Thursday, March 24, 2016

It's Holi. My memories of a few.

Today's Holi, the festival of colours. I've always been fascinated with this festival as the riot of colours invariably brings out the kid in each one of the participants. So long as it remains simple with the sole aim of having clean fun, without antagonising anyone, it's fine. But there are times when limits have been crossed leading to a flow of bad blood in the aftermath.....

My memories of having participated in this festival are mostly nice and I'd like to share them with you. So, here I go:-

     Spring '73  I was initiated into this festival for the first time as a 1st termer at the NDA. What I
                       remember of the occasion was that there was a general eagerness among the cadets
                       - the seniors as well as the juniors - to play Holi with Mrs. Kapoor, the attractive wife
                       of Mr. Kapoor, the contractor. After that beginning, it got down to dunking course
                       mates in whatever water bodies that were available, the filthier, the better!                                                                                                                                                                                              Spring '76  I was at the Elementary Flying School at Bidar flying the then trainer HT2s. The
                       playing of Holi was, initially, with our instructors with 'Alpha Yadav' dumping a good
                       amount of the pink colour on me. The subsequent session with one's own course mates
                       was a subdued yet colourful one. I was to lose quite a few of those lively friends, like
                       Kashyap, Soman, Rathore in flying accidents and Salaria, in a freak road accident
                       in the succeeding years. What I remember of that occasion was when all of them egged 
                       me on with my PJs and it turned out to be a laugh riot! Did I laugh at my own jokes?
                       I think I did!! Cheap guy, huh!!!

     Spring '78 I was doing the Sub's courses at the premium naval establishment on the Malad
                      beach and with the sea around, playing of Holi became all the more interesting 
                      dunking people in the abundant waters of the Arabian Sea! Cmde Viju Shahane was  
                      our Commanding Officer and I remember it to be a happy occasion. Bhaang was 
                      served, albeit, in a controlled manner and after a generous helping, I'd begun to laugh
                      that couldn't be controlled and had subsequently, slept uninterruptedly for 24 hrs!

     Spring '86 I was at the leadership school, Agrani at Coimbatore as a member of the staff. After
                      a nice session of Holi at the Officers' Mess - I remember somebody darkening my
                      face with dark colours because I was very fair - I'd reached my cabin when I was told
                      of my course mate, Sampath Kumar's, bike accident. He was in a critical condition
                      for almost a week before he succumbed to the injuries sustained by his brain.

     Spring '87 I was in command of the landing craft LCU36 and it was a dignified Holi, at the south
                      quay of the Madras port, with sing song sessions. My Executive Officer, the Navigator
                      and the Coxswain, Master Chief Balkrishan made sure that the ship's company would 
                      be at their best behaviour, the intake of bhaang notwithstanding!

     Spring '94 Lekha's and my first exposure to the Holi at Moti Bagh in Delhi. The most colourful
                      of them all and there were more civilians than defence personnel because we're staying
                      in the DII accommodation!

     Spring '97 I was in command of the majestic, Sagardhwani and we're out sailing on the Bay of
                      Bengal. The cleanest Holi played by me as the salty fire main was directed at each and 
                      everyone, who'd ganged up at the helo deck. There was no chance of using colours
                      on board ships, you see!

     Spring '00 I was the Deputy Director of the Centre for Leadership Studies at Kochi and we -
                       my staff and me - being the mentors of the young Sub Lieutenants under training in
                       Kochi went out of our way to teach the youngsters as to how one played a dignified
                       Holi, respecting each other's sensibilities and without ever losing dignity!

     Spring '01 Back in New Delhi at the NHQ and we'd a hired accommodation at Sec 21, NOIDA.
                       It was a mad Holi with my colleagues from the directorate, course mates and friends
                       including my kid sister and her family. 

     Spring '13 My last Holi, in uniform, as the Movement Control Officer, Kochi with my boys
                       and their families first, followed with the inmates of the residential enclave of which I
                       was the President. The thing that I remember of that Holi was that it took days for
                       me to shed those colours from my body!


Tailpiece.

Here, at Guruvayur, Holi is non existent. My neighbour - my senior at school and a fellow ex-serviceman - and me had exchanged greetings right in the morning followed by wishing friends over every conceivable means of communication, from What'sApp to e-mail to telephone! It's Holi once more!!
                      

      

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