Wings of fire - Sir APJ ABDUL KALAM Wings of fire | Page 27

3
T
hrough the window of the compartment, I watched the
countryside slip past. From a distance, the men in the fields
in their white dhotis and turbans, and the womenfolk in
bright
splashes of colour against the green background of
paddy fields, seemed to inhabit some beautiful painting. I
sat glued to the window. Almost everywhere, people were
engaged in some activity which had a rhythm and
tranquillity about it—men driving cattle, women fetching
water from streams. Occasionally, a child would appear
and wave at the train.
It is astonishing how the landscape changes as one
moves northwards. The rich and fertile plains of the river
Ganga and its numerous tributaries have invited invasion,
turmoil, and change. Around 1500 BC, fair-skinned Aryans
swept in through the mountain passes from the far north-
west. The tenth century brought Muslims, who later mingled
with the local people and became an integral part of this
country. One empire gave way to another. Religious
conquests continued. All this time, the part of India south of
the Tropic of Cancer remained largely untouched, safe
behind the shield of the Vindhya and Satpura mountain
ranges. The Narmada, Tapti, Mahanadi, Godavari, and
Krishna rivers had woven a net of almost unassailable
protection for the tapering Indian peninsula. To bring me to
Delhi, my train had crossed all these geographical
impediments through the power of scientific advancement.
I halted for a week in Delhi, the city of the great Sufi
Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin, and appeared for the interview at
DTD&P(Air). I did well at the interview. The questions were
of a routine nature, and did not challenge my knowledge of
the subject. Then I proceeded to Dehra Dun for my
interview at the Air Force Selection Board. At the Selection
Board, the emphasis was more on “personality” than on
intelligence. Perhaps they were looking for physical fitness
and an articulate manner. I was excited but nervous,
determined but anxious, confident but tense. I could only
finish ninth in the batch of 25 examined to select eight
officers for commissioning in the Air Force. I was deeply
disappointed. It took me some time to comprehend that the
opportunity to join the Air Force had just slipped through my
fingers. I dragged myself out of the Selection Board and
stood at the edge of a cliff. There was a lake far below. I
knew that the days ahead would be difficult. There were
questions to be answered and a plan of action to be
prepared. I trekked down to Rishikesh.
I bathed in the Ganga and revelled in the purity of its
water. Then, I walked to the Sivananda Ashram situated a
little way up the hill. I could feel intense vibrations when I
entered. I saw a large number of sadhus seated all around
in a state of trance. I had read that sadhus were psychic
people—people who know things intuitively and, in my
dejected mood, I sought answers to the doubts that
troubled me.
I met Swami Sivananda—a man who looked like a
Buddha, wearing a snow-white dhoti and wooden slippers.
He had an olive complexion and black, piercing eyes. I was
struck by his irresistible, almost childlike smile and
gracious manner. I introduced myself to the Swamiji. My
Muslim name aroused no reaction in him. Before I could
speak any further, he inquired about the source of my