Setting out from Udhagamandalam, Ooty in the early hours after completion of the shooting of ‘Kandahar’, the Malayalam film with great Mohan Lal, there is a request from the Producer to stop en route at Wellington to meet the Officers at the Armed Services Staff Collage. Major Ravi, the Director of the film an ex army man had made the request and I readily agreed. I had done a short visit to the College similarly during the time of my shoot here for ‘Shahenshah’, but that was at the Officers centre. This visit was to another facility within the complex, and it is a very large complex, where recruitment for the jawans takes place.

The Wellington Barracks, and they did start off as barracks, were built by the British in 1853, as can be seen in the photographs posted and later housed the Madras Regiment, a very prestigious arm of the Army. From the time of its installation it was home to various fighting outfits under the British and, I learnt from the Commanding Officer, was also used as a PoW camp for the German prisoners during World War II.

Now of course it is as I said, a recruitment centre for jawans and also has the Officers College where seniors undergo training study, around 400 of them. Of which there are at least 25 from foreign countries –USA, UK, and our neighboring countries and the Middle East.

The name Wellington in the middle of the Nilgiri Range in Tamilnadu, India seemed a bit odd, but there is an interesting story to it. It is believed that a army unit from New Zealand under training here during the time of the British was on its way back home to Wellington, NZ when they, due to certain unforeseen circumstances, had to break journey for a while and were housed at the present barracks. From then on the name Wellington took shape and remained. Though some other officers also add that it was named after the Duke of Wellington in memory of his great victory over Napoleon.

Another interesting photograph is of the Battle of Assaye, 23^rd September 1803. Assaye was a small town near present day Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, which had an unassailable fort. The British lead by Major General Arthur Wellesley ( later titled as the Duke of Wellington ) fought this battle against the Marathas, leading his Madras Regiment, also known as Thambis and won a most hard fought encounter, with a meagre force against a very large Maratha contingent. It is documented somewhere that Wellesley described this battle as historic and the bloodiest that he had ever fought, measuring it even greater than the one he fought against Napoleon at Waterloo.

One of the remarkable features of this battle was the use of elephants as a force. And it is now established that in honour of the animal, the crest of the regiment that had hitherto carried an image of the crown, was replaced by an image of the elephant as per the decree of the ruling monarch. The crest and standard of the Madras Regiment now bears the elephant instead of the crown and after Independence the Ashoka Sthambh, pillar or the National Emblem of the 3 lions is also replaced by the elephant insignia. The belts worn by the officers and jawans usually have the 3 lions insignia on them, but in this regiment they still have the image of the elephant on them.

In the museum at this Wellington Barrack are weapons from the time of Haider Ali, father of Tipu Sultan rulers of the Mysore region who fought against the British. Tipu sacrificing his two sons in exchange for peace and then fighting again after some years to get them back. The famous sword of Tipu Sultan had been taken back to England then and only recently brought back at a price, by a leading industrialist from Bangalore.

There are certain maps in the photographs which show the extent of the reign of the Cholas, a prominent community of Southern India. It is quite amazing how far down to Indonesia and Java, Cambodia and up north to Bengal and of course Ceylon now SriLanka the Chola Empire had stretched. Cultural and architectural influences that we witness even now in these regions is explainable, then.

The officers informed me that when we speak of the armed forces and the soldiers of the nation, there is an obvious mention of the personnel from the northern parts of the country as the true warriors – they having to face most and all of the invasions that came across the North West. But the South has produced some great soldiery too and the Madras Regiment has had a most valiant record of fighting in the extreme North in Siachen, the glacier in the Himalayas, right up to the North East and the war with China in the 60’s and of course the BanglaDesh War.

There are, on the walls, great pictures of some of the leading Generals down the years and of the rulers and politicians soon after Independence – Mount Batten, Nehru, Sam Manekshaw. The last having the distinction of perhaps the first Field Marshal in the Indian Army. Sam Manekshaw, I am proud to say was an ex Sherwoodian and lived and spent most of his retired life in Coonor, another picturesque location a few kilometers from Ooty. Among the many memorable moments at the Staff College displayed on the walls of the building, were photographs of Sam Manekshaw in his Hospital bed during his last days. I must admit, seeing him laid up was a sight one had never wanted to witness of this honoured and distinguished son of India. He was an incredible personality, strong in character with a no nonsense attitude and great company. Believed in doing what he felt was right for the army and never hesitated to express it to even the heads of state if they were in disagreement. Had a personal equation with all his soldiers and a tremendous source of inspiration for them. My Mother would often describe the visits of General Manekshaw at the military hospital in Delhi where she used to work in a voluntary capacity, looking after the wounded during one of the wars with Pakistan, and how he would be proud to tell them that he himself had received wounds on his chest and not his back. And that they must get well and get up and get back to the front to fight again !

Filled with the dedication, discipline and devotion to country of these fighting machines, I cannot but feel immense pride in them and the tremendous sacrifice that they are ready to make so that India remains safe, secure and free from invasion.

Apart from fighting various battles within India to gain supremacy and power, the British also fought some rather intense battles with other European nations, not just in Europe, but in India. They fought the French and the Dutch in these parts of the world and there are several tell tale monuments that exist in recognition of these encounters.

And as I drive away having bid farewell to the families and friends of the officers and jawans at Wellington on my way to the airport in Coimbatore some 70 kms away, I recollect all the stories and incidents narrated to me. Of Britain and Germany, of the French and the Dutch … and I wonder, would these nations have ever imagined that hundreds of years hence they would still be fighting to push a round white ball into an oblong bracketed netted space, on a large green field, watched by thousands of enthusiastic vuvuzelored fans !!

And just a few moments ago Germany 4 Argentina 0 !! After Brazil last night, this today - the German ‘blitzkrieg’. Amazing, unbelievable, astounding !! German clinical finesse, messed up Messi in an awesome display of committed football !!

What a World Cup this has been !!

Good night and with love as always to my FmXt -

The Wellington Barracks, the main courtyard for parades. Built at that time for the ‘princely’ sum of 25 lakh rupees !!

Another view from the main balcony, the field gun being either an acquisition from a battle or a gift.

The description of the various regiments and battalions that operated from this historic place. Note the emblem of the Regiment and the elephant that I have talked about.

The extent of the Chola Empire in pink.. amazing !!

The original Standard of Haider Ali, father of Tipu Sultan, preserved still.

An original document of a kind of roster during the early days.

A description of the Battle of Assaye .. with the Marathas

The original emblem of the Regiment. Notice the crown insignia. This was replaced by the image of the elephant ..

Amitabh Bachchan