Nuranang - The Temple Builder
Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat and the Tribal Heroines Sela & Nura
The most remarkable story of 1962. Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat held Nuranang with two local Monpa tribal women, Sela and Nura. Creating the illusion of a larger force, he delayed the Chinese advance for days. Today, the locals worship him as a deity - there's a temple where he's still honored. Sela Pass is named after the woman who fought with him.
The Soldier Who Became a God
In the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, far from the plains where most Indians live, there is a temple. It is not dedicated to Vishnu or Shiva, to Durga or Krishna. It is dedicated to a soldier - a rifleman of the Indian Army who fell in battle in 1962.
Every morning, the Monpa tribal people of the region perform puja at this temple. They offer prayers to Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat - the soldier who, with the help of two local women named Sela and Nura, held off the Chinese army for days at a place called Nuranang.
This is the most extraordinary story of the 1962 war. And perhaps the most beautiful.
The Garhwali Rifleman
Jaswant Singh Rawat was born in a small village in Garhwal, in what is now Uttarakhand. Like many young men from the hill communities of the Himalayas, he joined the Indian Army - specifically, the 4 Garhwal Rifles.
The Garhwalis are a proud martial community. Their regiments have fought in every war since the British first recruited them. Small in stature but immense in courage, Garhwali soldiers are known for their endurance in mountain warfare.
In October 1962, Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was deployed to NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency), now Arunachal Pradesh. He was 21 years old.
The Chinese Advance
When the Chinese launched their massive offensive on October 20, 1962, they swept through NEFA with overwhelming force. Post after post fell. The Indian forces, outnumbered and outgunned, fought delaying actions but could not hold.
As the Indian forces retreated toward Tawang, someone had to stay behind to delay the Chinese advance. The terrain around Nuranang - with its steep gorges and narrow paths - was ideal for a small force to hold off a larger one.
Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat volunteered. Or perhaps he was simply left behind as his unit withdrew. The exact circumstances are unclear. What is clear is that he found himself alone at Nuranang, with the Chinese army advancing toward him.