ARJUN TANK AND PRINCE ARJUNA

ARJUN TANK AND PRINCE ARJUNA

Prof Dr Colonel ( Retired) K Prabhakar Rao

In a spacious hall in heavens, there are some magnificent chairs arranged resembling thrones. In one of these chairs a prince is seen sitting. He is dressed in an attire of yore worn by Kings of India. He is wearing golden crown. He is holding a large bow and set of arrows are stacked close by. The prince is seen reading a newspaper. A soldier with a lance in medieval dress enters and states that a visitor was waiting to see him.

Guard. Respected prince Arjuna. Oh mighty one. A guy is waiting to see you.
Arjuna. That is fine and please brings him- in with all courtesy.

(The guard bows and goes out. In few moments the visitor walks in. He is in full Indian Army uniform and wearing the rank of a field Marshal. He has bushy moustache and is sporting a side cap slightly tilted. The visitor is hesitant to salute the prince and seeing his discomfort Arjuna rises up )
Arjuna. Welcome. Dear Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw of great India. Welcome. I am happy to see you here. You were the first General of India who came and saw me till today although there were many here some time ago and they left to take rebirth on earth as they are not yet free of bondage of life and death and its cycle. I do not know in what form they are born now.
Manekshaw. Thank you sir. In fact I wanted to salute you. But I found my joints very stiff. You know I am very old. Recently I came to heavens after suffering old age and ill health.
Arjun. That is all right. Take it easy. Sir! How come you are here?
Manekshaw. I plan to see all stalwarts of yore. You were one of the bravest of yore.
Arjun. Thank you for your compliments. Let us have a drink (He claps and the guard enters and Arjuna asks him to fetch drinks for them)
Manekshaw. Thank you sir. Why take trouble now?
Arjuna. It is Ok. Tell me what is the news in India. Just now I read the newspaper from India and I saw some gadget has been given my name. Do you know any thing about it?
Manekshaw. Yeah. It is the India’s main battle tank. It is called Arjun.
Arjun. What is this tank? I am not aware of it. I know that tank means an open box with or without lid. A pond is also called a tank.

(In the mean time a beautiful half naked damsel enters with drinks trolley and snacks. She pours drink for the two. Both lift glasses and say “ To the God the almighty” and Manekshaw touches Arjunas glass with his own. It makes a clicking sound. They say cheers.)

Manekshaw. (Slightly coughing). Sir, In India we say To the President while toasting drink. Sir, Tank in army means a strong metallic track driven heavy vehicle that is fitted with a powerful gun that can rotate full circle and rise up and down too. The gun can fire ammunition and destroy enemy. It is a very important weapon in modern warfare. Soldiers hide in these tanks and fight wars. They can also fire machine guns hiding in.
Arjuna. What a shame! Soldiers hiding and fighting war? How can they do? It is against all codes.
Manekshaw. Sir. Rules were there in your days too. Did you not kill great sire Bheeshama charya in Mahabharatha war by hiding behind Sikhandi ( a female born changed into male)? Was it correct? Think a bit. ( Sips from the glass)
Arjuna. (Looking this way and that way) That was inevitable. Otherwise Bheeshmacharya could never be slain. In fact we asked the great sire to reveal how he could be overcome. ( In between picks up roasted cashew nuts from the plate)
Manekshaw. True. The tank has become inevitable in modern warfare due to invention of machine guns and explosives.
Arjuna.What is so great about Arjun Tank, which bears my name?
Manekshaw. Sir. The Indian main battle tank project was taken up when I was already a General and was army chief. The Indian researchers took thirty long years to produce some thing after many failures. The assembled this box with imported engine, gear box and transmission. They made the box rather. The tank has earned much discredit although research organization is trying thrusting it down army’s throat. Many guys are apprehensive of it. We do not know when the tracks fail. It was great calamity, as the tank cannot move once tracks snap. It will be sitting duck

Arjun. I read in newspaper that it has become very heavy and large. Cannot be transported easily on available bridges and rail wagons.
Manekshaw. True. It is mere liability. (Coughs)
Arjun. I feel bad because my name is being sullied. You know I won all the battles. But this tank cannot fight any war. Then why have my name. You should have named it Uttar Kumar the son of King Virata of Mahabharatha. He could only boast and do nothing. He ran away after seeing Kauravas army when we were serving in court of Virata during our exile.
Manekshaw. What can I say? We hoped that it could be as mighty as you. But we found it an apology.
Arjun. I find that every thing in Andhra Pradesh State is being named after Rajiv Gandhi the former Prime Minister and son of IndiraGandhi. It would be better if the tank is also named after him. Why my name? I am much unhappy.
Manekshaw. ( Sips from the glass. As the glass is empty the dame in waiting pours from the jar with style). Thanks dear. He looks at the girl thanking her and appreciating.
Arjun. You people must try to achieve when you name a project with great name. Or else better do not name it so. Call it Russian way as T 30, T 40, T 54, T 90 now. They have not named them as Lenin or Gorbochev, Tolstoy, Rustupin.
Manekshaw. (Obviously getting embarrassed). Thank you sir, I shall convey to my army. Thank you for advises. Sir, I shall take leave. Good night sir. It is late night.
Arjun. Best of luck to you Sam. Keep coming and be in touch.

(Manekshaw stiffly marches out holding his baton while Marshal music is heard…. Saare jahan se atchaa… Hindostan hamara… hamara.. ( India is greatest in the world))

DR K PRabhakar Rao