Remembrances of Air Force life
part 3.
Cpl Pandey G.S.
Men like GS Pandey are genius and they are above all expectations.
My mind went back… I was getting in my car around 2 O'clock, after pack up for the day, Pawar, the office boy, placed a briefcase by the side. I could see in the rear view someone approaching me stealthily. Looking at my frowning, a smart salute followed the voice, ‘Good afternoon Sir, This is Cpl Pandey reporting’!
‘Yes, Cpl Pandey, what do you want now? I said. ‘Nothing Sir, I was waiting for you here as you were to pack up for the day. So I could speak to you. I was rather afraid to come and meet you in your office.’
‘Sir, I know, whenever I meet you, something happens and then I feel that your face does not appear happy.’ Smiling at his funny approach, ‘That’s right’ I said. ‘Good news, Sir, tomorrow is Saturday. And there is going to be an art exhibition in Balgandharva Kala Dalaan, from my co students of Abhinav College. They have put up a show. Sir I have come with an invitation but I don’t have a card. Display of artistic pottery of Ahmed Ghulam Kumhar is also going to be there. ‘And I have a special request for you. Please come in uniform Sir.’ Looking at his enthusiasm, I said, ‘Ok.’
Next day my car turned for the parking lot, Cpl Pandey in a smart civil dress was there to receive me. Bracing up his chest, looking at my ceremonial dress, he greeted me with lavish praise, ‘Sir, You look very handsome Sir’.
The exhibition was really impressive. Boys had put up their artistic work in a neat and beautiful manner. On that day they were to be given prizes for the competitions conducted earlier, I was told.
Meanwhile Cpl Pandey went missing! After some time, he came with the faculty staff of the college. He introduced me to them. Shaking hand one of them said, ‘Sir, we know so much about you, that only meeting in person was left. ‘GS’ had told all about you and the Air force’. To them Cpl Pandey G.S. was ‘GS’!
‘Sir, because of his efforts; we had courage to put up a fight with our management’ One remarked. The other said, ’Sir, today’s venue could not have been possible without his efforts.’
‘Sir, We don’t treat GS as students but as our staff member on many occasions. His approach toward the arts had opened the eyes of many. When he starts talking to students we feel he is an instructor rather than a student. He is all the time in search of something to unveil. We were very much impressed about his efforts about Potter Kumhar. Generally we don’t allow outsiders to join for the display program, but because of GS we had courage to help a co artist who had lost everything including his family members.’ Nodding my head in appreciation my eyes searched for Cpl Pandey. He was missing! I could exchange pleasantries with other co students of his college. Most of them were in their teens, CS was at least 10 years senior to them. He was elderly figure them and more friendly to the teaching staff. ‘Sir, GS when he starts a speech we remain spell bound. His English is so fluent and graceful that even the Principal also thinks twice to talk to him in English! We talk to him in Hindi, but he replies only in English. Some of us wonder if Pandey surname means person from UP- Bihar area how come he avoids speaking in Hindi?
One staff person said in Marathi to me, ‘Saheb, he had organized a strike in support of staff and students which was successful because of his forceful arguments and strong and hard tone. I was thrilled to know a low ranked airman from the Air Force could command so much of respect and admiration. I said, ‘He is from West Bengal and not from UP Or Bihar’.
Cpl Pandey came to me and said, ‘Sir, please come with me. He took me to one corner. There I saw Kumhar Ahmed for the first time. He was an old man. He had displayed many of his pottery items in a neat manner. Folding his hands, ‘Salaam Saab’, he greeted me with a slight bend in his back. ‘He is our Saab, because of who you are here’. ‘Meharbani Janab’, He said. In praise of his work I bought a piece of pottery suiting my purse.
…And then I recalled, one day the doorbell rang impatiently, I opened the door of my quarter house. Seeing Cpl Pandey, I screamed, ‘What are you doing here? ‘Sir, urgent requirement. Don’t mind if I come inside and bother you?’ ‘Meet me in my office, not here?’ His face told me quite a bit of worry. Looking his face down, I said, ‘Ok, come and sit’.
‘Sir, I need some dictation from you’. He directly came to the point. ‘Have tea first. So he sat in a chair. Then he started to narrate; Sir, only you can help me’. Looking at him, I said, ‘Seems, with you I am the only guy to help you and the entire world is against you!’
‘Yes Sir, only you can understand me. Luckily you happen to be a Station Welfare Officer, so I can seek your guidance without formal procedural hassles.’
‘Sir, something had happened. After I returned from Bhuj, I used to go to Command Military Hospital to see quake affected civilian patients. One day, I saw one old man sitting by the side of the road. I had actually stopped to feed biscuits to a laying stray dog. That old man told me that he was spared by the wrath of nature but rest all members died in front of his eyes. One son got hurt seriously. He was admitted. He being major, Hospital authorities said they cannot admit him as his caretaker. His name was Ahemad Kumhar. He was penny less. I borrowed some money from friends, but he refused to take alms. He said he can earn money if he helps to get some instruments and clay. He is a potter. His artistic pottery skills have been praised by many national and international people. He showed me some pages of write ups by some people. I managed to get some needed instruments and raw clay. He showed me some pieces. But given proper clay and material, he will stand on his feet and look after himself’.
‘Sir with your letter of reference, I can go to many known persons like Anu Agha Madam, Rahul Bajaj sir and some more to seek their help. He gave the requirement. Sipping a cup of tea, I started to dictate a small letter addressed to all industrialists and personalities with a philanthropic approach. In the end, he said, ‘Sir, if you don’t mind, may I add one sentence? I said, ‘Go ahead; I don’t mind if you change the entire draft. But bring the typed letter tomorrow morning for signature’.
‘Don’t worry sir; a printed letter will be there on your table tomorrow morning by 7:30.’ Soon he disappeared!
Next day morning, after attending a working parade for my staff, I moved to my office. Hanging side cap to hat rack, reached to my revolving chair. There I saw a beautiful pad, on it a printed letter attracting my attention! I could not resist the temptation to read immediately. Soon I got engrossed in reading. Wondering, is this the same letter I dictated? And l looked at it carefully. It was not printed. But hand written but looked as if printed!
So much was the beauty of his calligraphic presentation and glossy paper. Last sentence was, ‘We the armed force personnel can appreciate the art. But we need the assistance of those who are writers, painters, sculptors and admirers of artists and their arts. If you don’t come forward, who will? Cpl Pandey from Air Force Station Pune had taken up the task to combine synergy to help old man, Ahmed Ghulam Kumhar, earthen potter from Bhuj, Kutch to establish in life from nothing. Please contribute to the cause of art of pottery’. Reading that letter, I was moved by the sheer compassion it emphasized. As I was about to sign it, I felt by appending my signature am I going to spoil the presentation and beauty of that letter? With utmost caution and care I signed it.
That letter created wonder. Cpl Pandey could generate a substantial amount. With that Kumbhar went to Bhuj and came back with many pottery making instruments and clay. He started to sell potteries and wealthy persons and many corporate houses bought them. In Meanwhile his son was cured…
Once he said, ‘It is not merely getting a degree of arts but as an artist our heart should be of an artist. If you don’t feel the throbbing of other artists, it is shame on you guys, shame’. Those harsh words impressed the art college staff and students. So we decided to invite Kumbhar to be an honorary participant of this presentation. One senior college staff member told me with pride.
Meanwhile I was asked to join for the prize distribution. When I reached the hall, I was asked to be seated on dais next to Dr. Vijay Bhatkar’s chair, whom I had not met personally. He was the chief guest for the function. I couldn’t believe it. I said, ‘Look, I have come here as a casual visitor at the request of Cpl Pandey. Don’t put me on stage and that too next to Dr. Bhatkar! But they said, ‘No Sir, you too are our college guest and not Cpl Pandey’s alone’. Meanwhile, Dr. Vijay Bhatkar arrived and immediately the function started. As some briefing was going on Dr. Bhatkar looked at my uniform nameplate, extended his hand for shaking. He asked, ‘Oh! Are you Wing Commander Oak? How wonderful! I have read your book in English. I had been to Naadi center. It was amazing!’ In that short time he said in a low voice. Dr. Bhatkar asked the organizers to allow him to speak before the prize distribution, transgressing the protocol. He briefly spoke about art and how he was associated with this college. His daughter was a student of this college etc. Changing the topic, suddenly he started to say, ‘you students, you may not be aware of this person. He pointed towards me and said, ‘He has written a wonderful book on Naadi Shastra, about which no one had written as yet. This is the amazing science of astrology. I presume he will explain it better in his speech.’ Surprised at his announcement, I was not prepared to speak at the meet of artists.
He distributed some 25-30 prizes. Suddenly looking at the wristwatch, He said to the organizers, ‘Please excuse me, I have another engagement. I am getting late. I suggest remaining prizes could be distributed by Wing Commander Oak.’ Looking to my face gesturing negatively, He said, ‘No No. You do it and start walking. When he was seen off, the function started again. And prizes were distributed through my hands.
Announcement was from dais, ‘Now Wg Cdr Oak will speak a few words.’ The entire function was conducted in Marathi except Dr. Bhatkar’s address, which was in English. I wondered what was I to say and in which language? I went to dais. Referring to Principal and other teaching staff, I started, ‘Pl pardon me, a person who had never drawn a picture or held artistic brush in hand and had no inclination to paint or to draw, has been asked to honour the artists and their creative art and hand over prizes to various artists’ fraternity. Please pardon me; I am no way eligible for this job. But for Dr. Bhatkar’s request, I would not have agreed for it. Now that he has asked me, let me say something about Naadi Shastra. Let me speak in Marathi, as most of the students are Maharashtrians. Before closing my address, I mentioned Cpl Pandey, ‘Look boys, to whom you call ‘GS’, he is ‘Cpl Pandey to me’. Address may be different, but the person is the same. ‘Heart of poet, hands of a painter, vision of genius. One facet of his personality is before you, by way of Kumhar’s artistic pottery work. He is the personification of Rabindranath Tagore. I am proud that Cpl Pandey belongs to Indian Air Force. In spite of his duties, he had developed his own hobbies and likes. I wish him the best and I stopped and sat. Clapping continued for a while, I cleared the place.
Next day, there was a call, ‘Good Morning Sir. Sir, what is this? How come you never told me anything about this Naadi thing?’ Smiling, I said, ‘Not that I wanted to avoid, but every time you met some requirement and went away!’
‘I want to know everything. Please!’
That please was so demanding, ‘Yes, I will narrate you. Then one evening, sitting by the side of Officer’s Mess area in Seventh heaven lawn restaurant near the swimming tank on Lohagaon road, I told him the wonder of Naadi.
‘Sir, leave this now to me. I shall undertake the calligraphic aspect of this wonderful treatise. I am posted to 7 BRD. I will write to you from there.
Meanwhile I got posted to AF Stn Halwara. His letter started to come to that address.
Contd…
… ‘Sir. Are you nephew of Capt P.N. Oak? Who was in Azad Hind Fauj with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? You never mentioned to me when we were In Pune?... Cpl Pandey asked with much surprise…
… It’s done deal, I will go to Capt Oak Sir to salute him … Said Cpl Pandey cheerfully….
Continued…
