Blow gently you winds, blow gently
Blow gently over this hallowed land
This is the place where jaswant fought
The scene of his final stand.
It was here when the guns reverberated
And the hills erupted in flames
That jaswant, with a few of his comrades
Stood his ground to his nations acclaim.
Three days and three night did the battle
Rage on sans let up or pause
Hundreds of the enemy slaughtered
Yet thousands more kept coming on.
Outnumbered,outgunned,unmindful of death
Such were the scenes of past
Despite all odds, jaswant soldiered on
Till finally he breathed his last.
Flow gently you river, flow gently
Flow gently over this sacred ground
Here through his valour and courage
In honour was jaswant crowned.
Fall gently you rain, fall gently
Fall gently on these beautiful haunts
Fall gently you rain, fall gently
Here rests jaswant, here rests jaswant.
20 june 2006 Maj. General Dhruv C Katoch.SM
GOC 5 Mtn Div
★A SOLDIER WHOSE VALOUR UNKNOWN TO THEIR OWN COUNTRYMEN, REVERED BY THEIR ENEMIES★
Happy to hear Finally a movie on the brave war hero of 1962 India-China war, Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat. Stories like these are worth knowing & sharing. Watch this trailer of the 72Hours movie, it’s based on his life.
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
Who was this soldier whose courage struck a terror in hearts of enemies?
This soldier was Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat who was equal to a battalion and made his mark by resisting the attack of more than 300 Chinese soldiers. More than 55 years have passed, but people still believe that the spirit of Rifleman Jaswant Singh still guards the Indian posts. He is no less than a saintly figure for Indian soldiers and the residents of Uttarakhand. When we read the story of this dare devil, we couldn’t resist ourself from sharing this Legend story...
This was India’s final stand; the ray of hope in what had otherwise been a disappointing war. The stand that propelled Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat from being a mere mortal to a legend, later even a 'GOD'. Locals have even constructed a Buddhist temple at the spot.
Late Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was a Gorla Rawat (Panwar Rajput) from Baryun village, Bironkhal tehsil, Pauri Garhwal district.
Rifleman Jaswant Singh is considered the hero of Sino-India Warin 1962. According to a local legend,he single-handedly fought the Chinese army for three days. It was the last phase of the war in November 1962, and due to a lack of resources, his company was asked to fall back. But, Jaswant Singh remained at his post. With the help of two local girls, Sela and Nura, Jaswant Singh set up weapons at three different spots and fired them non-stop for three days. Thinking a big contingent was firing at them, the Chinese Army stayed put. As the time passed, the Chinese Army grew frustrated, as they knew no way to counter the purported attack of the Indian Army. They finally caught the man who was providing food to Jaswant and the two girls and interrogated him. The man spilled the beans. The Chinese then surrounded Jaswant Singh from all sides. Nura was captured and Sela died in a grenade burst. Jaswant Singh, realising he was about to be captured, shot himself.
According to military records, Jaswant Singh Rawat along with Trilok Singh Negi and Gopal Singh Gusain was guarding the post. These 3 soldiers fell short to the massive army of Chinese. But still in this odd hour, these 3 soldiers gave a tough fight to the Chinese army in which 300 Chinese soldiers were killed. But this battle also claimed the lives of these 3 Indian soldiers. (It is also said that Jaswant Singh was court martialled from the army for not following the orders of retreating back.) The fourth attack by the Chinese Army on 4 Garhwal was probably the deadliest. Hell bent on capturing Nauranang, the Chinese managed to move an MMG (Medium Machine Gun) close to where 4 Garhwal was, bringing them under immense fire.
This also prevented the men of 4 Garhwal from using their Light Machine Guns and it’s here that Lance Naik Trilok Singh, Rifleman Jaswant Singh and Rifleman Gopal Singh undertook a suicide mission – they crawled through rocks and bushes under heavy enemy fire to take out the Chinese MMG with hand grenades. They succeeded too – lobbing grenades from as close to 15 yards. Jaswant Singh snatched the MMG from the wounded Chinese soldier who still clung on to it and crawled back to his trench.
It would have probably been a very different story if he’d succeeded – but just as he was about to reach the trench – he seems shot in the head. But by then the enemy had already been delivered a big blow and Gopal Singh managed to drag the MMG back to Indian trenches.
But the real story starts after the fourth charge where indian official citation ends is from where begining of a God, a legend starts as the Chinese Army’s after fourth charge moved forward to occupy the gained positions, but found something different this time.
As the sun rose over the Eastern Himalayas around 5 am and the Chinese troops mounted another assault, this time through Sela top – something was different – the Delta company of the Garwal Rifles or specifically a Rifleman of the 4 Garwal - Jaswant Singh Rawat was in their way(who according to indian army citation martyred in fourth assault), And thus how...
....what made rifleman Jaswant Singh a legendary God ?
According to locals which also have somewhat different narrative of the Rifleman Jaswant Singh’s actions on November 17th, 1962. While his company had fallen back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 ft.
And here begins the Interesting Tale of Sela Pass, Noora Post & Jaswant Garh
Along with the beautiful scenic routes, these mountains have some interesting stories/folklores associated with them - “Sela Pass” Connects Tawang to Dirang and on descent towards Tawang falls an army post called “Noora Post” which is followed by a place called “Jaswant Garh”.
The names Sela, Noora & Jaswant are actually real characters of This Legendary Tale..
It was 1962, Indo-Sino war where Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat - a soldier from 4th Garhwal Rifles - was posted at Arunachal, the then North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA).
The PLA of China twice received defeat for their intrusion by Indian Army during the Battle of Nuranang, During their 3rd intrusion Chinese were firing using MMGs on the post (21km from Sela Pass) of Jaswant Singh and but he with two more riflemen (Trilok Singh Negi and Gopal Singh Gusai) gave PLA a tough fight - holding & defending the post despite being asked to vacate During Jaswant Singh’s deployment at the post a local girl named Nura use to pass through near his post. This is when epic story of Jaswant Singh and Nura started.
As per the local legends, Jaswant Singh Rawat refrained from leaving his post and decided to single handedly confront the gigantic Chinese army. He was helped by two local Monpa girls – Nura and Sela, who worked as porters managed to set up weapons at separate spots and maintained a huge volume of fire on the Chinese. This led the Chinese to believe that they were facing an entire battalion, and not just one man.
Jaswant Singh Rawat along with Nura and Sela used to run at different spots and fire at the enemies. The attack of Jaswant was proving fatal for Chinese. They were clueless about the size of Indian army. But the person who was supplying rations to Jaswant was caught by Chinese and which revealed the details of Jaswant Singh Rawat and his two comrades – Nura and Sela. Jaswant’s life was about to come to end. With a vengeance, the Chinese army retaliated in which Nura was killed in a grenade burst. Legends also says that Nura died by jumping off from the cliff to avoid getting captured by Chinese. Nura had an emotional corner for Jaswant and it was her love for Jaswant that she fought till her last breath.
In this battle for nation, even Sela was killed by the Chinese. Jaswant fought non stop with the Chinese army, but this time the luck was not in his favor. It is said that Jaswant Singh sensing that he was about to be captured, shot himself with the last bullet.
During this one man army act, Nura & Sela supported him with food and at times fired at Chinese army as well !
The Rifleman Jaswant Singh with Nura and Sela fought a brave battle for 72 hours killing more than 300 PLA soldiers !!
Temple dedicated to brave heart Jaswant Singh !
Mass grave yard of Chinese soldiers is just adjacent to this !!
In a battle that started on 17th November 1962 and continued for the next 72 hours, Jaswant Singh alone held the post, firing from different bunkers, constantly on the lookout for the Chinese. By the time he was done, more than 300 Chinese soldiers had been killed by the time when Indian Army’s reinforcements arrived, the Chinese progress has been halted into Arunachal Pradesh.
So in frustration Chinese forces cutoff Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China as a war souvenir. After the war was over, the commander of the Chinese forces, impressed by the late Jaswant Singh's show of bravery, returned his head along with a brass bust made of the soldier head. It is now installed at the site of the battle. Still posthumously he was not awarded Param Vir Chakra for thus unparalleled bravery. Whose display of valour, and love for his nation has proved to be a great source of inspiration for aspiring Indian soldiers since.
That someday before first light fell over the mountains, they’d begun their ascent into Arunachal Pradesh once again.
Though regardless of what the real story of Jaswant Singh was, for locals, the jawans who are posted for his upkeep and all travellers who pass by – he remains the guardian god of India’s Eastern Border – the man who saved Arunachal Pradesh from the Chinese occupation. The silver lining in what was otherwise a disappointing battle.
For their work in the field, 4 Garhwal Rifles was awarded the battle honour ‘Nauranang’ the only one bestowed during the 1962 war. Jaswant Singh’s comrades Lance Naik Trilok Singh Negi (posthumously), Rifle Man Gopal Singh were awarded the Vir Chakra.
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| Pic of jaswant garh, the war memorial of jaswant singh rawat |
The post where Jaswant fought his last battle is now named as Jaswant Garh. His personal belongings are still kept safe even today at Jaswant Garh Memorial. Five soldiers are specially assigned to take care of Jaswant Singh’s room. Where soldiers place the morning bed tea at 4.30 AM, prepare breakfast at 9 am and dinner at 7 pm. According to army sources, it is discovered that bed sheets of his room are found crumpled and his clothes lay scattered in the room. The people of army still believe that Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat still guards the post as a spirit and is been guiding Indian soldiers in dreams. He is the only soldier who is promoted to post of Major general after his death. His salary is credited every month and most strange of all, he is even granted official leaves.
A group photo of soldiers of Garhwal Rifles (Jaswant Singh Rawat can be seen second from left)
His popularity has rose to such enormity that countless people come to Jaswant Garh to pay their respects to this Braveheart who had single handedly taken on massive Chinese army. There are several versions connected to story of Jaswant Singh Rawat. Whatever may be versions of his story, one cannot doubt his courage and sacrifice he made for India where he still continues even as a spirit to safeguard Indian posts.
A board at Jaswant Garh reflecting the emotions of our Indian soldiers
His story will be a subject of a movie which is being produced by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra. The biopic on Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat is in scripting stage and the shooting is soon expected to start.
The saddest part in this overall epic tale is that Jaswant Singh Rawat was not awarded ‘Paramvir Chakra’ for his valor and his story is slowly fading from the memories of Indians.
hope someday that we will travel to Nuranang in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh where lies the war memorial – Jaswant Garh which is built to remind us of a forgotten hero named Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat. Through this story, we also want to pay our respect to Nura and Sela who fought along with this Immortal Rajput Legend Jaswant Singh and made their supreme sacrifice.
Even though Jaswant Singh was not decorated (posthumously) with a Paramvir Chakra, the Indian Army continues to treat him with the fanfare of a serving officer.
A hut constructed over the spot where he was martyred, houses a bed which is constantly made by one of the five army jawans posted at the post, his shoes are regularly polished and letters by his well wishers are presented to Jaswant Singh every day and taken away the next day after he’s gone through them.
Sela Pass is dedicated in memory of Sela who helped Jaswant Singh while fighting with Chinese
Today business tycoons, politicians and celebrities spend lakhs of money lavishly on their children’s wedding where on the other side a war widow stills wait for the pension of 3000 Rs from the government. Irony is that today’s young mass is ready to sell its kidney for I Phone costing around lacs but is not even ready to drop a 100 Rs note in national defence fund. There are countless Indian soldiers who are rotting as prisoners of war but still there is no attempt made by government to free those soldiers. People cheer up and whistle for cricketers and movie stars but never shed a tear for the many forgotten war heroes like Jaswant Singh Rawat.
As long as courageous stories are told by grandmothers to kids, the story of Jaswant Singh Rawat will be told with pride.
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