It's where hell freezes over- the temperature marks a minus 50 during the winter here. Not that any other season is any more habitable. The winds reach a whooping 300 kmph up in the mountain top. If the treacherous avalanches don't kill you- chances are that frostbite will. This is Siachen- the highest battleground of the world.
From a batch of hundred jawans who undergo the rigorous training in mountain warfare, a significant number never get to finish their training- the mountains claim them before that.
For the rest, the battle has only begun.
We were all so freaking proud when our manager talked about Siachen, and our army. The Indian Army. This incredible team fighting it out as a unit, showing unbelievable grit and resilience at one of the most perilous ends of the world- a place so uninhabitable that it is often dubbed as the 'third pole' on the earth.
O boy- weren't we proud souls- feeling a sense of awe and compassion and all that jazz! Our proud country! Our jawans! Our indomitable spirit!! We were awe-struck at their teamwork and determination as they won battles for us, leaving us with the luxury to live a much simpler life, at much lower altitudes, and in more pleasant lattitudes!
This balloon of our five minute patriotism floated across the room- and we all got to have a little nudge at it and see it dance- till he popped it with his question- Well.. can anybody spot Siachen on the map for me ? Er.. Siachen?
psst -this is the siachen we talk about when we talk about what we talk about.
