KALA LOON—PEELA LOON-2 As soon as Chandra left, it was ‘P-for-Pe Ja!’ (Rough English translation--‘Attack!) A sudden silence descended upon the Jet Barracks, broken only by the chomping sound made by the jaws of the aviation cadets. A week ago, we had returned from our ten days stay on Vikrant. The Aviation Cadets were loaded with Milky Way, Mars, Gillette, Rothman and India Kings. Flying Officer Chandra, the navigator from the Target Towing Unit comprising of a Dakota, based at INS Garuda, Cochin had become our friend. Quite often he would come to our barracks and discuss flying with us. I think he was ‘Gaon-wala’, (country-brother) of one of the aviation cadets, probably Brijendra Mishra. And that is how he had started visiting the Jet Barracks regularly. The previous Friday he had come and informed us that the Dakota was making a trip to Delhi, over the weekend and if he could do anything for us? We knew that the Cochin Customs were in the process of making a watertight case against the chocolate smugglers of the Vikrant. Vinod Kaushal and I, both from Delhi, jumped at the offer. Chandra graciously agreed to deliver the Vikrant goodies to our homes, although his own house was located in a different part of the city. It is said that some people have a sweet tooth. I had thirty of them! (Remaining two made their appearance a few years later, when Mother Nature took pity on me, realising that maturity eludes some people, but why deny them their share of teeth!) Now on this Monday afternoon he had come to give the news that our foreign stuff had reached it’s destination, far from the prying eyes of the Cochin Customs. He handed over to me two, one kg boxes with the familiar shining translucent covering, through which I could clearly read, ‘Gulati Sweets’. Thereafter he started the normal conversation, but found that the future carrier borne pilots were disinterested in the great leaps that the world of aviation was making. The young men who would be the torch bearers of the Indian Naval Aviation for the next couple of decades were more interested in an ordinary gent by the name of ‘Gulati’ whose only claim to fame was that he had given employment to a ‘Halwai’ from Panipat!! He expressed his desire to leave. I quickly unwrapped both the ‘Gulatis’ and offered him the contents. One box had a mix of Gulabjamun and Kala-Jam (Darker variety of Gulabjamun). The other one contained ‘Chum-Chum’, a golden variety of Rasgulla. Just for the sake of formality he picked up one piece, thanked me and made his exit. Share and share alike was the lesson that I was quickly learning in the Indian Navy. Who knows, who would turn out to be my saviour tomorrow! With a heart brimming with ‘Bhaichara’, I turned towards my fellow ‘Brothers-in-Punishment’. I wanted to deliver a long speech on the virtues of brotherhood and camaraderie, before inviting everyone to join me in doing justice to Gulati-Halwai. I felt a rough shove, and sat down on my bed. I saw a jungle of arms snaking towards the boxes. Enlightenment dawned on me. Even though man was going to land on Moon, even there, not much would be left of the bond of brotherhood between Neil and Buzz when it came down to ‘Gulati Sweets’. With a war cry I dived in to the melee. A sudden silence descended upon the Jet barracks, broken only by the chomping sound made by the jaws of the aviation cadets. To a casual observer it would have appeared to be a true scene of ‘share and share alike’. But the casual observer would have missed out the horizontally spread out elbows of the aviation cadets and the gentle swaying of the bodies from side to side, trying to keep the other contestants away from the target. The press of the bodies was not as thick as it should have been. I looked around. Three cots away, Gokul Theogaraj was sitting, with a bemused look on his face. I had now known him long enough to be able to read his thoughts:- “They are my course mates? Most un-officer-like, future officers! Look at them:- There is Gautam Mukherjee, the toughie of the course. Fought with both Kuashal and Sareshth on Vikrant and now, behaving like a bum-chum with both of them. Damle, the brainy type. Last week he had told that 34 NDA course Midshipman on Vikrant, “Don’t show me your red eyes.” And refused to continue with the push ups; looking so docile now. And Sareshth Kumar, the eternal dope! Threw his peak cap on the catamaran, while saluting like a Pongo at the gangway of Vikrant. He is such a huge embarrassment to the entire course. Can’t do a thing right and just keeps singing sad Mukesh songs. The rest are no better. I wish, I had joined six months earlier; would have got better course mates atleast! I stopped munching long enough to yell, “Theo, Jaldi aa ja.” (Theo, hurry up.) Gokul got up from his cot ponderously. He swayed gently from side to side as he made his way to my cot, the scene of action. He stood there, scratching his sides, turn by turn, “Kala Loon?”-----Peela Loon?”------------------------ “Kala Loon----------Peela Loon?” I again stopped munching long enough to yell, “Abe Theo! Jaldi kar! Nahin to kucch nahin bachega.” (Theo, hurry up; soon nothing will be left.) Theo picked up a Kala Jam. The sweet touched his tongue! His taste buds half dead from the onslaught of Dal Patli, Haddi Curry, yellow rice and PPK (Papad-Pickle-Kuchumber) sprang to life and yelled in unison, loud and clear, “Rangli-Rangliot!!” (During the 1970s, Rangli Rangliot tea had made it’s appearance in Goa. The cover showed a Tibetan monk with the inscription reading, “Once a Tibetan monk set out in search for the perfect tea. After wandering for many years he came upon this tea. He took one sip and exclaimed, Rangli Rangliot! Thus far and no more!)----(From my uncertain memory). Both arms of Theogaraj swung in a downward semi-circle, scooping a yellow and a black one, and the elbows spread out horizontally. His mouth was full, but his expression was a clear warning to the others, “OK Guys! You have performed your patriotic duty to your motherland, now leave the rest of the enemies to me!” Gokul Theogaraj had joined the band of the future un-officer-like officers! Gokul Theogaraj had joined the gang of the most un-officer-like future officers of the Indian Navy!
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:08:40 +0000
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