Joe Shearer
PROFESSIONAL
The author, whom I am quoting without his permission, is a senior officer of the Indian Army.
Excerpts:
As Muslims, both my spouse and i invariably led the puja of our army unit in its temple every other Sunday...Personally, I come from a regiment which is purely Hindu and has a regimental deity in Lord Badri Vishal, the personification of Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath shrine. As the head of the regiment i have invoked the blessings of Lord Badri Vishal by personally travelling to the shrine many times for the opening puja of the season after winter. As a senior commander in Kashmir some of my most satisfying moments were those when i did a round robin of all gurdwaras of the units on Guru Purab, ending with langar with the unit usually deployed in the most difficult area.
Once in a Muslim Grenadiers unit, its Hindu company commander put me to shame when i saw that he was keeping all 30 rozas with his men and even reading all five namaz which he knew perfectly.
When my fauji father was questioned during Partition about his choice of armies, he said: “While the nation formed on basis of faith will celebrate now but won’t last forever, the nation formed on basis of respect for every faith will have a difficult beginning but will always celebrate.” He remained with the Indian Army and rose to be its first Muslim GOC. When India has doubts about itself and the future course of inter faith relations it should just turn to its army for inspiration.
Excerpts:
As Muslims, both my spouse and i invariably led the puja of our army unit in its temple every other Sunday...Personally, I come from a regiment which is purely Hindu and has a regimental deity in Lord Badri Vishal, the personification of Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath shrine. As the head of the regiment i have invoked the blessings of Lord Badri Vishal by personally travelling to the shrine many times for the opening puja of the season after winter. As a senior commander in Kashmir some of my most satisfying moments were those when i did a round robin of all gurdwaras of the units on Guru Purab, ending with langar with the unit usually deployed in the most difficult area.
Once in a Muslim Grenadiers unit, its Hindu company commander put me to shame when i saw that he was keeping all 30 rozas with his men and even reading all five namaz which he knew perfectly.
When my fauji father was questioned during Partition about his choice of armies, he said: “While the nation formed on basis of faith will celebrate now but won’t last forever, the nation formed on basis of respect for every faith will have a difficult beginning but will always celebrate.” He remained with the Indian Army and rose to be its first Muslim GOC. When India has doubts about itself and the future course of inter faith relations it should just turn to its army for inspiration.

