Boot Camp

“Aur hamari fauj yahaan hai, sir.”

Kaptan points to the Ragasthan deputies. They are without their phones for once, and relieved, perhaps. The phones wouldn’t work here anyway. We’re too close to the border.

We are at Tanot, some 120 kilometres from Jaisalmer, at a temple set up and run (spectacularly) by the Indian army. Tanot Mata has a special place in the hearts of the Rajasthani people. And maybe much more for the army.

Remember that scene in JP Dutta’s Border where hundreds of enemy bombs are fired at a single temple in the desert and none explode? That’s right – none. Zero, as we can say thanks to Aryabhatta.

4000 bombs versus one Sunny Deol. Tanot Mata ki jai!

Well, it’s real. This is the place. This is where we mark the auspicious beginning of on-ground work. Or so was the plan. We were supposed to have been here at 6:30 am. We’re 12 hours late.

The team has heads bowed and eyes half shut in prayer most of the time. I'm not too keen on idol-worship. But I'm a fan of the army. Naturally, I wander around awe-struck all evening.

These are men who have signed their lives away to protect us. And today, they will perform the puja and the aarti. They are cooking for thousands, serving free food to all who have come to visit Tanot Mata. They are also frequently at work keeping the premises spotless. I've forgotten that I'm walking around barefoot.

And they do it all with straight-back discipline, and a humble smile. Probably also a schedule that details time-goals and responsibilities.

For the team, this is not just an opportunity for prayer. This is a workshop.

I’ve been up since 4 in the morning. Barely six hours of sleep between the last two nights. I could drop like a fly at any time. And I’ve still got goosebumps. The energy here is electric.

So we could have been here in the morning. But our own little army was at work all day.Which is just another form of worship, I say.

Frantic phone calls. Somebody needs more paperwork for the District Collector. The tent guys have come back with a debatable offer. Ground levelling at the festival site needs to begin today, if not yesterday. And suddenly, the team from Mumbai cannot be tracked for some time.

Batman's phone is off the hook.

Kaptaan calls and he gets: ‘This number does not exist’. He laughs as he tells us about it later. "I’m, like, ‘Don’t run away without me, man! Take me with you. We’ll hide in Mexico together.’”

It's bittersweet humour. But there'll be no need for that.

At the end of the day, when returning from the temple, there’s a sign that we might have blessings on our side after all. It’s a phone call that might really swing things into action.

Have you noticed that Ragasthan has not announced a headlining act yet?

The news is still too hot to be uncovered.

Let’s just say that those who have booked tickets on faith are in for an awesome night; there won’t be any tickets left for the faithless.