K B Jandial
The members of the Central Govt Pensioners’ Welfare Association, Jammu (CGPWA) had an exciting, exhilarating, and memorable trip to Suchetgarh on the Indo Pak International border, just a 40-minute drive from Gandhinagar, Jammu.
A group of forty veterans of the Association, including some former top brass of J&K administration, visited Suchetgarh, better known for its colourful weekend ‘Beating Retreat,’ a revered Flag Lowering Ceremony.
The ‘Beating Retreat’ is basically a military ceremony that dates to 17th century England, first used to recall nearby patrolling units to their castle. It is said thatKing James II ordered his troops to beat drums, lower flags and organise a parade to announce the end of a day of combat with the sun set. In India, its origin is traced to early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. Now it is part of the Republic Day celebrations at New Delhi and State capitals of which it is the grand finale. In the mesmerising ambiance, the buglers sound the bugle call and the national flag is slowly brought down, carefully folded, and taken to the designated place. At the national capital, now it ends with a lot of firework and digitally made impressive images in the open, witnessed by the President, PM, and a galaxy of prominent personalities from almost all fields.
The Suchetgarh Retreat is almost a replica of Attari-Wagah border daily ‘Retreat’ with a difference that Pakistani Rangers do not participate in the weekend event (Sat- Sun). Despite their absence, this spectacle of riot of colours with powerful commentary by BSF anchors( SI Uma Saini, Gurpreet Singh and Ashok Sharma), is worth seeing. The actual Retreat is preceded by three-four dances by children at popular Bollywood patriotic songs that created a befitting setting for the powerful drill by contingents of male and female BSF jawans, donning attractive uniforms, well suited for the occasion.
It is a patriotic performance on the border in Jammu, watched by hundreds of enthusiastic people. The entire one-hour show is beautifully packaged- National Anthem, slogans of patriotism and dances on patriotic songs. These powerful Bollywood patriotic songs and a call by the anchor to ‘deshbhakts’ ignited the ‘patriotic fire’ in many spectators who jumped to the ceremony-area, some holding Tricolours which the BSF provided to them.
This ‘fire’ could not stop even the veteran civil servants who too jumped and started dancing for the country, some waving Tricolour. It was a pleasant scene to witness the former top bureaucrats and Police officers mingling with the ‘DeshPremis’ and dancing, many of them for the first time in their lives. Those who jumped to the ‘Retreat Area’ for bhangra included our Patron and former AGP, SS Wazir, former DGP, Dr Ashok Bhan, former Secretary to Govt of India Ashok Angurana, former ADG of BSF, N S Jamwal, former PCCF, P. P. Sharma, former DIG, BSF, K. K. Gupta, Ashok Sharma (DAD), Sunil Sharma and the author of this piece. It was an exciting experience, full of JOSH. Impromptu dancing on a scintillating patriotic song, holding high the Tricolour in one hand, was a unique, exciting and unforgettable experience, JOSH unmatched.
The drill for the Retreat was conducted with loud shouts and heavy foot stomping by the select band of the brave hearts. The form of marching with jawans lifting their legs very high, known as “Goose Marching,” was extremely impressive and daring revealing their physical strength as well.
Besides N S Jamwal, Surjeet Singh, DIG BSF and Vivek Srivats, Commandant briefed the veterans about the border and the agricultural land which BSF is cultivating. Jamwal took them to the last point on the border and showed a pepal tree which has overgrown since partition, concealing in its huge trunk, a portion of the bricks of the initial wall that separated both countries. These bricks are still seen.
The visitors also pay homage to the martyred BSF personnel at the ‘Amar Prahari Sthal’ created in the garden in the “memory of the BSF Brave Hearts who sacrificed their lives for the nation.”
BSF had played a stellar role in the 1971 war, both in eastern and western fronts. PM Indira Gandhi echoed BSF role in the war and sacrifices in her letter to K F Rustam ji, founder of the Force. This letter is etched on the black marble wall on the right side of the ‘Amar Prahari Sthal.’ She had lauded the role played by the BSF as “first line of India’s defence” and wrote that “the Border Security Force had to bear the immediate brunt of the enemy onslaught. The manner in which they faced the enemy fire and the support they gave to the Army has played a crucial role in our ultimate success.” Expressing the gratitude of the Govt and the people of India to BSF, Indira ji wrote, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the men and the officers who have sacrificed their lives in defence of India and her values.” This letter is a proud treasure for the BSF and they thoughtfully imprinted it on a wall alongside the Amar Prahari Sthal.
Another important site nearby is the ‘BSF Warriors Tree’ created in 2019. The leaves of the tree carry the names of those BSF brave hearts who were awarded gallantry awards as on 2019- Vir Chakra (7), Kirti Chakra (1) and President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (232) Police Medal for Gallantry (933) & Sena Medal (56).
Then there is a museum named ‘Hall of Fame’ to see which portrays historic photographs besides gallantry award winners with description of their gallantry. The rare photographs included the first train from Jammu to Sialkot in 1890, Ranbir Singh Pora Railway Station, Jawahar Tunnel as it was in 1921.
In the pre-independence period, this place was functioning as Railway Station’s Octroi Post and Border Tax Office which was first converted into Border Post by the name of Octroi Post and now a tourist site where weekend Retreat is held.
Near this post is the historic Shri Raghunath ji Temple constructed by Dogra rulers which is now renovated. This is the additional area of interest for the visitors.
Across the barrier, it was almost deserted. Three persons were spotted standing on the road on Pakistan side but they didn’t evince any interest in the halla-gulla (revelry) and gaiety and even did not acknowledge people’s greetings. Pakistan’s Border Post Inayat is just 239 mtr and Sialkot 11 kms from the border barrier.
While the Attari-Wagah Border Ceremony has been in vogue since 1959, the Suchetgarh Retreat started in 2021 only, thanks to the vision of Narendra Singh Jamwal, the then ADG of BSF. It was he who was instrumental in creating this weekend event which was formally inaugurated by the J&K’s Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha on 2nd October, 2021. The winter timing for the event is 5 p.m. while the summer timing is 5.30 p.m. With this, BSF has created a lively destination for the people of Jammu and the visitors from outside Jammu. On superannuation, Shri Jamwal is now the active Life Member of the CGPWA, Jammu.
Playing a gracious host reflecting the emulated traditions of the BSF, Shri Jamwal had made excellent arrangements for the CGPWA members who enjoyed every minute of their 2-hour stay.
(The author is the General Secretary of CGPWA, Jammu)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
