Thank you, maulvi sahab

Brig Gurinder Singh (Retd)

Since the days of the British Indian Army, the religious teachers (pandit, maulvi, granthi, etc) have been part of Army units. Depending upon the composition of the troops, one or more religious teachers are posted. Apart from running the religious institutions, they play an important part in the emotional and spiritual well-being of the rank and file. Very often, some of them are so involved in the unit affairs that officers and men seek their advice on personal matters as well. Being a mixed class-composition battalion, my unit had both, a panditji as well as maulvi sahab.

In 1992, our battalion was deployed 20 km from Bathinda in Punjab for anti-militancy operations. I was a Company Commander then. That day all officers were at the battalion headquarters for the Commanding Officer’s briefing and a religious function at the makeshift unit mandir inside a tent.

As I was preparing to leave for my company post, I received an urgent message from a Subedar Major requesting me to come to the unit mandir (there were no mobiles then) at once. It was unusual to get such a message.

As I reached, I was met by the Subedar Major, maulvi sahab and panditji. I noticed that the mandir tent, where we had performed puja only a couple of hours ago, was gutted. “Desperate efforts to save the mandir had been in vain,” I was told. As it happened, after the prayers, panditji had left the fire unattended inside the tent which somehow spread to the tarpaulin matting.

I was furious at panditji for his negligence, and how the fire was a bad omen (apshagun). But maulvi sahab quickly intervened, “Sahab, aap aise kyon nahi dekhte ke ek bahut badi bala jo ham sab par aa rahi thi usse Prabhu ne apne upar le liya? (Sir, why don’t you view it as if we have been saved from catastrophe by God’s own self-sacrifice?)”

The Subedar Major nodded in agreement while panditji, overwhelmed with guilt, did not utter a word. Even as I found it absurd, I did not question maulvi sahab’s reasoning. “But why did you call me when the CO and 2IC (Second in Command) are present?” I demanded. “Aapko bulane ka khayal mera tha, sir, unko aap sambhal lena (It was my idea to call you, sir, you please deal with them),” maulvi sahab pleaded. Both the Subedar Major and panditji shook their heads in unison. 

“I want a brand new tent for the mandir at the same place and everything in order, including the idols, placed in one hour,” I ordered. The three wise men sprang into action. A new tent was erected within no time, the Subedar Major borrowed idols from another battalion and the unit mandir was ready for the evening prayers.

I proceeded to report the matter first to the 2IC and then to the CO. He was amused and reluctantly agreed to let go of the incident.

Maulvi sahab served the battalion for 31 years before retiring in 2008. It is not surprising that none of his 11 COs, including me, ever let him go on any posting away from the unit. Nor was he willing to go. Sometimes I do think whether it was actually possible for God to take it upon Himself a calamity (His own creation). Even though I never found the answer, maulvi sahab’s reasoning saved the day. A man of God, and a man of the world. Thank you, maulvi sahab.