Of all the runs, it was the cross-country practice, a 12-kilometre run that turned out to be an unforgettable experience. It was considered a very important event.
Running long distance in a competition requires an immense amount of mental strength. It is the ‘never say die’ attitude which helps one win a cross-country run. While the LCs had built up a reasonable level of physical fitness, they lacked the mental endurance to push themselves beyond the limit.
The final competition was just a week away, and they were at their final practice before the competition, which was scheduled the very next Sunday. Zojila Company had come last in the previous term, which had greatly annoyed CoCo and Paltu. They were determined to push the girls to give a better performance.
CoCo and Reichsführer, along with the ustads, had turned up for the cross-country run practice on that Sunday morning. By 6 a.m., the entire company had assembled at the start line.
The girls knew it was a do or die situation. Performing below expectations was sure to land them in CoCo and Paltu’s bad books.
The practice run was going fine. A satisfied smile lit up the faces of the two officers who were watching closely. Unfortunately, the smile did not last long. Two LCs were caught taking a shortcut. Cheating was disgraceful and unacceptable, but getting caught was worse. CoCo was boiling mad, and the Reichsführer was steaming. A blistering heat emanated from the duo, and the situation began crackling.
The entire company knew it was going to be a long day of trouble. CoCo did not utter a single word, but called for a company fall-in at 9.30 a.m.
He arrived in the morning, riding a motorcycle instead of his jazzy car. Parking the bike on one side, he sat on its seat and watched the LCs, who were lined up before the building.
‘All in?’ he asked.
‘Yes, sir,’ the CSM replied in a loud and crackling voice.
‘Everybody, down on your hands,’ he barked. The moment, the LCs went down on their hands, he shouted, ‘Start kissing the ground. Get started, and don’t halt till I order.’ Then, he took out a book and began reading.
Doing push-ups soon after breakfast is the worst kind of torture. Famished after the 12-kilometre run, many of the LCs had stuffed themselves with five to six aloo parathas and a huge amount of egg bhurji. They found the going tougher than ever.
‘Now get into murga position,’ he ordered them, after they had finished 50 push-ups.
This was a tough position to maintain. They were to squat and then loop their arms behind their knees to hold their ears. Their limbs ached terribly. It made little difference to CoCo, who was engrossed in his book, and seemed to have forgotten about the pathetic condition of the LCs.
The girls knew that he had trained in the NDA (National Defence Academy), where endurance is tested beyond one’s limits. To expect the same from LCs, they felt, was unfair. While the boys at NDA had three years of training, the LCs had had just 11 months of training.
Unable to bear it any longer, the JUO got up after about 10 minutes. ‘Sir, we ran well. Please have some mercy,’ she pleaded.
‘Get back to your position. I don’t like arguments,’ he snapped cruelly.
CoCo took out his mobile and asked his orderly to fetch tea from the officers’ mess. The chap, used to his boss’s whimsical ways, arrived within minutes. With him was a thermos full of tea, which he poured into a glass for the Major. He stood waiting for further orders.
With the sun beaming on them, the position had become agonizing and a few LCs began mumbling.
‘Silence!’ roared the CoCo. ‘Don’t disturb.’
The whispering, which halted for a few seconds, restarted and gradually increased in intensity. ‘You girls don’t seem to understand simple English.’ He kept the book aside and shouted. ‘Get up! You have two minutes. I want you back in riding breeches. Go!’
Relieved to be released from the murga position, the girls ran up to their rooms to carry out his bidding.
Not one of them made it back in two minutes. Looking meaningfully at his watch, CoCo snarled, ‘Pathetic timing! Alright, I will give you some extra time.’
Wan faces lit up. The girls smiled, only to be let down.
‘You have two minutes and 10 seconds to change into combat dress. Your time starts now.’
Again, there was a scramble. This time, only one of the LCs could make it in time, so the others were made to do front rolls.
‘Your timings are very poor,’ he barked. ‘You need more practice.’ Clambering down from his perch, he went down the line, checking their dresses. One of the LCs had not tied her shoelaces properly. Another one’s belt had not been put through the loop. He ticked them off with severity, before issuing a fresh order. ‘I don’t want anyone to be late this time. You have two minutes twenty seconds to change into your PT rigs.’
By now, exhausted with the constant running up and down, the LCs were beginning to wilt. They were late again.
‘You seem to be enjoying putti parade,’ CoCo remarked.
‘No, sir,’ the LCs replied in unison.
‘In that case, you have to be back on time. It is as simple as that. Let’s see you do it this time. Ready?’ He looked around. ‘This time change into your drill rigs. You have three minutes. Go.’
Desperate to make the cut, the girls vanished.
Panting, puffing and sweating, the LCs trickled out of the building. They were not able to make it this time too.
‘Sir, we do not deserve so much punishment,’ said Nutty.
‘Who said this is a punishment?’ smirked CoCo. ‘It is a part of the strengthening exercises. We have just finished warming up. Now, we will proceed to the next stage.’
He poured out some more tea from the thermos and took a leisurely sip. An hour had gone by.
‘We shall now do strengthening exercises for the entire body. First, the legs and knees, and then the ankles and calves. We shall exercise all parts of the body one by one.’ He paused for their reaction.
The LCs were too tired to protest and waited for the order.
‘Down on your haunches. Now go round that tree over there,’ he said pointing to a tree, which was about 200 metres away.
It was a difficult feat, what with the sun rising higher and the temperature going up.
‘It was a pathetic effort,’ he pronounced. ‘You took too long.’
‘But sir, you did not allocate time,’ one of the LCs reminded him.
‘Didn’t I specify a time limit? Well, I give you five minutes to repeat the performance.’
The LCs were horrified. It would take them no less than 15 minutes. Sweating profusely, they followed his order. Not one of them could get back in the allocated time.
‘Now, we shall do exercises for back strengthening. Front rolling is best for that.’ CoCo was in an unrelenting mood.
Just then, an instructor drove up in his car, and relayed some message to him in a low voice. It must have been important, for CoCo kicked his bike into action and rode away in a hurry.
Relieved, the girl finally straightened their backs.