Hi Everyone!! This article will share Siachen The Place of Wild Roses Questions & Answers.
In my previous posts, I have shared the questions & answers of The Naive Friends, Kali and The Rat Snake and Daffodils so, you can go through these posts as well.
Siachen The Place of Wild Roses Questions & Answers
Word Galaxy
- Glacier – a huge mass of ice that moves slowly
- Balti – a Tibetic language spoken in Jammu and Kashmir
- Abundance – in huge numbers, plentiful
- Passes – routes through mountain ranges
- Administration – rule, government
- Helipad – a landing and take off area for helicopters
- Blood clot – sticky lump of dried blood that stops blood from flowing
- Funeral pyre – a pile of wood on which a dead body is burnt
- Blizzard – strong cold winds
- Avalanche – sudden sliding of a mass of snow from mountain
- Lance Naik – a rank given to a soldier in the army
Question 1: What does the word ‘Siachen’ really mean?
Answer: The name Siachen refers to a land with an abundance of roses. ‘Sia’ in the Balti language refers to the rose family plant widely found in the region and ‘chun’ refers to anything found in abundance. In spite of the severe climate, the word ‘Siachen’ ironically means ‘the place of wild roses’.
Question 2: Where is Siachen glacier located?
Answer: Siachen glacier is located just northeast of the point where the ‘Line of Control’ between India and Pakistan ends.
Question 3: What is special about the place Sonam?
Answer: India has built the world’s highest helipad on Siachen glacier at a place called Sonam, which is 21,000 ft above the sea level.
Question 4: Which military operation was launched by the Indian army in 1984?
Answer: In 1984, India launched operation ‘Meghdoot’, a military operation that gave India control over all of the Siachen Glacier, including its tributaries.
Question 5: What is the lowest temperature recorded at Siachen so far?
Answer: The lowest temperature recorded at Siachen so far is minus 45 degrees Celsius.
Question 6: What does WCF stand for?
Answer: WCF stands for Wind Chill Factor.
Question 7: Which two liquids do not freeze at Siachen?
Answer: Rum and kerosene are two liquids that do not freeze at Siachen.
Question 8: What happens when a jawan tries to load his gun at Siachen?
Answer: When a jawan tries to load his gun, the bullets stick to his gloveless hand. If he tries to take them off, the skin will also peel off.
Question 9: Why do the soldiers need to carry a stove?
Answer: The soldiers need to carry a stove for keeping themselves warm and to melt snow for drinking and having a wash.
Question 10: What is the leading cause of deaths in Siachen?
Answer: Avalanche and other environmental factors are the leading causes of deaths in Siachen.
Siachen The Place of Wild Roses Questions & Answers
Question 11: How many soldiers have lost their lives in Siachen so far?
Answer: Over 870 soldiers have lost their lives in Siachen so far.
Question 12: Fill in the blanks:
1. Siachen is the longest glacier in the Karakoram range.
2. ‘Sia’ in the Balti language refers to the wild roses found there.
3. The ‘Line of Control’ was formed in the year 1972.
4. Siachen forms a part of Leh district in Ladakh.
5. Daily existence is so painful in Siachen that soldiers cannot be sent up again for at least 15 years.Â
6. The Wind Chill Factor in the region has proved fatal.
Question 13: What does Siachen mean in the Balti language?
Answer: In the Balti language, refers to a land with an abundance of roses. ‘Sia’ in the Balti language refers to the rose family plant widely found in the region and ‘chun’ refers to anything found in abundance.
Question 14: Why is the location of Siachen so critical?
Answer: The location of Siachen is so critical because it is located just northeast of the point where the ‘Line of Control’ between India and Pakistan ends. The land on one side is controlled by India and on the other side by Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan claim authority over the entire Siachen region. Between 1984 and 1999, frequent fighting took place between India and Pakistan to take control of the region.
Question 15: How is ‘normal life virtually impossible’?
Answer: In an extreme environment of Siachen, normal life is virtually impossible because almost everything freezes solid. Onions need to be cut, eggs become like rocks and cannot even be broken and most toothpastes (except gels) cannot be squeezed out, chocolates become as hard as steel plates and if you bite them, you could break your teeth. Metal and the human skin become so chilled that when a jawan tries to load his gun, the bullets stick to his gloveless hand. If he tries to take them off, the skin will also peel off. Except for rum and kerosene, everything is frozen solid. Even in full clothing one cannot stand outside for more than ten minutes. One big challenge is to keep men mentally alert in that condition.
Question 16: Why was Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad in the news?
Answer: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, an Indian soldier with the Madras Regiment of Indian army, was in news because he survived the massive avalanche. He was found during post disaster avalanche rescue operations by the Indian Army, six days after the disaster. He was rescued from 35 feet beneath the snow in -45°C temperature. Koppad couldn’t survive for long due to multiple organ failure. After a few days he died.
Question 17: Why should we be thankful to the soldiers deputed at Siachen?
Answer: We should be thankful to the soldiers deputed at Siachen because despite the challenges and hardships, our army men are always ready to serve the nation and make our countrymen feel safe and secure all the time.
Question 18: What preparations does a soldier make before joining Siachen camp?
Answer: Before joining the glacier camp, a soldier bathes and shaves knowing that he will not be in a condition to do so for the next three months. Many write long letters home being uncertain when they may be able to do so next. Then, they pack their rucksacks with warm clothes, a sleeping bag, photographs, toiletries and all-important kerosene stove. They carry stove to keep themselves warm and to melt snow for drinking and having a wash.
So, these were Siachen The Place of Wild Roses Questions & Answers.