Lalit Shastri

The past, a shadow of memories,
Lengthens with passing days,
Etched deep within the weary hearts,
Where time’s tapestry forever sways.
The veterans wait at Twilight hour,
A silent vigil they faithfully keep,
With weathered hands and souls of steel,
In memories profound, they softly weep.
As the sun surrenders to the night,
Stars emerge with twinkling grace,
Their thoughts drift back to battles fought,
Each line etched on their weathered face.
The echoes of war, a haunting score,
Resound through their fragile frame,
Yet, through the pain and sacrifice,
Their courage burns, an eternal flame.
Time so stealthily takes away,
The vivid hues of battles fought,
As memories fade into the mist,
They find solace in dreams, dearly sought.
Into the arms of sleep, they surrender,
A respite from the shadows’ might,
When darkness veils the world in hush,
They find solace in dreams, so bright.
In dreams, they walk on hallowed ground,
With comrades lost but not forgot,
The echoes of their youthful days,
A symphony within their thoughts.
So, let the night embrace them gently,
As they lay their burdens down to rest,
For in the realm of dreams, they find,
A sanctuary, where their spirits crest.
When it gets real dark, my friend,
Remember their sacrifice and might,
Their legacy, a beacon of hope,
Guiding us through the darkest night.
In their stories and their pain,
We glimpse the cost of freedom’s fight,
May their memories forever live on,
Our hearts cherish their valor bright.

If any poet of the world has grasped the meaning of a Veteran , it is Lalit Shastri, without an iota of doubt. Beautifully penned “An Ode to the Veteran” takes me back to the summer of 1971 in J & K as a young 2/Lieut of 5 Assam Regt. This is where I met Lalit, a young school boy hanging around with his elder brother Lokendra & friend Shekhar in Jammu. As all young boys, they were very inquisitive about the Army bombarding me with multiple questions specially so when the world was witnessing war clouds gathering across our borders with Pakistan.
The war happened when my battalion lost 5 officers & 19 boys in the Battle of Chhamb, some of them known to Lalit & his friends. Post cease-fire the boys examined my battle scar with wonder & concern while a trip to 5 Assam in the front line would have really opened a different world of Army to the young lads. Our lives moved on and now, after half a century plus, Lalit, now a seasoned journalist, writer, poet, environmentalist plus many more talents, traces me in my Veteran’s avatar and we renew our friendship in the shared interest of personal lives, environment conservation, writing, reading, geo- politics and of course military.
This fine morning Lalit wakes up with the thoughts of veterans of the world and this magnificient poem, “An Ode to A Veteran” happens. The poem is a crystal clear reflection about the military Veteran from the core of the poet’s being. Lalit’s fingers may have danced on the lap top but it’s his heart that wrote the beautiful lines.
Lalit has delved into the inner core of a veteran who fought wars and survived to tell the tales, their dreams & nightmares while remembering and paying homage to the fallen heroes who never returned home.
As a veteran wounded in the Battle of Chhamb I can see my own reflection in the poem. Yes, its true, I do mostly dream of my military life, the fog of war, heat & dust of battles, the fallen & wounded brothers punctuated by nightmares too. After all, War is the most violent business that excels in consuming human lives and Lalit has clearly & graphically choreographed through the inner recess of a Veteran’s heart.
Thank you dear Lalit, am grateful to you on behalf of the veterans of Bharat & the world. Jai Hind!
LikeLike
What a response!
I don’t think there can be a better appreciation of what Lalit ji wrote.
It appeared to me as if he himself has been a veteran per se in his world of journalism.
LikeLike
Lalit’s poem touched my heart. It’s was difficult to imagin it’s written by some one who is not in the Army.I found Mani Gahatraj’s response as touching as the poem.Both deserve applause for the strength of their pen and a sensitive heart.
LikeLike
The poem feels all the nuances of a man in uniform. His experiences and his grit reflected beautifully, an embodiment of the people of our secular nation.
LikeLike
The thoughtfulness of the poem and Col Gahatraj’s comments are both so touching! Compliments! Jai Hind and Tagra Raho
LikeLike
Comments from our readers and Veterans are flowing in. We are reproducing some of them here:
Very touched by the poem created by Lalit Shastri. It reminds me of a poem by Robert Browning, who created a “gallopping poem” in “How They Brought the Good News From Ghent to Aixe”, about the three soldiers riding their horses by night with the good news that a relief is coming soon at the front where their comrades are holding the enemy. In that poem too, the poet was never a soldier, but portraits the trio as if he was one of them. Your (Mani Gahatraj‘s) comments too have touched my heart string. One veteran to another, Moni. God bless you. Tagra Raho always.
– Lt Col Martin Khongmen (Retd) of the Assam Regt from Shillong. He fought the Battle of Fazilka in ’71 under the command of Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal. Martin is one unique officer from an illustrious Khasi family of Shillong, who cleared IAS but chose to serve in the Regt.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A beautifully composed and moving poem on the veterans of War and the comrades who never returned from the battlefields….in the last half century of our lives we tend to remember them more often than not and we wish they were present to witness the sea change the country has undergone thanks to their sacrifices🙏
Loved your (Mani Gahatraj ‘s) response…it was simple and straight from the heart…as only a war veteran can write👍🌹
Rita Dadwal, wife of an Army veteran
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved the poem..
Your (Mani Gahatraj ‘s) comments have come from your heart…Nothing made up….pure nostalgic and truly fantastic.
Perhaps only a fellow veteran can understand the essence. Brilliant!!
Col Sahyog Thapa, a veteran.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So well appreciated Mr Lalit Shastri’s efforts. Very nicely worded.
Today only I learn that you (Mani Gahatraj) are a ’71 war Casuakty. So I’m. Why not collect relevant data as to who from our course were martyred , wounded, decorated , other special achievements like you writing etc etc.
Veteran, Col Pushpinder Singh
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lalit is very blessed! Very few would recall and remind us of the courage and valour that our veterans have for us by sacrificing their today for our tomorrow! Congrats for the masterpiece article!
–Anoop Swarup, renowned educationist and expert of revenue, finance and security matters. He is Chair of the Center for Global Nonkilling and Member Advisory Council for International Cities of Peace. In 2007, he was appointed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon as UN Finance Expert for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution to stop the genocide in Darfur. He is a founder and trustee of the Indian Council of Gandhian Studies. He has been honoured with the Soka Gakkai Hiroshima Peace Award at the Hiroshima Ikeda Peace Memorial Hall.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A poem so profound and words so touching. Long live the poet and his poetry.
An Army Veteran
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great poem and very well articulated comments Sir (Mani Gahatraj). Reconnecting with old civilian acquaintance is also absolutely amazing for us in uniform. Wonderful read Sir…….. Tagra-Raho Always 🙏🏻
An Army Veteran
Very well written by Mr Shastri.👍👌
Total Nostalgia for you (Mani Gahatraj). One can make out as a youngester and now a veteran !
The descriptions and memories of the Summer of ’71 with the then young poet as also yr fighting fifth so vivid too…but one pertinent question, did he or does he have any army connection?? Am wondering 🤔
Thank you 🙏🙏for the great share…with your comments to the ode.
A Veteran’s wife & daughter of a 1962 KIA martyr.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Soul touching poem by Lalit and very well articulated heartfelt honest comment Daju (Col MK Gahatraj, (Retd).👌🙏👍
Navo Thapa, retd Planter
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very nice, well written poem and your (Mani Gahatraj) response touches the heart ❤️🙏👍
Christopher Ranpal, Planter
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A great tribute from a seasoned journalist who lived through the turmoils of war. Equally great comments from the bottom of the heart by a war veteran.
–Brig PT Gangadharan (Retd)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A really touching response … I could feel your (Mani Gahatraj) emotions and could literally imagine you holding your head high in your uniform doing what people in uniform do!
Prof Rajdeep Sunar
LikeLike
Your poem is a deep, thoughtful and befitting ode to the veterans of our armed forces. Salute.
LikeLike
A poem of this intensity and passion can emerge only from a pen that is overly sensitive and committed to certain basic human values. It also reflects a certain patriotism, not of the popular variety, but one that ensues from a deeply empathetic and intimate identification with the veterans.
It indeed amazes how such sublimity of sentiments and deep thoughts so rhythmically and effortlessly flow out of the pen of a man who possibly has not experienced first hand any of the events that offer the background for the poem. It only underlines the persuasive craft and purpose of his writing.
But above all, it portrays an important message, the need to understand, appreciate and acknowledge the corporal and emotional sacrifice of these men, who take the pains as stoically as they experience the exhilaration of facing with an unmatched valour and vigour, the enemy.
Lalit Shastri is a man of convictions, strong and straight. His creativity is telling, his sentiment sincere and the effect soul-stirring.
Uday Kumar Verma
Editorial note: Uday Kumar Varma, a 1976 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, was Secretary Information & Broadcasting, member of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and member of the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council, a self-regulatory body for general entertainment channels. As Secretary I&B, he spearheaded the nationwide digitisation programme.
LikeLike
The mindset, the experiences, the struggles, the jubilations of a fauji have been captured so beautifully. The veterans, the spirit of patriotism and their memories of the past that you have mentioned so thoughtfully lives on till their last breath.
LikeLike
Being an Army officer’s wife, I resonate with each line of this heart touching poem. These veterans may have hung their boots but their spirit, their love for the country never dies. It’s a treat to listen to their stories of bravery and triumphs of struggles and defeats. You have captured the soul of the veterans. Great writing. This poem should be displayed in Army areas as a tribute and as an inspiration.
LikeLike
Beautiful words! The feelings can be felt on the other side of the border. Wars are useless and love is universal!
LikeLike