But lo! The recruiting officer stood before me with list and announced -
“Raoji Sadashiv Sawdekar selected as Sepoy (a soldier) for Mahar Machine Gun
Regiment”. For a moment I could not believe it! A dream! Was it a dream? My
incredible joy knew no bounds! Ram was rejected. The RO asked me to sit in the
hall. I saw him preparing some papers. So I requested him to allow me to meet
my mother. The officer smiled a bit and declined my request. So hurriedly I
wrote a small note type letter on a piece of paper, copied the same on other
paper and handed over it to Ram. I asked him to go to the hostel and give it to
my mother. I asked him to console her as much as he could. Ram happened to be
my distant some relative. He too felt sorry and hurriedly left from there.
(presently Ram is staying at Mumbai with his family)
Meanwhile the recruiting officer handed over me document and a railway
warrant meant a railway ticket. He briefed me how to reach Saugar in M.P. where
Mahar Machine Gun Regiment’s Training Centre was located.
He asked his Jawan to accompany me up to railway station which in
fact was very near and ensure that I got in the train and ordered him to wait
on the platform till the train moved.
Our hostel was just 500-600 yards away from the railway line. Since the
train was a shuttle running between Khamgaon and Jalamb railway stations. It
was so slow that one would easily get down off the first compartment and get in
the last compartment when the train actually was moving or one could even
handover anything standing outside near the
trackss to the passenger in running train.
The jawan who accompanied told me that many young boys after
getting selected ran away without joining the military due to fear. And that
was the reason they wanted to ensure that I boarded the train till it left. I assured him that it would not
happen in my case as myself strongly desired to join military. I stepped in the
train, looked at the platform and looked around knowing that this would be my
last stay in this town, school and hostel. It was 23rd December
1953. The train moved and I immediately realized that I must stand in the door
to look out whether my mother would be standing near the line, whether my
other hostel mates would be coming to see me and whether Ram
informed the hostel boys and my mother and whether they knew about my
joining military.
Though the hostel was 5-10 minutes walk away from the station, it felt
me too far when I was leaving. My heartbeats started increasing as train
started passing from the hostel. But to my surprise my mother, Ram and other
hostel mates already had gathered near the railway track. From the distance I
could see that their eyes were searching me.
When I started waving, they immediately noticed it and all responded. I
took out the second copy of the letter, which I had handed over to Ram, written
to my mother and as soon as I reached just near to her, I threw that letter
towards her and asked her to pick it up. I called out everyone by name and saw
my mother standing like a stone. She just raised her thin and trembling hand up
and waved it automatically. Train being slow, I noticed tears rolling down from
her eyes. I bowed down my head and prayed God to bless my mother. Ram picked my
letter. I stood in the door looking at my mother without even blinking a second
least I would miss her. Slowly the train speeded up further and my mother
disappeared from my eyesight but I kept waving automatically even though they
all were totally out of my sight.
Contents of letter were like this –
“Mother, don’t cry for me. Don’t worry about me. All people joined
military did not die. I am joining military not only to bring happiness for you
and our family but I shall go to school there and complete my education. I
promise I shall do it. Mother, I shall always remember you”.
Your son,
Raoji.
When I got down at Jalamb station for onward journey, I was still visualising
the total scene of the hostel mates and my mother gathered together at the
railway line.
I occupied my seat in Bina bound
train and broke down in tears. Tears were rolling down incessantly. Detailed
past canvas and last scene prominently was lingering in front of my eyes.
Promises, assurances
and hopes shown to my family through my letter were clearly appearing
one by one in front of my eyesight and it was looking like a
painted imaginary future of my life! Why I promised such unattainable
hopes and promises to my family? When all people joined the army to fight for
the country and devote their lives then why I made such false promises? These
and such question were cropping up in my mind. “Don’t be silly, you have to
achieve your goal”, the submerged ambition surfaced and reminded slowly but
calmly prevailed on my disturbed mind.
The train arrived at Bina station and as briefed by R.O. at Khamgon, I
changed the train for Saugar. It was a metre gauge. On Saugar platform there
was a small military office and I saw many young boys like me, all from
Maharashtra standing before the office. Since all were speaking in Marathi,
it gave me a little sigh of relief. After noting down some details we were taken
to the military camp through a military truck accompanied by the military
police. It took 30 minutes to reach to the military camp.
Saugar in Madhya Pradesh (a state
in India) was a training centre of Mahar Machine Gun Regiment and the camp was
known as “Koregaon Lines”. A totally new chapter opened in my life. The
military officer’s name was Sonawane who took our charge and his rank was Hawaldar.
He told me it was platoon no. 1 of company no. 1. He asked some questions and
told his assistant to take me to the stores.
I found Hawaldar Sonawane a
strict but nice person.
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