I remember Kargil- thinking of war. I remember being in my second year, still in A block room 3 and this feeling of patriotism running through the hostel. We had a TV but rarely watched the news - it was left to the TOI to supply me with information. Some of use were desperate to go out and help, shd we have enlisted? Perhaps not, considering that I might have been more useful as a medic than a soldier. I promised myself that if the opportunity arose again, I would have served as a doctor on the frontline. Was I being stupid? Isn't war a waste and honour after death an illusion?
We are all going to die, what differentiates us is the manner of our death. So,isn't it just easier to die in an honourable cause rather than from Cancer or malaria or Diabetes - either that or die after you have done something famous. If not, just die in a war - you might be remembered otherwise join the rest of faceless humanity in making fossil fuel for our children.
I wish I was at Kargil- somehow dealing with death everyday makes you believe in your own immortality. Thats what keeps doctors alive for so long - every germ has invaded,exhausted by belief not the immune system.
2 comments:
But see you don't have to be at Kargil to deal with death and misery. Why not go to some really poor village? Soldiers at least made the choice to go to war, knowing they'd be injured, perhaps killed (this is not to say that they don't deserve medical treatment for that), but what about the really poor and destitute?
Not sure why I have a problem with the Kargil argument (yes yes I'm a lefty liberal type etc!) but will think and reason it out soon.
In the meanwhile, download those photos. Now. I'll keep pestering u till u do.
I agree I dont. In fact, the point of my entire post was that perhaps now I wouldn't. As I said, the illusion of glory of war exists in everyone and that very often is the driver for common people to go to war - its the glorification of death during battle that seduces us.
You know my sympathies are more with the poor esp after my medical education. Ths issue when you dont think too much about it comes to this -
would you be glorified more if dead while fighting for your country/seving in the army as a medic during a war or when you die serving the poor and destitute as a Primary Health Center in Bihar?
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