What does the Reunion really mean to these Veterans?
More often than not it is seen that for every veteran, Reunion is a kind of cloud nine experiences to muse over and re-live the old days with old mates. This mood mostly evokes a kind of euphoric camaraderie at these old-timers reunion with atmospherics that is almost contagious.
Ever wonder why or wonder how?
Ever wonder why or wonder how?
A reunion is not only a time to dust off the cobwebs and refurbish the memories and experiences of active service. In a way, it both rejuvenates the alliances, and somehow it even helps reconcile with traumas of past pains and loss of buddies in action.
23rd has two who mates, missing in action ever since 1971.
These therapeutic benefits for veterans are immensely advantageous and are
encouraged world over in all VA forums to put in place a mechanism to come together, again and again, to heal, adjust and celebrate life. More than ever it may even unravel friendship potentials that had not yet had an opportunity in the past. Even if the guys of 23rd do not appreciate the fact, the ladies of 23rd are the spice and joy of the group for they are the adhesive that has set relationships each one in her own inexplicable and many enigmatic ways. Simply said, she has taken them all as her own.
Will a man ever leave his own friend circle for his wife?
Well the answer is pretty simple and known: NO.
Once a while if you go
out for all girls night out with your friends, everyone will go ga-ga over your
husband‘s generosity, of allowing you to do so. If you accompany your
husband to every formal and casual party of his, then it is no big deal.
The Poona reunion was a ‘Double-Dhamaal’ for ‘the Veteran 23rders’. It was inclusive of a day out to NDA.
The morning of 24th Feb was more akin to a rough and tumble day on Campus…A big rush hour for Breakfast @ Ebony, with Partho on our heels blowing hurry n haste to herd his rowdies into the waiting buses, and credit is to him, he did it with the alacrity of the ‘drover’.
Though for me, was a leisurely four-course breakfast with freshly brewed coffee, and an equally unhurried journey with Mahesh and Bina Sachdev, the Punjabi Punekars and my vintage fellow Wadian.
 |
| Bus Borne |
Though for me, was a leisurely four-course breakfast with freshly brewed coffee, and an equally unhurried journey with Mahesh and Bina Sachdev, the Punjabi Punekars and my vintage fellow Wadian.
The long winding NDA Pashan road once was a languorous drive through a vibrant and energetic natural ecosystem. This verdant space had served as an important and accessible getaway for regular walkers, joggers and Poona nature enthusiasts.
These trap hills are essentially the Vetal and Parvati hills, or simply ‘tekdis’, as it was locally known. Today the rapidity of the expanding city is not only gnawing up these spaces and natural flora but rendering the wildlife homeless. Many at the National Defence Academy re-count spotting of leopards at several locations and authorities have urged the cadets, staff and faculty to be cautious.
Man, being the most selfish animal is sadly on the self-destruct path to slay a sustainable ecosystem and ‘Mother Earth’. However, nowadays it is the urban mess through which we reach, the Pashan Gate of NDA.
The parking lot was already was teeming with enthused 'Sainik School' boys on a Sunday outing with their faculty. A perchance meet–up with old boys of NDA was a cherry on their muffin and a photo-op. Soon the old boys outperformed and outshone the little ones as a ‘Drama company’.
Jubilant and high on roll-back to past years, believe it or not… one seventy + six years old veteran had outplayed the reel life fifty-year-old heart-throb Salman Khan with his eight pack on the parking tarmac with front leaning rest position military training push-ups. though I presume all the 23rders were adept at it once upon a time, and done them in plenty, as it was a common form of punishment meted out to them often enough.
You just had to see the young jaws drop.
The forces, the men in uniform of Army, Navy and Air officers have always fascinated children, so imagine their delight if they not only could spend a day at the National Defence Academy, but also were awestruck by live antics and ‘josh’ of veterans…who were once cadets at this very academy and with tough training mutated their way to becoming gentleman officers. And now proudly stand before the gates of their Alma–Mater as VETERANS.
This is where many dreams to become a soldier came true and where many a war hero was born.
The Pashan Gate entrance is on an approach road to the Northeast of the Academy campus. Among the additions to the War-birds collection of the National Defence Academy is the MiG-29 "Baaz" twin-engine air superiority fighter aircraft. The aircraft is mounted on a pole at the Pashan Gate entrance of the Academy.
In addition to the MiG, four Vijayanta tanks and a warship model representing the Navy, adorn the approaches to the gate.
On our last visit to NDA in 2002, Gurbaksh Sihota, our illustrious 23rder was the incumbent GOC n C, Southern Command; hence that was a fully loaded red carpet in-house stay. To top it all, MS had been posted as an Instructor for 3 years here as well, hence that made him eager and proficient to take daughter and wife on an end to end guided tour.
Back to the now to the February 2019, it began with a quick stop at the Auditorium for a short film NDA, somehow even that generated cee-tees from the incorrigible gentlemen.
It was as per plan that the Official 2019 Reunion photograph be taken and done
with while a degree of ‘le mode et le style’ is still discernable ... That is before the
onslaught of Beer and Biryani at Peacock Bay.
It was now time for pit-stop and refuelling at 'Cadet Mess'. Cakes, Cookies and Cold Coffee.
I had read somewhere that Napoleon, on being asked what a soldier needed most in war, he answered, ‘A full belly and a good pair of shoes.’
But on the moot point of logistics, what I wondered is, that how did he keep his army fed during his long campaigns?
It was at that point I discovered the fascinating pages of ‘Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier.’ …It is said that the soldiers in Napoleon's army were expected to purchase their own provisions from local merchants. This practice worked well in Western and Central Europe, but once the march on Moscow entered Eastern Poland, the massive armies found less and less to eat. This lead to deprivation and foraging from the local population and that, in turn, resulted in further resentment for the occupation.
Furthermore, over the centuries it consolidated the sobriquet that….
An Army does March on Its Stomach.
The Cadets’ Mess at the National Defence Academy is the pivotal building block in fostering the sense of solidarity. It is an imposing building with interiors in an opulent mahogany tone of a pillared and panelled architectural feature. I was told that it could cater to 2200 cadet’s meals at the same time. The Cadet's mealtimes are not only a happy mix of super food and sociability, but become a trove of many a cherished moment together….
 |
| Miss Emma's Cookbook a treasure of tastes. |
The board was quite akin to Miss Emma’s breakfast, which was always our favourite at MGD, my boarding school. Miss Emma, was Burmese by descent and orphan of WW2, she was taken under the tutelage of Miss Lutter, our Principal; Maharani Gayatri Devi gave her an opportunity to infuse the flavours of the world in her cuisine for hungry growing girls. Cultural influences that are brought in the eating habits at a young age brings a focus on the social and cultural heritage of global cuisine.
So it seems here in NDA as well, It is bountiful rich and has a lavish quotient of power packed calories from Cream-cheese pancakes and choice of breakfast cereals, eggs, cold cuts, sausages veg cutlets, oven-fresh bread toast with butter and jam marmalade etc
 |
| Cornucopia |
The entrance door of the Cadets Mess is of Belgian glass with the legendary ‘Horn of Plenty’ engraved on it…. The cornucopia, a decorative, horn-shaped wicker basket commonly used as a table centrepiece at Thanksgiving, is a symbol of abundance and nourishment.
 |
| Zeus with Cornucopia |
Cornucopia’s history lies in Greek mythology. There are a lot of different stories, but the most common one tells the story of the lightning god, Zeus. As an infant, Zeus was in great danger from his father, Cronus. Zeus was taken to the island of Crete and cared for and nursed by a goat named Amalthea. One day, he accidentally broke off one of her horns, and in order to repay her, he used his powers to ensure that the horn would be a symbol of eternal nourishment, which is where we get the idea that the cornucopia represents abundance.
 |
| The Khadakwasla Village near the Dam |
Many of you are more than familiar of NDA at Khadakwasla, on the other hand, did you know that Khadakwasla was the small hamlet of people living in a quaint rural community sitting beside a dam 30 km from Poona.
I do not know if the 23rders do recall that in 1961, the Khadakwasla Dam had burst early one July morning and they had to bluster it, as the Panshet Dam overflowed, causing devastating floods in the city of Poona. Perhaps this will jog their memory.
Though the dam was rebuilt in 1965 and the Lake formed is one of the main reservoirs meeting the freshwater requirements of the Pune city
On the North-East side of Khadakwasla Lake is an exclusive water body, a recessed bay connected to the Lake itself formed by a dam built in 1863-1880 on Mutha River, which emerges from the flowing together of the River Ambi and river Mose... The Lake is 17 Kilometres long and is about a kilometre wide. and its depth varies between 40 feet and 120 feet.
Peacock Bay at National Defence Academy was a spectacular place for us to anchor for lunch, and like homing pigeons, the old Vets were quick to find the watering hole. But then now it was time for feet up, Beer bonhomie and food. And a time to give a call to throw up the choices for the next travel-plan. A very democratic process if I may say so on a voice vote.
Peacock Bay offers a dreamlike ambience and the mood of the bay waters caught in the trough to reflect the colours of the rolling slopes of its drainage area. With a large number of peacocks which could be spotted in the area, it is far from surprising that Peacock Bay got its well-deserved name...
Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, has been quoted as saying “change is the only constant in life.”, and is inevitable. However, will ask these 75-year-old boys one day as to the extent of change they felt their alma-mater had undergone from their time in the sun.
As with the path of the February Sun, we were close to March equinox that means a call for the spring equinox, but Poona heat was at 36 degrees, hence time to head back. through the Kondhwa Gate of NDA and another side of the cityscape.
 |
| 23rd Course NDA - From Cadets to Officers to Veterans |
Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, has been quoted as saying “change is the only constant in life.”, and is inevitable. However, will ask these 75-year-old boys one day as to the extent of change they felt their alma-mater had undergone from their time in the sun.
As with the path of the February Sun, we were close to March equinox that means a call for the spring equinox, but Poona heat was at 36 degrees, hence time to head back. through the Kondhwa Gate of NDA and another side of the cityscape.
The Gala - Evening almost of Silver Spurs and swishing Silks
The evening was set out for the 'Gala Reunion Dinner' at Southern Command Mess, it now finds itself positioned in place of RSI on Coyaji Road just of the busy East Street.
Memories of RSI go back to my college days, when my parents would come and stay at RSI, it was an absolute indulgence compared to the austere slumming of Ladies College Hostel. What was more was that it gave delightful change and respite from canteen food. East Street was almost a hop and skip away for Kayani Bakery munchies and full course meal at Kamlings along with the fortune cookie at the Chinese place. Most of the time all we could afford was a shared bowl of Egg-drop Wonton soup on our student allowance.
 |
| Shrewsbury Biscuits & Muffins |
By and by this company came to be known as the East India Company. Though as the Company grew and so did the realm of their ambitions.
In 1661, the East India Company had chosen the Islands of Bombay for the princely annual rental of £10. These Islands were given away by Portugal to England as part of Catherine of Braganza’s dowry as the queen consort of England, of Scotland and of Ireland the wife of King Charles II. She was the daughter of King John IV, who became the first king of Portugal from the House of Braganza after overthrowing the rule of the Spanish Habsburgs. The island of Bombay went on to become the centre of operations of the Bombay Presidency.
The East India Company slowly expanded its presence to the surrounding area through gradual conquests. The turning point was their victory over Baji Rao II, the last of the Peshwas, in the Battle of Kirkee, in November 1817.
This endorsed the growing British foothold in Poona.
The British then erected a small encampment west of the Mutha River, in an area now called now Khadki. As British influence spread into the Deccan, there arose a need for a greater military presence. As more troops were required to be billeted, a larger area was occupied east of the Mutha River, leading to the establishment of Poona Cantonment in 1819. Or Camp area as it called now.
In 1835 Poona was declared the monsoon capital of the Bombay government. Over time, it became one of the strongest military stations of the British on the Indian Peninsula.
The Independence of India and Pakistan saw a division not only of the country but it's Armed Forces. Indian Armed Forces were structured into regional commands, with Southern Command the senior-most, as Geographically it was the largest Command. It was thus apt that the first Indian GOC-in-C to be appointed was Lt Gen KS Rajendrasinhji.
 |
| Erstwhile The Western Club of India |
It seems that in 1949, the need for grounds for Sports and Games
for Southern Command fledgeling armed forces of young India was felt. General
Maharaja Shri Rajendra Sinhji, D.S.O, GOC-in-C Southern Command, ordered the
Polo Club grounds to be flattened out to provide a Cricket, Football and Hockey
and came up with a proposal with ‘The Poona
club’. The Poona club, however, were unable to find a mode to meet this
request.
It was then decided by the GOC-in-C to start an embryonic facility with an open-air
dance on 15th March 1950 to collect funds. This marked the opening
of the institute as well. It was unanimously agreed to christen it as ‘The Rajendra
Sinhji Army Mess and Institute for Defence Services Officers’.
Later its signature became 'The RSI, Poona'.
Later its signature became 'The RSI, Poona'.
And here were the veterans 23rd NDA, almost three fourth of a century later again at almost at the same time of the year for an open-air dance, with strains old Bollywood melodies and lilting 'Save the Last Waltz for me.'
This was the Reunion Gala at the same place, but a different name.
Somewhat lost in thought I visualised the transition of old edifices from childhood memories of RSI, a gentle old Diva now in its new avatar of military pomp and pageantry. of the Southern Command Mess.
The Portals & The Portico
The Outdoors and Open-Air
The Remembrances & Thanksgiving
Comments
Post a Comment