The retreat!

Like all good things come to an end, our short sojourn at the NDA had only a few hours left and the heart was heavy. I'd got up at a quarter past 3 and just couldn't sleep further thinking as to when we could conglomerate here for another joyous occasion.

After going through the morning chores, I was out of the Squadron for my walk on the dot at 6 prompting a few to ask me as to whether I needed to go with only a few hours left for the departure. But I wanted to soak in the perfect solitude and the nice, cool weather while I walked up and down the Presidency drive. Hema says that she'd always associate the get together with the early morning sight of my walking out of the squadron while she sipped her morning cuppa.

The breakfast was south Indian, making a friend returning after breakfast shout out that I'd enjoy it tremendously. This sort of dark humour, taking a dig at one's regional background is an NDA staple and one didn't mind the rib! After all, one must find humour around oneself and the beauty was that this friend was well aware that I preferred the colonial breakfast of eggs and toasts to the former!

We're supposed to go in Vishwe's car to the city but found that that there was no space left in the boot to accommodate our luggage. Was he miffed about the fact that we're not staying at his place for the remaining part of our stay at Pune? Must remember to mollify him. And I'd firmed up my mind to leave the Academy by the transport leaving at 1330h. Baby Syriac and Joma were with us for company as they're leaving by the 1540h train to Bangalore. And, then, suddenly out of nowhere a car had arrived to take us to our destination and an hour later we're in the cabin, earmarked for us, in the Command Mess thanks to KS Venugopal.

Babu and Joma went for their shopping, returned an hour and a half later picked up their stuff and had proceeded to the railway station, nearby. They'd picked up the Pune specialities for us too, damn sweet of them!

It was another hectic evening with friends and as I'd said earlier Pune can never be dull for me, ever!


Tailpiece.

Another late night but could catch up with many of my friends in the bargain.  

Day 3 at the NDA - the visit to Lavasa.

I was late by about 15' for my morning walk because of my own doing - taking more time than usual for the morning chores! But the walk was exhilarating as usual with the morning being nippy, yet fresh.

The breakfast was wolfed down and we're ready in the buses that were to take us to the latest city of Lavasa, about 60 kms from the NDA. The drive was long winding with hairpin bends towards the final approach but the planned city seems to be shaping well - as confirmed during the presentation they'd for us. Work had been held up for the want of procedural clearances, in between, which seems to have been acquired now.

We reached the city and the waterfront hotel that was hosting us, in time for lunch, which was nice. Lekha had gone on a barge cruise in the lake while my interactions with my course mates continued.

By a 10' to 4, we're on our  return journey. We passed through the, now, bustling town of Pirangut which my friend, Ranbir Singh Bhadauria, had reminded all of us as the place we'd our Camp Greenhorn during the II term and he retraced the 'Josh Run' route to the minutest detail! We're back in the cabin before 5 for a piping hot cup of tea and the famous 'Vada Paav'.

A leisurely grooming and we're at the Cadets' Mess by a quarter to 8. It was a splendid evening which culminated in a formal sit down 'Reunion Dinner'! AM PP Reddy, the senior most serving officer from our course, did announce the next reunion of our course to be on 13 Dec '16 at Dubai, which was forcefully put across by the ever sporting MS Atwal - the gold medallist and the ACA of our course who's currently, a businessman based out there.

The revelry of song and dance continued out of the mess into the central lobby of the Alpha Squadron, where we're put up.


Tailpiece.

The group photograph and the CD, covering our get together, were provided and much to our disappointment, both Lekha and me are obscured by the taller people in front of us. Can't have everything one's way, can one? My fault really, as I should have done the necessary adjustments at the time of the photography! Sorry for letting you down, Lekha!! Bad, Rajeev!!!     

Day 2 at the NDA.

My body clock had wakened me up at 0430h, but since there was nothing much to do I stayed in bed for a while. Vasu and Sujatha, our next door neighbours, couldn't sleep through the night because of bed bugs! We could actually hear them talk all through the night and had wondered as to what the hell was happening!!

By 6, I was out of the squadron for my walk and took the route to the Ashoka pillar, down the Presidency Drive and back - a total distance of 31/2 kms through the still dark morning and a nippy air. Felt totally refreshed and seeing me - or were they the regular morning walkers? - a few others had also ventured out.

Breakfast at the Cadets' Mess was a grand affair as usual and by 0930h, we'd set off to the Hut of Remembrance for paying homage to the departed course mates. It's a solemn ceremony that was pregnant with the gravity of the situation along with the attendant pomp and grandeur. Prabal Malakar made an appropriate and short speech, sitting on his wheel chair.

We'd then proceeded to the Habibullah Hall for speeches welcoming the '49ers' - as the 49th course calls themselves now - and the 49ers thanking the Academy for hosting us. It was, then, the time for the customary group photograph against the backdrop of the iconic Sudan Block, followed by the Squadron photographs - Hunter is represented by Shekhar Murthy, Prakash Vishwe, self, CD Sharma and Daljeet Singh Chopra(Vishwe and Ceedee being stag!) The cold coffee and snacks on the lawns reminded me of the passing out parade high tea! Cheema, made an eye catching exit in a naval chopper after circling the Sudan Block dome as he'd official duties to perform, back in Bombay.

The movie, 'The Cradle for Leadership' made during our II term was screened, for our sake, recalling those days of its filming. Though badly mutilated due to vintage, it was still worth watching.

Lunch was at the Peacock bay and Lekha had gone for boating with the others while we got to tanking up chilled beer. The Academy darshan, followed by a brief foray into our respective squadrons, saw us pass the afternoon without a nap. Lekha'd, however, decided to stay back for catching her forty winks.

The evening was at the Officers' Institute, beside the swimming pool with a band in attendance and many of us did shake a leg to the music that was on offer. In the aftermath of dinner, Damien John did force me into making a short speech as I happened to be sitting on the high table by default! I'd insisted on Prabal being given a standing ovation, yet again, for directing this extravaganza from his wheel chair!


Tailpiece.

We're too exhausted by the time we returned to the squadron but the revelry did continue.  

  

Onward to Pune.

It's a fine sunny morning to begin with. The Quarterdeck was systematically shut down for our absence over the next five days. Praveesh came with his gleaming Innova on the dot and we cast off on our journey at 10, with a brief halt at the dry cleaners. We're at Radha's place half an hour later because traffic at the  three choke points enroute, were comparatively free.

Radha's mom was talkative and pleasant as usual but forgetfulness is increasingly becoming discernible. Met Ashima, Arjun and their li'l daughter. And soon we're off to the airport. The drive was fine and just short of the airport, we'd a snack at a wayside eatery.

The procedures at the airport were gone through without much ado, tho' the gentleman at the baggage screening point gently reminded us about the pitfalls in carrying valuables within the check in luggage and I countered it by saying that we're convinced about their workers' honesty! But that's a point that needs to be avoided on further trips. The flight was uneventful and we reached Pune half an hour later than the scheduled time because we'd started late from Kochi.

Pune and the NDA, yet again, was heady. As we drove in through the approaches, I was reminded of my first journey into the Academy on the 10th of January, 1973 as a rookie Ist termer! This is my third visit to the Academy within the last two years. A warm cup of tea and accompanying snacks was timely and the trickle of my course mates was steady and meeting each one was indeed a pleasure.

The evening began at 7 around a campfire at the Air Force Training Team(AFTT) which reminded me of my stint as an Air Force cadet and all the gliding that I'd done. The area also was the starting point for the Inter Squadron X country runs. Well, a nostalgic and momentous get together has got off to a fine start!


Tailpiece.

Catching up with the course mates just doesn't seem to end. Vishwe, Ceedee and Daljeet represented our Hunter Squadron.

PS.
The dessert at the campfire dinner was a favourite during my cadets' time, the 'Fruit Tipsy'! And I simply gorged into it, giving the calories the go by!!  

It's Jyothi Singh!

It's been three years when 23 year old physiotherapy intern, Jyothi Singh, was brutally gang raped in a moving bus, grievously injured by the assailants and thrown out after the dastardly act. She'd succumbed to her injuries a fortnight later.

While the culprits have been sentenced to death, one among them is set to walk free at this juncture as he was a juvenile at the time of the incident and therefore, awarded three years in a remand home minus the months he has already spent in jail.

......Something not very good to hear. He was supposed to have been the most brutal among the rapist killers. But the existing provisions of the law doesn't prescribe anything else. And here's where there's a story to tell. There was outrage all over the country, politicians of all hues had shed crocodile tears and vowed to bring about a suitable legislation but to no avail!

The Juvenile Justice Bill, 2014 which permits juveniles older than 16 yrs to be tried as adults if they commit heinous crimes still hangs in a limbo thanks to the continued deadlock in Parliament. To quote legal luminaries on the proposed Act, though it would fix a major lacuna in the current law that assumes that minors do not fully comprehend the consequences of their actions, it doesn't address the specific point that such a logic can cover only minor misdemeanours and not gang rape or murder! 

But when-o-when is our Parliament going to pass this bill?

The angst of Jyothi's parents is discernible when they see one of the rapist killers of their child walking free.


Tailpiece.

Jyothi, we, your countrymen have collectively let you down and seem to continue doing so. Meanwhile, women continue to get raped and abused in various parts of the country..... RIP!

The morning cuppa from my classmate....at my house!

I was up with the lark and had returned after my morning walk, when I found my friend, Babu Sahadev, up and about. I told him that the kitchen's activation would take another 10' as Lekha was into her bath and if required I would do the honours when he inquired as to whether I'd any problems if he were to make it. I replied in the negative.

The tea that he gave us was good and he was happy that he could be of some use(?) during his stay. He's, incidentally, an accomplished cook and all those who've visited him at his house in Toronto swear by his culinary abilities. Soon after breakfast, he was off for the house registration work that he'd essentially come here for and then, proceeded to Kochi from where he flies out tomorrow. To put it in his words, "By this interaction we appreciate as to why we get along well since our school days!" I was a trifle sad that he was selling out one of the two flats that he owns at Guruvayur as his earlier plans of settling down here, on return, has been shelved due to his wife, Suma's medical problems.

Narayanan gave me the good news that 'Pythrukam', an NGO, was able to felicitate the gallantry award winners, among the defence veterans of the '65 Indo-Pak war, who're residing in and around Guruvayur. An exhibition of memorabilia and information on recruitment into the armed forces, along with the posters of ships and aircraft was a great draw, especially for the kids who're active participants in their school's NCC activities. I was glad that the resources came from Kochi on time thanks to my naval friends who're ready to help and that I could contribute towards the NGO's noble efforts in a small measure!

And today, I think I've zeroed in on the cause of the rash of itches that had been felt on my forearms and torso for the last couple of weeks. I like to take my afternoon siestas on the tiled floor of the sitting room with only a pillow for support. The floor is swept clean and disinfectants mixed in water are rubbed with a floor swab and it's this that has affected my ever too sensitive(?) skin! Some discovery, eh? Come to think of it, I'd downed a fair amount of ayurvedic medicines on that score from the comely, neighbourhood doctor!


Tailpiece.

It was a quiet day with me doing absolutely nothing!

   

Sunrise at Kumarakom, sunset at Guruvayur!

I'd set off for my morning walk at 6 and was rewarded with a beautiful view of the rising sun. The morning air was cool and crisp.

The packing was completed after breakfast. The heart was heavy as it was time to leave my friends and the ambient environment that was a comfortable home over the last two days. To prevent a prolonged agony, we'd kept our farewells short. By around 1015h, we'd kicked off for home, from the 'Waterscapes', eliciting a promise from each and everyone that we shall endeavour to meet more often. We'd Babu Sahadev(307) for company.

The return was through Vaikom and the first halt was at Jojy's place, to collect our bags. The second was at Babu's brother's place, at Palarivattom, to leave his luggage and pick up an overnighter. The rest of the journey was quiet with a continuous conversation about a host of things and we're back home at 'The Quarterdeck' by 1530h. The windows were opened and it didn't take long for the house to be thrumming with life.

The evening walk was refreshing, with the sunset spot on at 6 o'clock. A few sundry purchases had to be made as Ramanujan(434)-Prema and Mohandas Kollodi(394)-Shylaja were joining us for the evening. It was a great evening with us reminiscing about the get together and anecdotal incidents at school.

A bit of the sadness that was prevailing after having left the Waterscapes could be reduced thanks to this mini get together!


Tailpiece.

Strange! This afternoon, while driving, I'd to persuade myself to keep awake - or did I drift, in between, I wonder? Thankfully, nothing untoward took place but was it the lunch that caused the drift?