A Viewpoint

 YOGA - A POSSIBLE WINDOW TO MANAGE A PRIMORDIAL NEED

It was in June 1973 that Senator Percy, his wife, daughter and her boy friend stopped for lunch at our unit officer’s mess in Budh Kharbu, while on their way to Leh from Kargil. We officers were, of course a vigorous grouping of bachelors and forced bachelors, who were living a life of abnegation in the Ladhak Himalayas, in the call of duty. The Senator’s wife was quite taken aback when she learnt early on in her conversation with us hosts, that women and wives were not a part of our lives during the years that we had spent and would be spending here. It distressed her and she wondered how we managed to live by ourselves, for such long spells, sans the company of women. This was equally true for all our soldiers, about 800, who were a part of the unit. This is generally the condition obtaining in most field areas, where troops are employed and deployed on ground along the vast and diverse land borders, which the country shares with its neighbors. Tenures here on an average are between two to three years and thus bring to bear great emotional, social and psycho somatic stress on all those who serve in these areas. The soldiers are put to great anxiety on account of household problems which are on the increase, keeping in mind the transformation that has besieged Indian society. With nuclear families being a reality and the earlier joint family system more or less defunct, throws up a new challenge for all military leaders, who command troops in these field areas. Moreover, unit and organizational resources and operational responsibilities are stretched to breaking point at places and on occasions, which compound the existing anguish and push it to threshold levels of tolerance. The absence of a family and a woman to give company to and provide comfort, for long periods at such times, is rather agonizing. Therefore, among other reasons that are there, which adversely impact the situation and result in cases of indiscipline, insubordination, fragging and suicides among troops – the absence of a worthy outlet for testosterone causes havoc in the male psyche and evokes inconsistent behavior, resulting in the above stated aberrations.

With the deployment of the Rashtriya Rifles in the Srinagar valley, there has been a visible and incremental trend among soldiers to take the life of their superiors, comrades and self. The trend is disturbing and does not augur well for the Army. Both, the Defense Ministry and the Army Head Quarters are seized of this trend and have charged the Defense Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) in consultation with the Operational Command ( Northern ), Army Training Command (ARTRAC) and the Directorate General of Military Training ( Dte Gen of MT), to address the matter and find solutions to the problem. While, the Defense Minister answers questions related to this matter on the floor of the House and every time gives an assurance to the concerned members about its being in check, the truth is somewhere in between and the problem continues to remain. I think, we have to look for answers to the problem in the manner we handle and manage “testosterone among our soldiers”, who are deployed in conditions of privation and away from their families.

Indian society continues to remain closed and orthodox in its attitude and approach towards matters, which address sex related issues and have undertones of sexual bias in its content. The thinking within the army is similar and is visibly content to keep the subject under covers, lest it invite public opprobrium and sully the organizational image. The army’s attitude in this regard is equally hypocritical and in keeping with the National view.

Given the reality obtaining within the army, where soldiers are largely deployed in field areas, which does not allow families to live along with, paucity of married accommodation in family stations and the socio economic compulsions or else the prevailing social practice in rural India of leaving one’s spouse with one’s parents, need an examination of the psycho – physical impact of these circumstances upon the soldiers profile. This becomes increasingly relevant in the context of the evident stress related incidents, which have occurred with regularity and statistical significance in the past. While, various reasons have been assigned for these instances none has as yet mentioned sexual deprivation as a possible contributory factor, no matter what its scale.

Sex being a natural, human and primordial urge, is an emotion which is capable of drawing people to great heights of achievement. Therefore, within the boundaries of our social reality and cultural upbringing, we must endeavour to undertake the “testosterone management” of our soldiers. It is well understood and known that, the emotion of sex is a virtue only when used intelligently and with discrimination. When it is misused and often is to such an extent that, it debases instead of enriches both body and mind. As such, the desire of sexual expression, which is inborn, should be given an outlet through acts or impulses, which enrich the body, mind, intellect and spirit. While it may be submerged and controlled for a time, but its very nature causes it to be ever seeking means of expression. Therefore, if it is not transmuted into some creative effort it will find a less worthy outlet.

The means and method of transmuting sexual energy is available in the practice of HathaYoga, Pranayam and Meditation, wherein sublimation is recommended over resistance. With the technique being available to us, we must use it to advantage and optimize the potential of our human resource by educating and training our personnel to practice it.

Can we give it a whole hearted try and see the outcome?.

Brig S D Dangwal