😎THE OBSERVER-(M-25)😎
Fri 02 Oct 2020
THE CITY BEAUTIFUL
Beautiful place with beautiful sites,structures, flora and fauna, Chandigarh has always been the city beautiful by any standards. What a relief and pleasure it was to reach this haven after a long arduous drive in a convoy from the desert ! The unit was located at a spot which is presently adorned by the Command Hospital and the Mess was in a private bungalow across the main road in Panchkula.
Soon after arrival, a Husbands Night which also doubled-up as my dining-in party was organised in the Mess. Fancy Dress was the order of the day.Under the able guidance of the First Lady of the unit, the ladies had put together some entertainment to welcome all officers back from Rajasthan with a lot of pampering as if they were returning from a real battlefield.All this happened so fast after our return that the only fancy dress i was able to rustle up for the occasion was the costume used by the Jhanj troupe of the unit --- dhoti tied in Maharashtrian style held up by a belt with a pagri to match.
The evening started off on a gala note, with the ladies arriving first in full strength; welcoming the returning warriors one by one with a garland, aarti and tika. Making a quiet, nervous backdoor entrance,i kept watching the goings-on almost unnoticed.None of the families had seen me before.Capt S, the unit Quarter Master, came dressed as a doodhwala complete with cans on a cycle with a hooter and shouting doodh- doodh. Others were there in different attires and soon the drinks flowed like water. The senior subalterns saw to it that no time was wasted i and had my glass refilled each time before it could be emptied. i was quite content to oblige and said as much.As long as there was no mixing, i could carry on at it till kingdom come,or so i thought.But as the evening went by,i had to imbibe some heavy concoctions, prepared under the supervision of experts in that field.The first of these special ones felt as if a gigantic explosion had been set off inside of me . But soon, i found myself guzzling them down as fast as they came.Finally, there came a stage when i had to rush off to my room. I vomitted out most of the contents of my stomach in the bathroom. My bed looked so inviting after that, i just dropped into it like a wet sock. But i was almost immediately shaken awake and brought back to centre- stage. There i promptly sank into a sofa and my eyes closed despite my best efforts to keep them open. When i did finally succeed in opening my eyes a little later, i found everyone gathered in front and staring at me.Peering carefully through the mist that for some unknown reason seemed to have enveloped the rooom, i made out the silhouette of the CO standing right next to me. He was actually in the middle of his speech welcoming me to the unit. Unaware of that, i kept trying to stand up respectfully while people kept pushing me down till i eventually gave up the struggle.The thought that i would have to speak next sobered me to no small extent.It felt as if someone had poured a bucketful of ice cold water over me. When the CO had completed his address, i forced myself up from the deep recesses of the sofa with great difficulty and tried to stand upright without leaning onto something or other for support. Having somehow achieved this seemingly impossible task, i searched for my tongue, which seemed to have got stuck to the roof of the mouth . The throat had gone absolutely dry and the lips opened and shut without any sound emanating.The ground seemed shaky and my legs felt as if they were made of rubber. Desperately trying to control my thoughts, which were wandering all over and trying hard to remember where i was and who were the "strangers" all around me, i managed to blurt out some words.
It was only much later that i came to know from someone how i had left no stone unturned in my speech to explain in great detail the way i had found myself in the Corps of Engrs by default despite having opted for infantry. Luckily for me, i had added that having seen the unit in action, i was proud to be part of it and would do my best to make up for defects in my learning.
Speech formalities over, the Quarter Master ( himself also an ex-Otanian) took me under his personal charge and ordered me to tank up with him, drink for drink. To readily oblige was my automatic response.There was also some dancing to recorded music in which i whole-heartedly took part, holding on gingerly to my dhoti and praying silently that it would not fall off.
Soup was served, but my new-found caretaker would not have it, his basic thirst was not yet quenched. i, of course, was fully under his command and control.All the ladies were waiting patiently for quite some time while the two of us kept drinking.The drinks were sloshing up to my back teeth but the end seemed nowhere near. Finally, when the poor ladies were almost in tears, the CO had to sternly intervene and soup and dinner were had by all.After dinner, we saw off all the married officers one by one. My Coy Commander got on to his scooter,said goodnight to all and left, before his wife could hop on. We waited till he reached home, realised something was missing and came back for his better half.
Next morning, all officers were marched up into the CO's office.Visibly struggling to control his emotions and maintain parliamentary language with great difficulty, he remarked on the events of the previous night,saying he had never seen such behaviour in his entire career. He felt the playacting of carrying on with the drinks had been carried on a bit too far and set a bad example for youngsters like me.Standing at the extreme end of the line and nursing the mother of all hangovers, i now realised that the 2/Lt in me had truly and finally attained man's estate !
