Gallant stories in picturesque environs

Shriniwas Joshi

I  was at the Army Heritage Museum in Annandale, Kaithu, recently. It was my second visit. There is no entry fee for this superbly kept museum, which remains open from 10 am to 5 pm in the summer season and till 4 pm in the winter season. 

The guards at the gate check visitor’s identity, so always carry an identity card with you when visiting the museum. The sprawling green environs of Annandale form its background, which is soothing to the eyes. The locality of Kaithu on the adjacent hill appears hanging on it. Roses diffuse their smell all around and permeate good cheer among visitors. 

The Glass House has ‘spider palm’ at the background, in front of which ‘donkey tails’ hang and what pinches the mothers-in-law greatly are ‘mother-in-law cushions’ full of cacti pricks and in good numbers. Begonia plants and a cactus with pink flowers were in full bloom. The grass was verdurous velvet and hedges were properly trimmed. The pathways were neat and tidy speaking of the Army’s regulations. A canteen there serves hot coffee and tea, plus snacks.

The ambience gives the incipient pleasure. There is a slab on which the words of the Viceroy, Sir John Lawrence, who made Shimla the summer capital of India, are etched: “Of all the hill stations, Shimla seems to me the best for the Government. Here you are with one foot, I may say, in Punjab and another in the North West provinces. Here you are among a docile population and yet near enough to influence Oudh. Around you, in a world, are all the war-like races of India, all those on whose character and power our hold in India exclusive of our countrymen, depends. Your Governor General, if he has any discernment, is well placed to perceive the first signs of danger and is then able to apply a remedy.” There are several readable and very informative boards hanging on the walls inside the museum – The Indian Army Ethos, British Indian Army, Women and Martial Tradition, Armies of Medieval India and the First War of Independence among others. There are larger than life statues of two Field Marshals of the Indian Army – Kodandera “Kipper” Madappa Cariappa, who lived for 94 years and was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army having taken the baton from Lt. General Sir Roy Bucher of the British Army and that of Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Maneckshaw, popularly known as Sam Bhadur (Sam the Brave).

On the Himachali side, there are photographs and initiations of the two Victoria Cross winners – Lance Naik Lala from Kangra and Captain Bhandari Ram from Bilaspur. A corner of the museum is dedicated to the valiant efforts and selfless sacrifices of the heroic soldiers of Himachal Pradesh. There are busts of Major Som Nath Sharma, Captain Vikram Batra, Captain Jasbir Singh Raina, Major Dhan Singh Thapa, RFN Sanjay Kumar and Captain Sudhir Kumar Walia. Seeing these heroes, their valour comes before sight and we bow to these defenders of our nation.

Shakti Singh Chandel in his magnum opus ‘Bilaspur’ writes about General Zorawar Singh Kehlooria, whose painting is hung at the museum: “The history of Bilaspur will remain incomplete unless a brief account about its illustrious son, General Zorawar Singh Kehlooria, is given here.” He states that an astrologer had predicted that the newborn would attain undying fame; he would leave his home and settle in some other region. Coming up to the prediction, Zorawar, besides many heroic deeds, is known for his Ladakh conquest. 

He had invaded Ladakh in 1834; the Ladakhis were unable to fight against the Dogras and had suffered defeat. The museum unseals many unknown aspects of Indian history, especially about the battles, and one comes out of museum wiser and more gratuitous to the soldier, who keeps one safe, while his life is always in hazard. The letter box taken as souvenir during 1971 liberation of Bangladesh and presented to the Army Heritage Museum by Army Postal Directorate was an interesting pull for visitors. The day of liberation written in Urdu in the letter box is Monday.

There are, however, two mistakes that require immediate attention. One, at places, the word used is Annadale, whereas it is Annandale. Annadale has wrongly been adopted by the vernacular press and copied here, too! In none of the authentic books, it is Annadale. 

The second mistake and a glaring one is on the display board ‘Landmarks at Shimla’. It has been imprinted there that on April 30, 1930, Vallabhbhai Patel, President of Legislative Council resigns. Vallabhbhai Patel was never a member of Central Legislative Council. It was his brother Vithalbhai Patel, who was the president and when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, Vithalbhai had supported the movement and so had resigned from the post of the president of the Central Legislative Council.. 

Tailpiece

Field Marshal KM Cariappa had once said: “To me there are only two ‘stans’ – Hindustan and Faujistan.”