THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Horse and rider stand at the far end of the ground, the rider gripping a spear in his right hand. The youngster, in white riding breeches, leans down to his right as the horse gallops forward, the spear now more or less parallel with the track. In one swoop, he rams the weapon into the target, a white-painted peg fixed to the ground. As cheers break out, the rider races by, the speared peg held aloft.
The old cavalry technique was on display at the Central Stadium on Monday afternoon as NCC cadets displayed their skills during the 69th NCC Day Celebrations. An equestrian show by the NCC’s 1 (Kerala) Remount and Veterinary Squadron based in Mannuthy, Thrissur, was the big draw at the event inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. NCC cadets, riding six horses brought from Thrissur, displayed their horse-riding skills in the show-jumping, tent-pegging and fire-jumping events.
Tent-pegging dates back to the days when cavalry was king. Lore goes that riders would invade enemy camps, bringing their tents down by employing this technique. In modern-day armed forces, tent-pegging is used to thrill spectators, but it still requires considerable training. Unlike last year, when the celebrations were held at Pangode army grounds, this time the venue was the Central Stadium to ensure more public participation.
Cadets attached to all three arms of the NCC - army, navy and air wing - participated in Monday’s event. A nearby pavilion had on display static models of ships and aircraft and flying models as well. The NCC Navy contingent’s stall displayed models of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, INS Godavari, INS Delhi and INS Shivalik. The stalls of the Air Wing, which is based in Pettah, exhibited radio-controlled aircraft models used for aerobatic displays and a static model of an MI-35 helicopter. ‘’We train NCC cadets to be leaders in whatever profession they choose,’’ Major General Anoop Kumar, Additional Director General, NCC Kerala and Lakshadweep, said. In addition to military training, NCC cadets today engage in tree planting and awareness campaigns against drug and alcohol abuse, he said.
Creating awareness
NCC cadets have a major role to play in creating awareness on alcohol and drug abuse, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. They can play key roles in making the people aware about debilitating diseases like cancer and AIDS, he said. At a time when dangerous trends like fundamentalism are gaining ground, NCC can promote humanism and fraternity that transcends religion, he said.