Going
back to Vizag, I recall the visit of Mrs Indira Gandhi to the Naval base. As
part of the Naval tradition, she took the salute at the parade grounds where
officers and sailors cheered her by taking their caps off thrice. I was so
impressed that I told Admiral Kulkarni at a party that I would love to be Prime
Minister only to take a salute like that from the platform, standing under the
national flag. Some time later, Mr. Mohanlal Sukhadia, Governor of Andhra
Pradesh, visited the naval base, accompanied by his daughter-in-law. She was to
be escorted to the welfare centre while the Governor went to the ships and we met
up with him at the parade grounds later. Sarala Kulkarni sent word for me and
nominated me the official hostess to the Governor’s daughter –in-law (thanks
grandmother for getting me to learn Hindi !). after I took her around, we
joined the Admiral and Governor on the platform as he took the salute. Hundreds
of caps went up and down thrice as the Men cheered the VIP. The Admiral turned
tuned and winked at me and I realized he had told his wife to nominate me so
that I could have my dream come true!
With Admiral Kulkarni in Vizag
The
Navy Ball is an eagerly awaited annual event during the Navy Week in December.
In Mumbai, it is held at the spacious grounds behind the Naval Mess. Admission
is by tickets and open to the public. Over 6000 people attend this all night
event which has live band for dancing and special performances be celebrities
like Sharon Prabhakar, Jagjit Singh and others. The year Bobby was released, Dimple and Rishi Kapoor were on the dance floor,
judging the dance contest and many of us entered the competition, only to get a
closer look at them. When Mumtaz was a hot favourite, she came for the Navy
Ball and we had a tough time keeping our hubbies from ogling at her.
A
Navy Queen contest and a Fashion Show by leading textile giants like Vimal and Bombay Dyeing are the highlights. I feel there has been a fall in the standards of fashion shows over
the years. I remember the tall and stunning Zarine Katrak (now wife of Sanjay
Khan) Meharanvaz Patel, Dilbar Debara and Salone Aron who were so good on the
catwalk.
In
‘86’, I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to be MC for the Ball. I was a
professional compere (more about it later) but had not faced such a large
audience nor handled such a prestigious event. Never one to let go of an
opportunity. I agreed. If the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I was
invited to MC the next year too! It was a challenge to keep the ball rolling, without
a prepared script and playing it by ear.
When the judges were computing
the results of the Navy Queen contest, there were many voices
from the crowd nominating me! No, not for my beauty but for my wit.
I am
no beauty but leave it to the beholders
to judge otherwise. To give them a chance, I entered the Navy Queen Contest in
Vizag and was pleasantly surprised to be crowned First Runner-up. The
experience with my first contest helped I guess! What I enjoyed was the catwalk
with my hand on my husband’s arm. He should have got the prize for looking so
dapper in his monkey jacket, part of his formals. Which reminds me of the
Marcella front which I gave away to the ‘kabadiwalla’ (guy who exchanges old
clothes for new vessels) thinking the rat had chewed off the back and sleeves. Actually,
it was a net like material resembling a halter neck, to be worn as part of the
uniform. Thank God, it was discarded by the Navy! Srivatsa was very proud of
his uniform and would iron it himself to get the crease right. Every night,
while I cut vegetables for the next day’s meal, he would press his uniforms and
polish his shoes. Now you know what ‘ship shape’ means?
The
families’ day out at sea, once every year, is a much looked forward to
happening. Though we have parties onboard ships, we don’t get to sail on them
except on Families’ Day. I could never
enjoy the experience because I have weak sea legs. On board ships docked alongside, I would feel
queasy in the tummy. Inspite of it, I
went, because there’s the only time we get to see what our husband’s do. The most exciting sight is to see transferring
of officers and sailors from one ship to
another while it is sailing, by sliding across a rope, called Jackstay. I
volunteered to do it but was dissuaded by my friends. I am glad they did
though. I tend to be foolhardy sometimes! The ‘bada khana’ on the deck with
‘biryani’ is an unparalleled gourmet’s delight. Oh! How I miss those days.
When
I had read Jules Vernes ‘Twenty thousand leagues under the sea’, I had never
imagined, I would visit a real submarine.
It is a fascinating invention of man to be able to have people living,
under the sea. It requires a bit of
agility to get into one, as the space is cramped and the ladders through which
you climb, are almost vertical. For
months, officers and sailors live under the sea, in such close proximity and
one admires their capacity to do so without getting claustrophobic. I wonder how it would be to hold BIG BOSS
episodes on a submarine!! Only those who
pass rather stringent medical tests can become submariners.
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