Ironically, those who served the military were the ones to influence the change in recruitment patterns here. The pay packets that the erstwhile soldiers sent back added a degree of affluence to the families back home. Products of the ensuing better life, facilities and education, the present generation chose to opt for professions other than the army. Says Honorary Captain (Retd) Shankar Deshmukh, a veteran Maratha Infantryman, ``It is a pattern. Improvement in intellectual capabilities leads to decrease in physical capabilities. Our boys are not too keen on taking up the hardships that army life requires.''

According to him, the fall in recruitment from Apshinge is almost 50 per cent. This is a staggering decrease. Today the men prefer to be teachers or workin factories. A life that has more stability and none of the hardships. A trend that is affecting most of these traditionally `military' villages. On the other hand, as one bastion of tradition crumbles, there are other villages that are eagerly signing up. Cultivable land is limited and the men would rather join the army than take up any other profession. And that is where history comes into play.

Most of these villages are dominated by Marathas. Men who have either been farmers or warriors. Any other way of life has been alien to their nature. Colonel G Ilangovam, a former commanding officer of the 22 MLI (Maratha Light Infantry), says, ``The men from the region have a history of fighting battles against invaders. In fact, we are the only regiment that has a battle cry that pays homage to a man. We go into battle with the cry Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai.''

According to Col Ilangovam, the Maratha soldier is also one of the best and the simplest. ``Give him his roti, his mirchi and kanda and hewill do a fine job in battle. They don't need much and prove to be hardy soldiers.''But in Apshinge, Hony Capt Deshmukh hints at another factor that is discouraging the young men from joining up. Corruption and the influence that touts have over the recruitment process these days. ``These days,'' he charges, ``when the boys go to the recruitment melas, they are approached by touts. They are all over the place and demand sums as high as Rs 40,000 at times. Where will these poor boys get that kind of money?''

Ditto, says RP Zende, the block development officer of Koregaon taluka. On a visit to Anpatwadi to meet the family of Naik Narayan Salunke (the MLI soldier killed in action in Uri recently), he says that he has heard similar complaints from the villagers. ``Apparently the touts are aware which candidates are to be selected. They then approach the boys for large sums, promising that they will get them recruited. The poor boys end up paying and get conned in the process,'' says Zende.

So modern-dayeconomics and history are in a tussle. Search for a better living makes the men explore the proverbial `other side of the hill.' Those who don't follow in history's footsteps. As years pass by, newer villages crop up with eager men. Suddenly, relatively unknown villages like Anpatwadi, Khindwadi and Chinchnagar, among numerous others, have taken over the mantle of keeping the ranks well maintained.

But certain questions remain. Will the materialism of the 1990s take over a glorious military tradition? Something which the bureaucratic and political establishments need to ponder on.