertile and cultivable.

Budgam gave the illusion of an island of happiness, of people moving about their chores, tending to their terraced fields and their yaks or sheep. Everything about Budgam appeared Utopian, but we were aware of the turmoil that the dwellers stoically endured. Pakistani troops had denied inland access to these folks and poured only bare necessities on them. There were no medical facilities and no schools. Attired in worn-out phirans, shawls or blankets, they consumed whatever they grew. A couple of shops of some peasants doubled up as shopkeepers were visible. Soap and oil were a luxury and utilised once in a while. These people hibernated during harsh winters. Caught in a time warp, they led wretched, primitive lives in perpetual slumber, frozen in time, denied bounties of man’s civilised progress.

Little did we realise then that soon we would be destined to set foot in that valley during the chilly nights of December 1971. The columns of 18 Punjab stealthily descended at last light on December 6 towards PoK, treading softly, so that no stones rolled down, which could have alerted the Pakistanis. The down-slope gushing, noisy water channels also muffled the sound of our footfalls. The goat track that we followed from our post descended downwards and almost reached the valley floor. 

Then we negotiated our way uphill, moving vertically across the mountain face. Trudging up the high altitude terrain, we contacted their Post Bahar at dawn. It was dark and hazy, and the darkness thickened further when a Pakistani sentry challenged us, screaming, “Kaun hai?” Without waiting for a reply, a ‘very light’ was fired. Even before the ‘very light’ had extinguished, a Pakistani machine gun opened up tearing the eerie silence, and the valleys reverberated with echo. Suddenly, shapes and silhouettes of the Post Bahar loomed out of the darkness in front of us. Major Sarjit Singh Sahota (nicknamed Shorty) was commanding Charlie Company that led the assault. Shorty, a gallant and dependable officer, raised his walking stick skywards to make his men realise that the fire was going overhead, exhorting his men to move forward. Though wounded by a grenade, Shorty carried on. The high altitude and the intense cold rarefied air made it difficult to make a dash for the final assault. 

Ultimately, the formidable Brachil Pass was captured. In the next few days, 18 Punjab intruded deep into PoK and earned the Battle Honour, ‘Brachil, Wali and Malik’.

Budgam was now inclusive in the territory captured by us.  People were ferried to see Kargil town, roads, power, and specially screened cinema shows. Civilisation took over their lives; their destinies were re-shaped. Now, the Army reaches out to the population, tending to their health, education and other needs. People of Budgam are now employed in Kargil and elsewhere too, reclaiming their rightful place as citizens of India.