Our Colonel has fallen

(On 15th of June, 2020 Indian soldiers of 16 Bihar Regiment were forced to confront the intruding Chinese armed forces in Galwan valley. As grisly details emerged later on, after six hours of intense fighting, 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, including the commanding officer on field, Colonel Santosh Babu. This poem is a tribute to the brave men who made the supreme sacrifice)

 

Col. Santosh Babu - Image Credit unkown 

Tents perched atop the heights of Ladakh mocked the talks that happened, 
blowing hot and cold, breathing fire and fury, the Dragon's done mapping.
When the durbar of Delhi was ill-prepared for the assault, 
Sun Tzu struck sneakily and rubbed a terrible wound with salt.
 
With so little backup but so much at stake, brave men marched to the front;
O sons of heaven, o masters of Asia, be prepared for the righteous brunt. 
And those lofty mountains witnessed the clash that unfolded, 
as the enemies snooped southwards, and with terror, the arena exploded. 
 
Out-manned in a brazen barbarous attack, the men fought, so brave and calm. 
But for the loss that followed, what gods would offer the best balm? 
O dear colonel - our colonel has fallen; along with his loyal troops bloody but unbowed
O Galwan river, carry those fallen with respect; and for the supreme sacrifice, our entire nation bowed.

Maheeth Veluvali, 

Saturday - 29/08/2020, 

Palakollu,.