A battle tank

"A small, unexceptional figure in slacks and white shirt, carrying what looks to be his shopping, posts himself before an approaching tank, with a line of 17 more tanks behind it. The tank swerves right; he, to block it, moves left. The tank swerves left; he moves right. Then this anonymous bystander clambers up onto the vehicle of war and says something to its driver, which comes down to us as: "Why are you here? My city is in chaos because of you." One lone Everyman standing up to machinery, to force, to all the massed weight of the People's Republic — the largest nation in the world, comprising more than 1 billion people — while its all powerful leaders remain, as ever, in hiding somewhere within the bowels of the Great Hall of the People." - Taken from the Time magazine.

The incident mentioned above happened on June 5th 1989 and I was just four years old then. 



In the November of 1989, we shifted to Uganda. And one of my earliest memories of that time was that, as we approached our new house which was situated inside the industrial complex, I saw a battle tank in front our house, and then I looked at my dad because I thought he was the big boss, and I commanded, "I want that tank, you got give me that tank". Those were the days, when I used to be very crazy about cars and bikes, back then in India, Manmohan Singh had not yet opened up the Indian economy, and so we just had our Fiat Padmini, Ambassador and yes the only streamlined car, "Contessa". 

 Padmini                                Ambassador                                 Contessa

 

The Bullet

 

But my favourite fantasy those days, was always the Enfield Bullet without the silencer, just for the sound it commanded. And now lookeee here, I have a battle tank parked in front of my house, how convenient! But in a few days time, they removed the tank. And it took me, say another twenty years to see a Battle tank, the Indian version called Arjun, yeah face to face, that was at Delhi on Rajpath Road, they were practicing for the Republic day parade.

And today, I look at my self, and I say, "What did you ever know about tanks, buddy? Yes, it's true it looks so muscular and it does defend a country's borders but do you know how lethal they can be. There is nothing to smile about it. I don't want to see you smile".