OLIVE GREEN MEMOIRS – 3 ..THE RANN
By Colonel Akhil Gupta, Retd
Before we get into the Rann episode, a bit about The Rann.
The district of Kutch consists of about 50% area designated as The Rann. The Great Rann – the larger one, is all along the north majorly bordering with Pakistan while The Little Rann is to the South East to The Great Rann connecting Kutch with mainland of Gujarat.
The surface is generally flat and almost at the sea level. The Rann was once a shallow part of the Arabian sea until a geological shift closed off the connection with the sea making the area a seasonal marshy salt desert over the years.
Most of it gets flooded during the monsoon. The variation in tide levels is clearly visible in the creeks much like at the beaches.
Salt panning is done by allowing the water to evaporate under the sun which is visible as miles of white sandy surface nicknamed also as white desert.
Rann is also the nesting and breeding ground of thousands of flamingos. Reminds me of the mesmerizing beauty of the swarms of the pink flamingo with setting sun in the background that would flood Rann and the sometimes even at the Mandvi beach in the winter season.
It is said that the Birdman of India – Salim Ali, once spent 10 hours on camel back in a vain effort to reach Flamingo nesting colony located deep in the Great Rann.
Kutch is also famous for its asses- The Wild Ass. Kutch is the last bastion of the endangered species – The Indian Wild Ass.
They live off the grassy land referred to as Bets which are like islands located on slightly higher ground dotted across the Rann.
Kutch also boasts of wild boars and Blue Bulls (Nilgai). These have already been mentioned in my Memoirs on Shikar, the Blood Sport.
Annually, there was a need for the Air Defence unit located at Bhuj to revisit the operational tasks.
These vital assets were the airfields. This was common knowledge known to all and sundry.
One time, as an out of the box thinking, the battery commanders (BCs) were given the task to also identify other possible targets which the enemy could interdict and deserved to be considered as vital assets.
After a brain storming session, the Surajbari 1.25Km road-rail link over the Little Rann of Kutch, one of the 2 Gateways to Kutch, that connects Kutch to the mainland of Gujarat was identified as one amongst many possible targets.
As was expected, 2 of my unit BCs were tasked to carry out the reconnaissance. I was part of the team with nothing much to do except open the map and mark it if required.
Well-armed with map and coloured marking pencils, I was part of the team that moved out in 2 jeeps, 3-4 persons per vehicle.Driving in Kutch – Gujarat used to be extremely boring.
Jet black bitumen coated, well tarred, wide and flat roads totally devoid of traffic, straight like an arrow for miles… Kutch roads could put anyone to sleep. Sitting in the rear after a heavy breakfast, I am sure I would have dozed off a number of times.
Nonetheless, we reached the site 120 kms from Bhuj in 2 hours.On reaching the site, the road and railway embankment from both ends were critically explored by the BCs.
They went about surveying the place, determining its vulnerability, identifying the likely lines of approach for the attacking aircraft and based on it, analysed the optimum positions for anti-aircraft L-70 Bofors guns and SFM radars in the event of this area being classified as a vital asset when the balloon goes up.
All this at that time was not much understood by me and my task remained limited to spreading the maps, mark them and make jottings on innuendo that the BCs were discussing.
This was done while moving on foot leaving behind the vehicles next to the embankments. It did take a few hours since both ends of the rail – road link had to be thoroughly analysed and radar/ gun positions determined.
Finally satisfied with their efforts, the BCs decided to take a break for lunch. Packed lunch and drinks were opened for having successfully completed the task.
Soon it was 4 in the afternoon, time to pack up. How time flew by, did not get noticed. Getting the signal, I asked the drivers to wind up the ground sheets (water proofed durries) and bags for loading in the jeeps.
However, when the jeeps didn’t fetch up, we returned to see that the tide water had starting seeping under the tyres of one of the jeeps and its tyres were churning in the sand.
The 2nd jeep driver was trying to push unsuccessfully.
Fortunately, the 2nd jeep had not got bogged down. It had been parked slightly on a higher ground.We were unprepared for it.
Not expecting anything like this, the drivers were not carrying any sand channels or tow chains.
There were no stones/ bushes nearby for firming the ground under the tyres for better traction. We were too far away from the road link to seek help from civil persons or trucks.
In any case, the trucks too would get stuck in the sand as the water was slowly but surely rising and was not far from the bottom rim of the wheel. We also joined in the failing attempts to push the jeep out of the morass.
In absence of any radio communications, any help from the unit would be too late. And wouldn’t that be a blemish on qualities of forethought and planning!
The gloom and panic hung heavy. The water line was rising. Sun was indeed setting. Something else had to be done.
There was suddenly a glimmer of hope. Railways have their own dedicated telephone lines running along the rail tracks.
One such 12-14 foot high pole at a distance was supported in its upright position with long taut wires on 2 sides.
Such a wire could be improvised as the towing chain. The unscrewing at the bottom of one wire was easy but in absence of ladder/ standing on shoulder, the top end remained a bridge too far.
Bringing the available jeep near was not feasible. We had run out ofoptions. Its then, I opted to take a chance, a fool’s bravado in retrospect.
Removed my heavy Ammunition Boots (high ankle leather combat boots, all 13-star nailed with horse shoe), pulled up my trousers and without any further thought did the desi mallakhamb trick. Unexpectedly, the climbwas easy.
Soon I unscrewed the wire from the top end. Using the power of the two jeeps and push power of 4-5 of us, we were able to pull out the stuck jeep.
With a pat on the back and advised to remain quiet about our mis-adventure, almost a catastrophe, we returned safely.
And yes! I would like to believe that the wire was replaced. But to be truthful, I am not aware. I sincerely hope it was.
