7GRRA Visit to India and Nepal 2013

Carol and I were sailing in the Caribbean in 2012 when David Morgan emailed to ask if we would represent 7GRRA at the Regimental birthday celebrations in India and Nepal in May 2013. It took less than a minute to decide “Yes”.  After much advice and work by WO2 Sataya Ghale in Dehra Dun, Major Jaibahadur in Darjeeling and Maj Bhuwansing in Kathmandu we were able to produce a comprehensive programme. One that met the brief I had been given by David Morgan and the recommendation from Bob Couldrey that someone should try to visit our ex-servicemen in the remoter areas if possible.

We left our yacht in Trinidad on 29 April 2013 to fly to UK at the start of what was to be an amazing five week journey.  We barely had time to extract our trekking gear from Carol’s mother’s loft before we were on the flight to Delhi on the 3^rd of May.  Over the next eleven days in India we completed the first phase of our trip flying from Delhi to Amritsar, driving to Dharamsala and then Chandighar in order to fly back to Delhi to catch the flight to Bagdogra.  We drove up to Darjeeling, then to Kalimpong and finally back to Kakarvitta where we crossed into Nepal.

Whilst in India we were accompanied by our friends Charles and Sue Parry.  Both Satya and Jaibahadur kindly said that their presence would not be a problem and in the event they were treated to the usual overwhelming Gurkha hospitality and friendship.  Unfortunately university graduations prevented them from coming with us to Nepal as well.  In many ways having them with us added to our experience because I found myself explaining and sharing afresh things I have probably taken for granted for so many years. It was also a pleasure because they absolutely understood the significance of the Regimental family and quickly appreciated the emotion in some of the reunions.

On 5 May Satya Ghale met us in Amritsar having driven down the previous day from his home in Dehra Dun.  He is an excellent Honorary AWO who knows all the ex-servicemen in his charge and who is so enthusiastic about what he does.  He looked after us amazingly well.  He had arranged the gathering in Dharamsala with Major Shyamkumar Thapa and Capt Mahendrasing Thapa who have family homes there, although the former being ex-GRU now lives in Brunei and the latter also has a home in Kathmandu.  Major Rambahadur Gurung MBE, BEM and WO2 Kamaljung Thapa are the only remaining real 7GR residents in Dharamsala as 21158662 Rfn Agambahdur Rai is now living in UK.  Unfortunately, Lt (QGO) Bhagwansing Thapa, 0271 Cpl Ramsaram Ghale and 2099 Cpl Ishwarbahadur, all of whom live in Dehra Dun, were unable to join the party.  The group for lunch also included the widows of three of our ex-servicemen, plus rightly other ex-Brigade members Capt Amarsing Rana 6GR, Sgt Bikramsing Chhetri GTR and four 2GR and GTR widows still living in the area. It is 40 years since I was last in Dharamsala so it was a particular pleasure and a privilege to be with this small close knit group who clearly take great pride in the way they look after each other.

At our next stop on 8 May, Hon Lt Ghanysham Chhetri and CSgt Basant Dewan met us at Bagdogra airport for the drive up to Darjeeling and the wonderfully eccentric Windamere Hotel.  Jaibahadur had arranged a superb programme for us and he, Basant Dewan and WO2 Dipak Subba accompanied us throughout.  The birthday lunch party was attended by about sixty ex-7GR and their families.  It was a terrific party with good food, great company, tombola and finally dancing to round off the afternoon.  For me it was particularly good to see such old friends as Capt Sange Tamang, Capt Nainabahadur Thapa and Lt Narbu Sherpa to mention only a few. 

And what a joy to meet Sgt Shiblal Rai (87) and his wife Samukumari (86) for the first time. 

As in Dharamsala we read out the message from the 7GRRA Chairman, but whereas I had struggled to read it in Nepali in Dharamsala, Jaibahadur simply read it in English! I should add for those reading this from Dharamsala that I got much better at it by the time we reached Khandbari and our ninth birthday party!

Before leaving Darjeeling we took a ride on the famous toy Train……

On Saturday 11 May we drove to Kalimpong to stay for three nights in the Himalayan Hotel.  The Regimental birthday party was held the next day on the roof terrace at the beautiful home of Major and Mrs Baliram Tamang 10GR.  We were welcomed by WO2 Indraprasad Gurung and old friends, WO2 Binodkumar Rai and WO2 Bedahang Limbu.  It was a real pleasure to meet Mrs Dorji Eden Wangdi (85) wife of late Sgt/Clerk Thinley Lendup Wangdi 2/7 GR.  She is the only Gurkha wife to have been promoted WVS and worked for the 2nd Battalion for some years before her husband retired in 1964. 

The previous day Carol had been overheard telling Sue and Charles about the delights of ‘tongba’ which lead to WO2 Bedahang surprising us by producing four tongbas after lunch, a great way to end another fantastic gathering.

The next day Carol and I visited the BGESA office in the centre of Kalimpong where Maj Baliram briefed us. We were struck by how well this small group of ex-servicemen work together to assist each other and look after the widows and welfare pensioners.  They even produce the superb “Lahure ko Reli Mai” magazine for themselves and for which we promised to produce an article and some photos. Once again we were touched by how many pensioners made the effort to be there to meet us.

On 14 May we drove from Kalimpong to the Nepal border at Kakarvitta where we were able to check out of India and drive through to the Nepal side to unload the vehicle and say goodbye to Major Jaibahadur, Dipak and Basant.