1998 Pokran test: When priest gave experts nightmares

The 1998 nuclear detonation at the Pokhran test range in the deserts of Rajasthan was full with melodrama and histrionics. While keeping elaborate preparations away from the prying eyes had emerged a major challenge. A priest, who had accompanied the 58th Engineer Regiment was also giving scientists sleepless nights.

"He was meant to chant hymns and pray for the success of the mission. But this lazy Brahmin would go to sleep at the time of work," revealed top nuclear scientists K Santhanam, who coordinated the tests and its preparations at Pokhran.

He was asked to find auspicious time, but those times would not match sometimes with weather conditions and wind directions. But on May 11, the conditions matched at 3:45 p.m, when ultimately, Santhanam gave the two keys that activated the test countdown to Dr. M. Vasudev, the range safety officer, who was responsible for verifying that all test indicators were normal.

After taking into accounts scientific conditions and astrology of the priest, the first three devices were placed in their respective shafts on May 10. The first device to be placed was the sub-kiloton device in the 'Kumbhkaran' shaft, which was sealed by the army engineers by 8:30 pm. The thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb) was lowered and sealed into the 'White House' shaft by 4 am, and the fission device being placed in the 'Taj Mahal' shaft was sealed at 7:30 am.

After checking the indicators, Vasudev handed one key each to a representative of BARC and the DRDO, who unlocked the countdown system together. Besides chanting hymns, the priest was also assigned to keep an eye on infiltrators. He was assisted by a school teacher for reciting mantras and also keeping watch from outside.