DINO BECOMES DEAN BUT SINGS LIKE DINO

 

It is Boxing Day today. Yesterday was Christmas and trust it was full of merrymaking for you. Regardless of our religious beliefs, all of us enjoy the day with visions of Santa Claus in his red outfit 'ho-ho-hoing' and riding his sleigh guided by Rudolph the red-nose reindeer in the vast expanse of white snow. We shall go on to say a fond goodbye to the present year with memories galore and eagerly welcome the new one. 

From time to time, God has his ways to remind us not to take things for granted and that we are not the masters of destiny. Fifteen years ago, Mummy left this world on the morning of the 25th.

And I chanced on the fact that Dean Martin too departed on this day in 1995. So let us recall the relaxed, easygoing, "King of Cool", one of the greatest showmen of the 20th century who kept us entertained for many many years with his acting and songs which I often listen to even now.

Born to an Italian father and an Italian-American mother, he was named Dino Paul Crocetti. When he took to show business, he named himself 'Dino Martini' before finally becoming 'Dean Martin'. 

Dean Martin first came into limelight when he and the great comedian, Jerry Lewis, combined to produce movies which were riots of fun. In 1956, they parted and Martin took to singing and acting on his own. He became good friends with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and along with others like Peter Lawford, formed a group called "Rat Pack" and performed in shows in Las Vegas. On TV too, 'The Dean Martin Show' was immensely popular. Sinatra brought Martin and Lewis together once again on stage in 1976 and their last act was on Martin's 72nd birthday in 1989.

I first saw him in my School days in early 1950s in the comedy movies of Martin and Lewis. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis made a number of movies which were riots of fun. They had a natural chemistry for each other and could just ad-lib their roles without sticking to a script. The usual theme was Martin trying to keep his cool tolerating Lewis' slapstick antics and annoying behaviour till the former could bear no more and would chase Lewis out. Some memories of hilarious scenes flash in my mind from time to time bringing a smile to my face.  For instance, Jerry Lewis making a real mess eating spaghetti in "My Friend Irma Goes West". Or Lewis making a big deal of eating two pieces of beans with imaginary sauce and champagne singing "When You Pretend" in "Artists and Models".

In 1953, Dean Martin, in their movie, “The Caddy”, sang "That's Amore" which became an instant hit and had a lot of Italy in it starting with the title which according to the song is what they say in Napoli when boy meets girl. That's also amore 'when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie' and the lyrics go on to 'Vita bella', 'gay tarantella', 'pasta e fasule', 'signore' and 'scusami'!

Blessed with a deep voice and smooth singing style, Martin became a top singer and he followed up with many big hits with the unique feature of Italian flavour in the lyrics. Hugely popular was "Volare", originally an Italian song "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu", words which Martin repeated often in the lyrics of his English version. There were a host of other hits like "On an Evening in Roma", "Arrividerci Roma", "Mambo Italiano", "Come Back to Sorrento" and "Innamorata." Needless to say, with my inexplicable love for all things Italian, all these songs are my favourites and I adore Dean Martin for them.

Martin had other big hits too without the Italian touch. Apart from his signature song "Everybody Loves Somebody", my personal favoutites are "Sway" and "Memories Are Made of This". The lyrics of the latter are a recipe for cooking memories and I quote-

"Take one fresh and tender kiss

Add one stolen night of bliss....

Don't forget a small moonbeam

Fold it lightly with a dream

Your lips and mine, two sips of wine....

Then add the wedding bells

One house where lovers dwell

Three little kids for the flavour

Stir carefully through the days

See how the flavour stays

These are the dreams you will savour....

With His blessings from above

Serve it generously with love

One man, one wife, one love through life

Memories are made of this."

Keep having Merry Christmases. Mummy and Dean Martin would want that.

 

THE LITTLE BOY AND THE OLD MAN

Every now and then we come across a song or a poem and think, "Oh, this could be written for me!" And why not, lyricists and poets are people like us going about their daily chores but are blessed with a keen sense of observation and a marvellous gift of creating a song or a poem from what they observe.

We might come across daffodils, take pleasure in the sight and move on but it takes the genius of William Wordsworth to make a delightful poem about them. I just have to quote a few lines-

"I wandered lonely as a cloud....

When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils....

For oft when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude,

And then my heart with pleasure fills, 

And dances with the daffodils."

Often on a walk, we come across the sign "Keep off the grass", grunt in disappointment and quietly take a detour. But not Rupert Brooke, who sitting in a cafe in Berlin in 1912, sees a sign "Betreten des Rasens verboten", gets homesick and thinks of the house in a village near Cambridge where he had lived. So he puts down his thoughts in a poem, "The Old Vicarage, Grantchester", recalling the meads near the house "Where das Betreten's not verboten."

Sometime back, I wrote a post saying I felt that the song, "I'm an Ordinary Man" from "My Fair Lady" was written by lyricists Lerner-Loewe for me. Now a friend sent me a poem, "The Little Boy and the Old Man" by Shel Silverstein; is the poet’s old man actually me? The quirks are the same! Here goes-

'Said the little boy ''Sometimes I drop my spoon".

Said the old man, ''I do that too.''

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too", laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, I often cry."

The old man nodded, "So do I,"

But worst of all, said the boy,

"It seems grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand,

"I know what you mean" said the little old man.'

Life comes a full-circle!

REMEMBERING MADAN SAXENA - NAVY'S RAVI SHANKAR

As a kid, and even in advanced age, I was very fond of the fun puzzle "Connect the dots". One began at the start point and went from dot to dot ending with a complete picture.

Memory is like that - something triggers it and then you move from one memory to another till you end up with a whole picture of someone or something that was a part of your life. 

So it was when Shumita said she and her family planned to go to Cochin (for me it will always be that!).

Oh, that's where Sameer is!

Just the other day, on learning that Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena had taken over as Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Command, I had sent him a congratulatory message and got back a sweet reply. Sameer is the son of my senior colleague Late Commodore Madan Saxena who though seven courses my senior, was a close friend, in fact, more of an elder brother.

In fact, we had an older association with the Saxena family; Madan's father was well known to Pitaji, my Nana, since both started their judicial careers in the state of U.P. (United Provinces in the old days) and ended up as High Court Judges, Pitaji in Rajasthan and Justice Saxena in Allahabad.

And before I met Madan, his elder brother, HML Saxena, also a naval officer and known by all as 'Bhaisahib' thanks to Madan, was our Training Officer on the Cadet training ship Tir which we embarked fresh after passing out from the National Defence Academy.

I got to know Madan in June 1965 when I came to Delhi as Flag Lt to Admiral Chatterji, Commandant National Defence College. Madan then was 'Flags' to Admiral Soman, Chief of the Naval Staff. We met  very often both being aides to the two most senior officers of the Navy.

Those tenures over, our appointments took us to different spheres till we found ourselves together on Vikrant in November 1971. Madan was the Navigating Officer of the ship and I was Fleet Communications Officer on the staff of Flag Officer Commanding the newborn Eastern Fleet, embarked on Vikrant. As chance would have it, Bhaisahib was there too as Commander, second-in-command of the carrier.

Within a month of my embarking Vikrant, the Indo-Pak War started and, with our jobs requiring us to be together on the Bridge a lot, I developed a close bond with Madan. It was then that I learnt of his fondness of and proficiency at playing the Sitar. A particular incident is vivid in my mind; one early morning, one of our escort ships reported a submarine contact and we were at action stations for a long time. The threat was over at about 6 a.m. and Madan asked me to come along to his cabin. There he pulled out his sitar and played for an hour to calm and soothe ourselves before adjourning to make up for the disturbed sleep. 

Soon after the War, I decided to get married to Akhila in Bijnor, near Delhi. I requested Madan, then in NHQ, to join the baraat and he readily agreed and came along.

Some years later, Madan was appointed as the Naval Attache, Iran. A Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Jamboree was scheduled in Teheran and Mummy was deputed to lead the Rajasthan Contingent. We were a bit worried as this was Mummy's first trip abroad and further, she was a staunch vegetarian. I got in touch with Madan who kindly offered to look after her. Mummy stayed with Madan and Hema and was full of praise for them on return. 

The early 1980s found both of us in NHQ Delhi staying in the same Sardar Patel Marg block, Madan on 3rd floor and I on 5th. Hema and Akhila got on very well too and we often got together in the evenings for musical sessions and a drink. But I missed a super session they once had which Akhila recounted to me. I was away in Italy on work when Vinnie Mama and family came to Delhi for a short visit and stayed at our flat. Akhila invited Hema and Madan for dinner after which Akhila asked Madan to get his sitar. Vinnie Mama launched into Pankaj Mullick songs with Madan accompanying on the sitar. Akhila volunteered to play the tabla and sang too going well into sunrise. Akhila said her hands were sore for days after that!

Madan shocked all of us when he announced that he was seeking premature retirement. A number of senior officers told him that he was certain to be promoted to flag rank but he remained firm and put in his papers. I guess frequent transfers and relatively meagre pay of those days made him take the hard decision. So off he went in 1983 and joined the Merchant Navy with Hema settling in Noida.

I too moved to Delhi, Noida and back to Delhi after my own retirement and we met Madan and Hema often over the years. And then the final surprise: one morning mid-2008, Madan had a cardiac arrest and passed away suddenly at the age of 74.

We shall always remember Madan plucking away his sitar strings and now his absence tugs our heartstrings. 

"IN THE MOOD"

 

Today, let's get "In the Mood."

Before you get fancy ideas and start making wild guesses, let me clarify: I am only recalling a classic song which is just one year younger than me, a popular jazz swing instrumental by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra which has been inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame as also the US Library of Congress National Recording Registry among recordings considered "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Add to that its inclusion in the US National Public Radio in its list of "The 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century" and you know we are talking of something special.

I am not a big jazz fan but this swinging number grabbed my attention from my first hearing of it and keeps buzzing in my head from time to time. Trombones, saxophones, trumpets and clarinets accompanied by drums combine to blow out a catchy rhythm which has one dancing or at the very least, gleefully tapping one's feet.

A few words about the great Glenn Miller. He was a bandleader, composer and played the trombone. He led an Orchestra which was the best-selling recording band from 1939-42. In this short period of 4 years, he scored 16 number one records and 69 top ten hits, more than Elvis Presley (40) and The Beatles (35). In 1942, he volunteered to join the US Navy but was rejected. Despite his Orchestra's outstanding success and rich earnings, Miller was bent on joining the military and finally his efforts succeeded when he was accepted by the US Army in September 1942. Shortly after, he formed the Captain (later Major) Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra which was the forerunner of big military bands. Deservedly, Glenn Miler is considered the father of modern US military bands. 

Glenn Miller's Orchestra entertained troops during World War II for more than two years before Miller went missing in action in the English Channel on a flight from England to France on 15 December 1944 and was eventually declared dead. That marked the end of a superb musician who had accomplished so much in a short span of just 40 years of life. His recordings continue to entertain us and keep us "In the Mood."

Lyricists and singers brought out vocal versions of the song but none could match the brilliance and popularity of Glenn Miller’s instrumental. He was wise to let his band play the music and leave it to listeners to get in the mood they desired.

To conclude, however, let's choose a number that is more definite on ‘mood’: "I'm in the Mood for Love". First sung by Frances Langford in a movie in 1935, it has many versions by dozens of fine musicians like Louis Armstrong, Vera Lynn and Fats Domino. Its plain message - "I'm in the mood for love, simply because you're near me, funny but when you're near me, I'm in the mood for love."

 

"YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LOVE"

What song shall we talk about today? 

I have something haunting me for the last couple of days, why, I don't know. I guess some songs touch you deeply right from the time you first hear them and stay with you throughout your life. The song I am talking about has its title from an old saying, ''You Always Hurt The One You Love", and has its origin way back in 1944 when The Mills Brothers sang it. It is one of the oldest songs I know from the days I first started listening to English songs in my early teens but I remember it as if I had heard it just yesterday.

Is the saying true? It would seem so. Most of us probably have on occasion said something which deeply hurt someone we are very fond of making us regret our words and wanting to take them back. 

So why did we say them in the first place?

That is one for the psychologists! But for an ordinary person like me to briefly ponder, I would say that intimacy or familiarity is the main cause: you feel that while you would weigh your words very carefully when talking to people you are not very close to or not care much for, you can open up and say anything to someone you love and that person would listen to you and not mind. But the loved one may construe the words as offensive, prying or unnecessary criticism and feel hurt. Consequence: something far from what you originally desired!

So now let me do your own thinking and leave you with lyrics so thoughtfully written by Allan Roberts and movingly sung by The Mills Brothers:

"You always hurt the one you love

The one you shouldn't hurt at all

You always take the sweetest rose

And crush it till the petals fall

You always break the kindest heart 

With a hasty word you can't recall

So if i broke your heart last night

It's because I love you most of all."

DEAR SWEETS OF JAIPUR

 

It's that time of the year when India's tooth is at its sweetest. All over the country, people are eating and gifting sweets. But this year, Jaipur, which has always been known for its sweets, has zoomed into limelight and exclusivity by producing perhaps the most expensive sweet ever made, at least in India. It has been created by Anjali Jain, founder of Tyohaar Sweet House in Vaishali Nagar, Jaipur, and is named 'Swarn Prasadam'. Its price, Rs. 1,11,000 (about USD 1200) per Kg. or Rs. 3000 per piece. Oh dear!

What makes it so expensive? Its basic ingredient is 'chilgoza' or pine nut, one of the most costly nuts in the world, blended with saffron and edible gold dust, crafted like a jewel and packed in a jewellery box. 

For less money, you can indulge in 'Swarn (gold) Bhasma Bharat' at Rs. 1950 or 'Chandi (silver) Bhasma Bharat' at Rs. 1150 per piece. There is also the 'Pataka Thaal' full of sweets made from cashewnuts and shaped like firecrackers resembling bombs, anaars, chakris and diyas.

Jaipur sweets have always been dear to me in the loveable sense of the word but it was inevitable that growth, progress and desire to be unique and creative would make the sweets dear in the other meaning of the word. The first sweet I remember enjoying soon after moving to Jaipur in 1950 was the Jalebi which Pitaji, my Nana, would send for every Sunday for breakfast, fresh from -where else!- Jalebi Chowk near the famous Hawa Mahal. Mataji, my Nani, for 'bhog' offering to gods at home, would get Kalakand and Misri Mawa from a 'halwai' in Gopalji Ka Raasta straight from the 'kadhai'. Another sweet we were very fond of was the milk cake from Chawla Sweets which had a distinct caramel like taste not available in milk cakes from other sources.

Later on, I discovered Delhi Mishthan Bhandar opposite the old Prem Prakash (now Golcha) cinema hall near the southern end of Chaura Raasta. My favourite was a sweet the name of which I forget which was like a juicy ’balushahi’ topped with dollops of cream. Next to that shop, Sarvesh Mamaji, son of Mataji’s brother, opened a restaurant, Paradise, and treated all relatives including me and friends for free. Needless to say he soon went into red and had to close Paradise!

The love affair with Jaipur sweets continues with some changes necessitated by passage of time. We miss the milk cake from Chawla's as the shop closed at the onset of Covid and never opened again. Gopalji Ka Rasta has lost its shine in competition with big shops like Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar. Jalebi Chowk is now more famous for ladies clothing than jalebis.

But there are other old timers that have survived and blossomed despite modern glitz. Bhagat Sweet House near Chhoti Chaupar continues to be known for its unique brown laddoos made out of 'besan' and milk. A small narrow lane off Johari Bazaar, Gheewalon Ka Rasta, boasts of two tiny shops which prepare sweets in the morning and are sold out by the afternoon. One produces first rate Misri Mawa and Gulab Sakri with distinctive rose flavour. The second makes the traditional Ghewar, the typical Jaipur sweet that resembles a honeycomb and you can have it dipped in syrup with the amount of sugar as required by you.

We look forward to each visit to Jaipur to replenish our stock of sweets. Hopefully, Swarn Prasadam will not be too dear a sweet for us.

Happy Diwali. Indulge!

 

TWO LULLABIES AND A SONG

What a paradox - I woke up this morning with two lullabies buzzing in my head!

The first is one of the oldest songs I can remember. Its 78 rpm record was discovered at home by me in early 1940s along with the gramophone, the hand-winding His Master's Voice one with the logo of Nipper, the dog. The song was the lullaby, 'Soja Rajkumari', composed by Pankaj Mullick and sung by KL Saigal. 

As in all lullabies, it's words are fanciful and the music soft and soothing. Sung in Hindi, here's a translation -

"Sleep, princess, sleep

Sleep, I adore you greatly, sleep

Sleep, may you have sweet dreams 

In dreams you will see your loved one 

You will fly to Roopnagar (fairyland)

Your Roopnagar girl companions will come

Rajaji will garland you and kiss your forehead

Sleep, Princess, sleep."

Since it is for a ‘Rajkumari’, nobody would have sung it as a lullaby to me but Akhila reminds me that I used to sing it to Shumita on being given the task of making her go to sleep!

The second lullaby is the "Cradle Song" by Brahms which was a part of Father Mackessack's repertoire in his singing class in St. Xavier's School, Jaipur, in 1951-52. Brahms wrote it in German and dedicated it to his lady friend on the birth of her second son in 1868. The song is one of Brahms most famous and popular pieces and has many versions in nursery rhymes. The words I remember are the ones that Fr. Mackessack taught us -

"Lullaby and good night

Thy mother's delight

Bright angels around my darling shall stand

They will guard thee from harms 

Thou shall wake in my arms

They will guard thee from harms

Thou shall wake in my arms."

Pretty effective for Ruchir and Shumita in their childhood.

Then there is a song which I used to sing as a lullaby to my grandsons, Shiven and Raghav, whenever it fell upon me to put them to bed. I first heard "This Old Man" or "Knick-Knack Paddywhack" in the movie, "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" in which Ingrid Bergman played the role of a real-life British missionary, Gladys Aylward, happily singing this song and leading a bunch of little children up the steps of a mission in China. It is a counting song going from one to ten beginning with - 

"This old man, he played one

He played knick-knack on my drum

With a knick-knack paddywhack give a dog a bone

This old man came rolling home."

And so on to 'two/shoe', 'three/knee', 'four/door', 'five/hive', 'six/sticks', 'seven/heaven', 'eight/gate', 'nine/spine' and finally 'ten/hen'.

I rarely got to ten. By about five/six, the boys fell asleep and this old man went rolling home!

NIPPER AND 'HIS MASTER'S VOICE'

When you reach the age of 'getting high on numbers', any small thing can flood you with nostalgia. My way to dam the flood and make it safe to wade happily (remember, I am a non-swimmer) in memories is to 'blog' it!

The other day, there was a story in BabaMail featuring 15 hilarious amateur recreations of famous paintings. One of the originals was the entertainment trademark "His Master's Voice", used on the recording labels and gramophones of 'The Gramophone Company/EMI/HMV'.  It featured a dog looking curiously into and seemingly listening to the horn-like speaker of a hand-winding gramophone.

The real-life story behind the logo is heartwarming. There actually was a dog, a little terrier named Nipper, belonging to one Mark Henry Barraud in Bristol, UK. Mark died in 1887 and his brothers, Francis and Philip, took care of Nipper. Apparently, Nipper used to sit in front of a phonograph and listen in wonder to recordings of the voice of Mark which the two brothers used to play for the dog.

The dog died in 1895 and three years later, Francis, an artist, made a painting of Nipper and a phonograph titled "Dog Looking at and Listening to a Phonograph." The painting was offered to various phonograph companies including Edison Bell whose owner famously rejected it saying, "Dogs don't listen to phonographs". Finally, 'The Gramophone Company' in England bought it with the modification that the painting show one of the Company's own disc machines. And so was born 'His Master's Voice'.

The story is special to me as it was through an 'His Master's Voice' gramophone that I was introduced to music. As a child, as soon as I became aware of things around me, I found an HMV gramophone at home and some 78 rpm records. With only my grandparents in the house, I took possession of my finds and learnt to play the machine. Soon music became my passion and no day would go by without my playing a few records.

Starting with the morning, the house would echo with sounds of "Yeh Kaun Aaj Aaya Savere Savere", rumbling and whistles of "Toofan Mail", marching beats of "Praan Chaahe Nein Na Chaahe", hopes of someone visiting with "Aayega Aane Wala", approach of the night with "Yeh Raatein Yeh Mausam" and falling asleep hoping for sweet dreams listening to "Soja Rajkumari, Soja." 

Then there were songs to be played on a specific occasion. For example, whenever I got good results in exams, I would come home and play "Aaj Apni Mehnaton Ka Mujhko Samra Mil Gaya".

I lost my father when I was just four but thanks to the love and care of Mummy, my Nana and Nani and my two Mamas, I had a happy childhood. So I loved 'bachpan' songs of which there were plenty. To name a few, I had "Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena", "Bhala Tha Kitna Apna Bachpan", "Kahan Woh Bachpan Ka Pyara Sapna", “Bachpan Ke Din Bhi Kya Din Thay” and "Mere Bachpan Ke Saathi Mujhe Bhool Na Jaana".

I used to eagerly look forward to Vinnie Mama's visits who always brought new records whenever he came home on vacation from Allahabad University. Then he joined the Navy and I, St. Xavier's Jaipur and we got interested in English music. Vinnie Mama's first buys were "The Rich Maharajah of Magador", "My Truly Truly Fair", and "Goodnight Irene". Meanwhile, I learnt that English records were available in Delhi at a shop "Marques & Co." in Connaught Circus. We used to visit Delhi quite often and a visit to that shop was always on my schedule. And so I had "Don't Let The Stars Get in Your Eyes", "My Blue Heaven" and "White Christmas" on my fingertips whenever I desired.

With NDA and Navy for me and my grandparents changing houses, the gramophone got lost. I was heartbroken but forever grateful to it for instilling music in my blood.

Thank you for the music, Nipper and 'His Master's Voice'. I shall never forget you.

I'M AN ORDINARY MAN

I claim Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote this for me!

I'm an ordinary man
Who desires nothing more just the ordinary chance
To live exactly as he likes
And do precisely what he wants
An average man am I
Of no eccentric whim
Who likes to live his life
Free of strife
Doing whatever he thinks is best for him
Just an ordinary man

I'm a very gentle man

Even tempered and good natured

Who you never hear complain

Who has the milk of human kindness

By the quart in every vein

A patient man am I

Down to my fingertips

The sort who never could

Ever would

Let an insulting remark escape his lips

Just a very gentle man

I'm a quiet living man

Who prefers to spend the evening

In the silence of his room

Who likes an atmosphere as restful

As an undiscovered tomb

A pensive man am I

Of philosophic joys

Who likes to meditate

Contemplate

Free from humanity's mad inhuman noise

Just a quiet living man

THAT MYSTIFYING 'SOMETHING'

I had forgotten a song that we used to listen to a lot in the late 1990s till I was reminded of it by Shumita the other day. The song is Elton John's "Something about the way you look tonight".

Elton John sings it beautifully but what makes it brilliant are the lyrics. True to life, we find that there are times when someone one loves looks especially attractive and alluring on a particular night. Could it be the dress, the smile ('A Certain Smile' a la Francoise Sagan and Johnny Mathis), the mood, the surroundings....? Difficult to say and Elton John does not know either -

"And I can't explain

But it's something about the way you look tonight

Oh, takes my breath away

It's that feeling I get about you deep inside

And I can't describe

But it's something about the way you look tonight

Takes my breath away

The way you look tonight."

Then my thoughts centred on 'Something'. Among a multitude of people, what is that 'something' that attracts a person to just 'one' other? Is it physical, chemical, magnetism, body language or .....?

I love to take the route of lyrics of songs to find meanings of words and so I thought of those that delve into 'something'. An old song I recalled was Cole Porter's "You Do Something To Me" which dates back to 1929. All old crooners have sung it including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Perry Como right down to Sinead O'Connor in 1990. And what is that 'something' you do-

"You do something to me, something that simply mystifies me

Tell me, why should it be, you have the power to hypnotize me

Let me live 'neath your spell, do do that voodoo that you do so well,

For you do something to me that nobody else can do!"

Here 'something' is 'mystic', 'hypnotic' and 'voodoo'! Is that worldly or ethereal?

Another outstanding song with a lot of 'something' in the lyrics is "Strangers in the Night", one of Frank Sinatra's best.  He sings-

"Something in your eyes was so inviting

Something in your smile was so exciting

Something in my heart

Told me I must have you."

Lovely, but 'something' remains undefined!

I then turned to perhaps the most popular song on this inexplicable phenomenon. The song is, what else, "Something"!

People of my vintage would remember it well but it is worth recalling a few important facts about this gem of a song. Written by George Harrison of The Beatles and sung by them in 1969, it topped the musical charts in the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and West Germany. Within three years, it was sung by over 150 artists making it the second-most covered Beatles composition after "Yesterday." Who's who of those who have sung it include Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Shirley Bassey, Ray Charles, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. Frank Sinatra regularly performed it and called it "the greatest love song of the past 50 years." Elton John said "it is probably one of the best love songs ever written, better than 'Yesterday'". Shirley Bassey hit the top ten on music charts with her version sung with deep emotion and passion and is my particular favourite. Here is what it says-

"Something in the way she moves

Attracts me like no other lover....

Somewhere in her smile she knows

That I need no other lover

Something in her style that shows me....

Something in the way she knows

And all I have to do is think of her

Something in the things she shows me

I don't want to leave her now 

You know I believe and how"

Am I any wiser or just chasing butterflies? I can do no better than recall words from Oscar Hammerstein's classic number "Some Enchanted Evening" in "South Pacific"-

"Who can explain it, who can tell you why?

Fools give you reasons, wise men never try."

 

OF BIDEN, TRUMP, PUTIN AND ZELENSKY - IN A LIGHTER VEIN

It’s a long story not yet ended but I will make it short.

Biden was bidin’ his time biddin’ for keeping his beddin' in the White House for four more years. Trump would not have it and dealt his cards outbiddin’ 'Sleepy Joe' Biden and asserting his trump over Biden’s no trump. 

Biden’s ill health out trumped his biddin’ giving way to Kamala Harris. Trump did not find her ‘comely’ and she felt harassed till she was out trumped in the elections. Trump became POTUS and declared that his focus would not be on a sedate lotus but on eliminating all bogus hocus pocus with the help of his caucus with Washington as locus. All good, unless the joke's on us.

Trump made getting the noble Nobel Peace Prize his top priority. With India and Pakistan agreeing to a ceasefire, Trump started blowing his own trumpet with a piece ‘Peace for Trade’ for Beating Retreat. Modi found it totally out of tune but Trump persisted with it. After all, he couldn't possibly play “Abide With Me” as it would be reminiscent of Biden. Result- India goes from 'tareef' to tariff.

Trump is now puttin’  all his bets on talks with Putin to win the Noble, sorry, Nobel Peace Prize. The two of them met in Alaska where Putin put out his cards on the table though we don’t know if all have been dealt. Listening to Trump’s trumpet, Ukraine and Europe are hoping he has not been out trumped by Putin.

A side story on Alaska was that Putin had security agents carrying suitcases for puttin’ in all that Putin had put out during his stay as he didn’t want foreigners to examine his output. Whatever was put in would only be put out after return to Moscow.

Meanwhile, Zelensky has been to the White House twice. The first time he marched in battle dress with all guns blazing only to be told by Vice President Vance that his turnout was making the Veep weep and that talks would not advance as Zelensky was improperly dressed. (I was reminded of our NDA's Sergeant Major Ayling, who would hold that a cadet was improperly dressed if one of his buttons had come slightly loose which would hold his advance to the next term.) So on the second trip, Zelensky was formally suited and booted and buttoned right up to the top with Trump more amenable to his advances. European leaders and the British Prime Minister Starmer accompanied Zelensky to prevent any possibility of a storm brewing up.

The world watches with bated breath if all that Trump has put in Putin can put out peace between Russia and Ukraine and a bear hug for Vladimir and Volodymyr. 

P.S. Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard, US Director of National Intelligence, seems to have created some ‘gadbad’ by blocking the eyes of The Five Eyes from eyeing Russia and Ukraine.

P.P.S. I have put in a lot of effort in this piece. My apologies if anyone is put out by it.

GETTING HIGH ON NUMBERS

If Shubman Gill can score a double century, so can I. Only our fields are different.

Shubman scores double centuries on the Cricket ground. My field of activity is the blog on which this is my 200th post in 6 years.

Interestingly, I find life is full of numbers. The other day, our physiotherapist asked me how long I have been playing golf. I said "60 years" and she could just utter a "wow". 

Out of these 60, it is now the 36th year at the Army Golf Course in Delhi Cantt. After retirement from the Navy in 1989, we settled down in Delhi and I started playing at this Course and have seen it grow from 9 holes to 12 and then to full 18 since the late '90s. With a number of restaurants and snack bars on the high ground next to 1st and 10th tees and 9th and 18th greens, it can hold its own against the more famous Delhi Golf Club and is an attractive spot for dinner in the moonlight or just a cup of coffee at the end of a round of golf.

35 years ago when I joined the Club, I had many 15-16 year olds caddying for me. Today, it is unbelievable to see them as 50+s on the verge of becoming grandfathers if not one already!

Unbelievable too that I left the Navy over 35 years ago. I was commissioned on 01 January 1960, over 65 years from now. The 1971 War during which I was on the aircraft carrier Vikrant as Fleet Communications Officer of the newly formed Eastern Fleet, took place 54 years ago. It's been 47 years since I commanded Katchall and 40 since commanding Trishul which is when I went to Singapore as the Defence Adviser. 

On 22 July this year, it was the 70th anniversary of our Course, 14th, joining the NDA. I remember my visit to the Academy earlier in the year when I met cadets of the 153rd Course who had been allotted numbers of 45000-46000 compared to mine, 2134. Now it is the 154th Course that has joined since last month and their numbers will be approaching the 50000 mark!

After changing residence every 2-3 years or even oftener while in the Navy, it is our 26th year in Aradhana. Here too, we have seen children growing into adults, marrying and then becoming parents!

Sometime ago, I was on my walk in Nehru Park when a young man caught up with me, wished me with a smile and asked me how old I was. I gave him my age reversing the digits. He looked at me strangely wondering why I looked so old for my age! I just had to put the poor fellow at ease by giving him the digits in correct order.

Contrarily, there is the sweet song of my school days, over 70 years ago, "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" by Ames Brothers:

"The naughty lady of Shady Lane, has the town in a whirl

The naughty lady of Shady Lane, me, oh, my, oh, what a girl....

Our town was peaceful and quiet, before she came on the scene

The lady has stared a riot, disturbing the suburban routine....

You should see how she carries on, with her admirers galore

She must be giving them quite a thrill, the way they flock to her door....

The things they're trying to pin on her, won't hold much water I'm sure

Beneath the powder and fancy lace, there beats a heart sweet and pure....

The naughty lady of Shady Lane, so delectable, quite respectable

And she's only nine days old!"

Where have all the years gone? 'The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind!'

The years go by, memories remain. Let me end with a few lines from the beautiful, touching song 'Memory' from the superhit musical "Cats" with lyrics by Trevor Nunn and composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber-

"Memory, all alone in the moonlight, I can smile at the old days

I was beautiful then, I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Let the memory live again....

I must wait for the sunrise, I must think of a new life and I mustn't give in

When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too

And a new day will begin."

IT'S THE WORDS THAT MAKE A SONG

Sometime back, I came across this old Victorian adage, "Kissing a man without a moustache is like eating an egg without salt." Add a beard and the dish is complete with pepper and sauce! 

I am clean-shaven but am thankful my wife is a vegetarian.

Songs definitely need good words, or lyrics as they say, to make them more listenable and meaningful. A song cannot be whole and evoke its intended range of emotions without appropriate words. As the old group Ink Spots sang in their number "To Each His Own", "What good is a song if the words just don't belong". 

Back in the first half of the Nineteenth century, the famous composer Felix Mendelssohn composed a series of short piano pieces which he titled "Songs Without Words". Efforts were made to set lyrics to them but Mendelssohn objected as he said words would make the music he wanted to express 'too definite'. So his composition, though brilliant, remained in the category of 'instrumental music' and not quite 'songs' which should have expressive vocals.

Remember Francis Lai's music in "Love Story" which won him an Oscar? After the movie was released, the lyricist Carl Sigman gave words to its theme and Andy Williams sang the super hit, "Where Do I Begin" which when listened to even now, would flash touching scenes from the movie in the mind and leave one teary-eyed. Some lyrics-

"Where do I begin to tell the story of how great a love can be

The sweet love story that is older than the sea....

She fills my heart with very special things

With angel songs, with wild imaginings

She fills my soul with so much love that anywhere I go, I'm never lonely....

How long does it last? Can love be measured by the hours in a day?

I know I'ii need her 'til the stars all burn away

And she'll be there."

The Bee Gees put all their belief in words to win someone's heart in the romantic ballad titled...."Words", what else! Barry Gibbs sang in his unique falsetto voice, "It's only words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away."

Songs are mostly about 'love', from being attracted to someone, to falling in love, partings, heartbreaks and all. So let me run through the words of some of my favourites to see how emotions are conveyed.

We start with the sound advice in the song "Some Enchanted Evening" by Ezio Pinza in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific"-

"Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger

You may see a stranger across a crowded room

And somehow you know, you'll know even then

That somewhere you'll see her again and again....

Then fly to her side, and make her your own

For, all through your life, you may dream all alone

Once you have found her, never let her go."

The Beatles had a tremendous talent for simple, short lyrics that would immediately appeal to young and old alike. So they sang "I Saw Her Standing There", "She was just seventeen, you know what I mean, and the way she looked was way beyond compare. I could have danced with another, but I saw her standing there."

To advance love, their song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" says shyly, "I think you'll understand, when I say that something, I want to hold your hand, I want to hold your hand. Oh, please, say to me, you'll let me be your man. And please, say to me, you'll let me hold your hand."

Louis Armstrong takes it further in "A Kiss to Build a Dream On", "Give me a kiss to build a dream on, and my imagination will thrive upon that kiss. Sweetheart, I ask no more than this, a kiss to build a dream on."

The Rolling Stones go all the way with "Let's spend the night together, now I need you more than ever, let's spend the night together."

And then love happens. In the musical "Oklahoma", the two lovers start by warning each other to be discreet lest people misinterpret their intentions. But finally, they decide to throw caution to the winds unmindful of what people may say:-

"Don't sigh and gaze at me, your sighs are so like mine

Your eyes mustn't glow like mine, people will say we're in love....

Let people say we're in love

Starlight looks well on us, let the stars beam from above

Who cares if they tell on us

Let people say we're in love."

A couple can't always be together. Parting is 'such sweet sorrow' and painful though the pain is alleviated with the promise of a return. Al Martino or Englebert Humperdinck in "Blue Spanish Eyes"- "Teardrops are falling from your Spanish eyes. Please, please don't cry, this is just adios and not goodbye. Soon I'll return, bringing you all the love your heart can hold. Please say 'si, si', say you and your Spanish eyes will wait for me."

It could get worse if one party was not willing. The Beatles in "Hello Goodbye"- "You say 'goodbye', I say 'hello, hello, hello', I don't know why you say 'goodbye', I say 'hello'."

In "If You Go Away", English version of the French song, "Ne Me Quitte Pas", the singer urges the loved one to stay while fearing that the latter has already decided to go-

"But if you stay, I'll make you a day, like no day has been or will be again

I'll sail on your smile, I'll ride on your touch, I'll talk to your eyes, that I loved so much

Oh, but if you go, I won't cry, though the good is gone from the word goodbye,

If you go away, if you go away, if you go away."

Love can have a fierce stranglehold on one as Shirley Bassey sang in "Never, Never, Never", this time an English version of the Italian hit song, "Grande, Grande, Grande" which I first heard on a visit to Rome in 1976:-

"You make me laugh, you make me cry, you make me live, you make me die for you,

You make me sing, you make me sad, you make me glad, you make me mad for you.

I love you, hate you, love you, hate you, but I'll want you till the world stops turning

For whatever you do

I never, never, never want to be in love with anyone but you."

Remorse over love gone wrong is painfully expressed in "Yesterday" by The Beatles and in the Tom Jones version in which he seems to be actually crying; "Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play, now I need a place to hide away....Why she had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say. I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday."

Another heartbreak song: Sinead O'Connor in "Nothing Compares 2 U"- "It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took your love away....I can see whomever I choose, I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant, but nothing, I said nothing can take away these blues. 'Cause nothing, I said nothing compares to you." 

If love was true, the lovers would realise that they must return and be there for each other. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell sang:

"You're all I need to get by

Like the sweet morning dew, I took one look at you

And it was plain to see, you were my destiny

With my arms open wide, I threw away my pride

I'll sacrifice for you, dedicate my life for you."

We are now all set for a 1957 song written by Burt Bacharach and sung by Marty Robbins, "The Story of My Life"-

"Someday I'm gonna write the story of my life

I'll tell about the night we met and how my heart can't forget

The way you smiled at me

I want the world to know the story of my life

The moment your lips met mine and that first exciting time

I held you close to me

The sorrow when our love was breaking up, the memory of a broken heart

Then later the joy of making up never, never more to part."

`

22 JULY - A DATE TO REMEMBER FOR 14th NDA COURSE

22 July is a special day for the 14th NDA Course to which I happily belong. For it was on this date 70 years ago that a little over 200 young boys aged 15-17 years from all over India began their training at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and committed themselves to serve the homeland, 'theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die'.

Just the second course to go directly to the new location of the Academy, we had reached Khadakwasla the previous day. At the reporting point, the huge Cadets' Mess, we were allotted the squadron which would be our home from then on, and a number which would be our identity at the NDA. So off I went to 'F' or Fox squadron with my number 2134, lugging my steel trunk and a holdall. Before I could even take my belongings inside the squadron, I was 'welcomed' by some senior cadets who commenced the physical ragging which would be rendered in a daily dose in non-working hours, some days more, some days less. Many of us, self included, had left home for the first time and the ragging assured that we would have no time to be homesick and would become fully aware that we had to fend for ourselves with no 'mummy' to run to!

After the seniors had their fun, I had to find reserve energy to haul my luggage up two steep flights of stairs as due to sadistic luck, I was allotted a cabin on the top floor, number 98. There for the first time, I met my coursemate Jehangir Phiroze (Jhangoo) Aga, No. 2133 in cabin no. 99. Like me, he was also a naval cadet and I am glad to say, it was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. We have served together in the same station many times and now that he has settled in Mumbai and I in Delhi, meet whenever visiting the other's city. Fresh in mind is Akhila's and my trip to Mumbai end December-early January this year, when we met Najoo and Jhangoo a number of times including a dinner at the scenic Radio Club by the seaside near Gateway of India. Incidentally, when we exchange mails, he addresses it to 2134 and I to 2133!

On 22 July, our training began in earnest and kept us on our toes morning to night. Days flew by starting with Physical Training, Drill or Horse Riding (including 'wooden horses'!) in the morning, academic classes during the day and games in the evening. Extracurricular activities included Novices Boxing and Dramatics, and 'Shramdaan' through which our physical labour contributed to the building of an Open Air Theatre and the Hut of Remembrance which pays tribute to the fallen heroes of WW II and the alumni of the NDA who have sacrificed their lives in various wars and operations through the years. Time passed in a flash and in December, we were glad to have successfully completed the term and proceeded home for a well-deserved break.

We spent six terms in the NDA during which we saw some additions and many changes. When I returned for my second term, a new squadron, 'K' for King had been added and I had been transferred to it. I had to settle once again among new surroundings and friends and was initially upset. But over time, I realised it was a good change thanks largely to our Squadron Commander, Sqn Ldr Chandan Singh, a gentleman to the core and an inspiring and benevolent leader who guided us to win the Champion Squadron title in the NDA.

Drill played an important part and there was a major change there with the introduction of Hindi words of command in place of English. In our first term, Drill was supervised by the tall British Regimental Sergeant Major Ayling who had a booming voice which carried well beyond the drill square. Somewhere in our second term, he made way to Subedar Major Gurung, much shorter but with a powerful voice and a caustic sense of humour.

Many foreign VIPs visited during our time but I specifically remember Lord Mountbatten in our second term for whom a special parade was held. While inspecting the parade, he asked a number of cadets if they were marked to join the Navy and astonishingly, he was right every time!

We had lots of fun too and one incident that never failed to raise a big laugh whenever recalled was a 100 metres sprint during Athletic championships towards the end of our stay at the NDA. Our champion sprinter, Jayanta Roy Choudhury was in the lead when halfway through the race, the elastic of his shorts became loose. We were treated to the hilarious sight of Roy Chou running holding the shorts up with his hands but to his credit, he still won the race and did not give us a chance to find out if he was clad in any undergarments.

Six terms flew by and we left the NDA with our Passing Out Parade end-May 1958. The Course split three ways with Army cadets off to Dehradun, Air Force to Jodhpur and Navy to INS Tir.

During our service careers we went through a number of wars, significantly the Indo-Pak War of 1971 in which a large number of us played an important role. Major Vijay Berry (later Brigadier) commanding a Company of the 4th Battalion of Para Regiment, led an assault on a Pakistani position strongly defended by tanks and minefields but succeeded in capturing them for which he was awarded Maha Vir Chakra. Sqn Ldr (later Air Vice Marshal) Jagbir Singh led a number of air attacks  and reconnaissance missions deep inside Pakistan which won him a Vir Chakra.

1971 saw the Navy in operation too. Our erstwhile sprinter, Roy Chou commanded a patrol boat supporting the Mukti Bahini. He too won a Vir Chakra. BB (Munna) Singh commanded one of the missile boats that carried out two attacks on Karachi harbour. Ashok Sinha piloting a Seahawk aircraft led a number of air attacks on the former East Pakistan. I, as the first Fleet Communications Officer of the newly formed Eastern Fleet, was on board the aircraft carrier Vikrant, flagship of the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, which was the platform from which all air and sea operations were directed on East Pakistan targets and shipping. Ashok and I earned 'mentioned in dispatches' for our roles in the War.

Then, of course, there was the 1999 Kargil war when our much-admired and loved course-mate, General Ved Malik, was the Army Chief. Under his able leadership, the Army was successful in flushing out the Pakistan Army and paramilitary troops from our side of the Line of Control where they had surreptitiously crept in.

So 70 years have flown by. Our 14th Course Association, efficiently managed by Atul Dev, Ronnie Das and Kamli Khanna, organises a lunch twice a year and all of us make an effort to attend with our wives. When we get together, we hark back to the NDA days recalling amusing incidents and behaving like 15-17 years old surprising our wives with our kiddish behaviour. But those were the days and our ways!

Akhila and I were on a visit to the NDA early January. It was vacation time and only cadets of the new153rd course had arrived. At the Gole Market, we ran into some of them. They had not been issued uniforms but were wearing their numbers which were in mid-43 thousands, more than 41000 after ours. The boys were in high spirits and I wondered if they knew what it would be like after the seniors arrived.

Time marches on, they would be in their second term now ‘welcoming' the 154th course, 140 after ours.

      

 

CONNIE FRANCIS PASSES ON

Remember Connie Francis, the peppy girl singer with the sweet voice who delighted us with her songs in late 1950s and early '60s? Two songs which come to mind immediately are "Lipstick On Your Collar" and "Stupid Cupid".

"Lipstick..." is about a girl who spots lipstick on the collar of her boyfriend when he comes back after going out supposedly to buy a soda pop. On being questioned, he says the lipstick marks are hers although the girl notices the marks are of a different shade. Just then, 'Mary Jane' walks in with lipstick all a mess and it is evident that the boy was smooching Mary, the singer's best friend. "Lipstick on your collar told a tale on you, lipstick on your collar said you were untrue, bet your bottom dollar, you and I are through."

Usually singing in a smooth style,  Connie Francis charmingly modulates her voice with a kind of  hiccup while warbling the title words in 'Stupid Cupid'. That is what she calls her boyfriend who she blames for being mean and flitting, making her act like a lovesick fool and carrying his books to school. She is bothered that she felt fine after kissing his lips of wine but now pleads, "Hey, hey, set me free, Stupid Cupid stop picking on me." 

Her other big hits included "Who's Sorry Now", "The Majesty of Love", "My Happiness", "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You", "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" and "Pretty Little Baby" which though released in 1962, went viral on TikTok this year and became a sleeper hit much to Connie's delight who said she had forgotten the song but was "pleased that her music, and the innocence it sought to represent, was being embraced by a younger audience".

Though her songs keep coming back to me, why am I specially thinking of her today? Because I just read that she is no more. She suffered an injury early this year and was wheelchair bound and passed away yesterday, 16 July, at the age of 87. Connie Francis was the top-charting female vocalist at her prime and sold more than 200 million records worldwide. An American citizen, she was of Italian descent with the originsl name 'of 'Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero'. Her success was international and in 1960, she was recognised as the most successful female artist in Germany, Japan, UK, Italy, Australia and the US.

Unfortunately her love life was not as smooth as her voice. She and Bobby Darin, the popular singer with hits like "Splish Splash", "Mack the Knife and "Beyond the Sea" (English adaptation of the classic French song "La Mer") were deeply in love but Connie's father did not allow them to get married on the grounds that Bobby Darin was not an Italian! She had four marriages and a partner in her final years but maintained that not marrying Bobby was her biggest mistake in life.

Bobby Darin later fell in love with Sandra Dee while filming the beautiful comedy "Come September" with the very catchy title song composed by Bobby. Unfortunately Bobby died at the young age of 37 in 1973 due to a weak heart.

Rest in peace, Connie Francis, your voice will never die.

 

MY VI VISIT TO ITALY - THE FINALE - MILAN

Milan, richest and largest and the second-most populous city after Rome in Italy had eluded me on my five previous trips to that country. This time I was determined not to let it go and we arrived there on the evening of 12 June. 

Milan is a wonderful mix of the ancient and the modern. It's historical monuments testify to its ancient art and culture while in present times it is recognised as the global capital of modern fashion and design. In a lighter vein, I am tempted to make something out of its name: 'Mil' in Hindi means 'meet', 'a' stands for 'ancient' and 'n' for 'new'. So Milan is where ancient and new meet!

On with our sightseeing and we started with the Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral, the largest church in Italy and third largest in the world after St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida in Brazil. Commissioned in 1386, it took nearly 600 years to complete. The church has more than 3400 statues, 135 spires and 155 gargoyles. Its multitude of spires and pinnacles reaching for the sky are fascinating. Rooftop terraces provide a breathtaking view of the city which prohibits any construction higher than the church's highest spire dedicated to St. Mary.

The church opens out on to a large square, Piazza del Duomo, teemed with tourists getting an eyeful of the complex and intricate design of the church. At night, it is brilliantly illuminated and one has to literally tear oneself away from the sight.

Across the road to the north is a big archway providing an entry to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the oldest active shopping arcade in Milan. The arcade covered by an arching glass and cast iron roof is built around the street linking Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala. A large glass dome covers the octagonal central space the floor of which is marked by four beautiful mosaics portraying the cost of arms of the old three kingdoms of Italy, Turin, Florence and Rome, and Milan. We saw a large number of people crowding around the Turin mosaic taking turns to spin around the centre. Our guide told us that the centre once had testicles of a bull from Turin and it was a belief that spinning three times around with a heel on the testicles brought the person good luck. The act has made the testicles disappear leaving a hole in the floor but the superstition still holds for the spinning hopefuls. Good luck to them!

The Rome mosaic shows two little boys sucking milk from a she-wolf depicting the mythical legend of Romulus and Remus who were abandoned as infants and nursed by the she-wolf. Growing up, the two founded a city but in a dispute, Romulus killed Remus and named the city Rome after himself.

Our guide told us that the Prada store in the arcade was the first that the luxury brand opened up in the world. Passing by the many restaurants, we pointed out one where we had dinner the previous evening. The guide said that restaurant, Biffi Caffe, was the oldest in the arcade and had been functioning ever since 1867, the year the arcade started functioning. That made us feel good and we happily recalled the exquisite taste of the tagliatelle we had had there. 

Right at the entrance, there was a big queue at the Amorino Gelataria which claims to serve the best  gelato in Milan. So we had to have it even though it took ages for our turn to come.

We exited from the arcade on to Piazza della Scala, a smaller square in the centre of which there is a monument to Leonardo da Vinci consisting of his tall statue with figures of four of his pupils on the base. And there, just across the road, was Teatro alla Scala, one of the most well-known opera houses in the world.

Inaugurated in August 1778, La Scala, as it is commonly known, is regarded as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres globally and has held premieres of many of the most popular operas. The historic auditorium is awe-inspiring with a multitude of boxes and superb architecture including the spectacular ceiling which appears to be curved but is actually flat. On the upper floor there is a museum with a large collection of paintings, statues and costumes. As one passes the busts of the great composers, their popular works come to mind; Verdi and La Traviata, Puccini and Madame Butterfly, Rossini and The Barber of Seville, the overture of which is our family favourite. I also remembered "La Donna e Mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto which I had written about earlier in my blog. By the side of Rossini, there was a smaller bust of Beethoven who had written only one opera but I guess his greatness deserves a place in the museum. Another item of interest was a piano said to be the oldest in the world.

Next place on our itinerary was Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, a museum containing works of Leonardo da Vinci (Portrait of a Musician), Caravaggio (The Basket of Fruit, said to be the first still life painting), Raphael (School of Athens, a cartoon representing the greatest mathematicians, philosophers and scientists who lived at different times but are shown together under one roof here), Titian (Adoration of the Magi), and Boticelli (Madonna of the Pavilion).

I was curious to know why Raphael's work was known as a 'cartoon' when it did not resemble anything like today's cartoons. I was told that the English word 'cartoon' is derived from the Italian 'cartone' which means 'large paper'. Raphael drew full-scale drawings on numerous sheets of paper and pasted them together as preparatory drawings for his frescos and tapestries. From there devolved the present-day 'cartoon'. 

We saw some miscellaneous items also such as the gloves that Napoleon wore at Waterloo. And "Codex Atlanticus", the largest collection of Leonardo da Vinci's writings and drawings.

In the heart of the city there is a castle named Sforzesco. Built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan and renovated in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was one of the largest citadels in Europe. Once accessed by a drawbridge, today it provides a nice walk inside its walls and below majestic towers.

We rounded off our sightseeing in Milan with a visit to Santa Maria della Grazie, a small church but internationally known, for this is where Leonardo da Vinci painted his famous and fascinating mural, "The Last Supper." It covers an entire wall with its size of 15 feet by 29 feet. As you know, during the supper, Jesus Christ is believed to have told his 12 apostles that one of them would betray him. The painting depicts the reaction of the apostles ranging from surprise and shock to awe and anger. The greatest critics and connoisseurs all over the world have been scrutinising and analysing the mural for over 525 years trying to interpret what exactly were the complex emotions of the apostles.

On the opposite wall there is another brilliant mural, "Crucifixion" by Montorfano.

So our dream trip to Italy was coming to an end and it was time to say 'Arrivederci Italia' and think of home. We were booked to fly back to Delhi from Milan by Air India Boeing 787 (Dreamliner) on the evening of Sunday 15 June and had the day free till then. But there was a bit of drama to be played out that day. An Air India Dreamliner had crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June and all such aircraft were to undergo rigid inspection. On 14th afternoon, we got a message that our flight would be delayed by a few hours. Messages about further postponements continued till 15th forenoon when we were told that the flight was cancelled. That had all of us stunned. Our travel agent advised us to contact Air India in Milan and place ourselves in their hands. That was unacceptable because we were in no mood to be stranded in Milan even at Air India's expense.

We contacted Ruchir in New York by which time he had already come to know of the cancellation. He advised us to wait. Meanwhile, he and his very resourceful Chief of Staff, Paul Weiner, got into action to get us out of the mess. After a couple of anxious hours, they had managed to book us by SwissAir on 16th forenoon for which we had to go to Zurich. Getting a car was also a problem as it was a Sunday and drivers were not available. Finally, a car and driver were arranged and we left Milan just before 9 p.m. 

Milan to Zurich through Alps would be a lovely road journey in the daytime but we had sunlight only for less than an hour during which we passed some familiar spots like Lake Como and Lugano. Then it was dark and we were dozing off and on till reaching our hotel next to the airport.

After the anxious previous day, we heaved a huge sigh of relief when our flight took off from Zurich and started thinking of home, sweet home.

Tailpiece. Winter 1951. Father Mackessack's after school musical class in the old St. Xavier's building, Jaipur. He sings and we join reading from our little songbook-

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home

A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there

Which seek thru' the world is ne'er met elsewhere

Home! Home! Sweet, sweet home!

There's no place like home

There's no place like home!"

MY VI VISIT TO ITALY - Part II - IN AND AROUND FLORENCE

In planning the second part of our visit, there were two opinions. As we had just one week, Shumita felt we should limit it to one place and see it in detail whereas I thought we should cover 3-4 cities including Rome as this was the first trip to Italy for Shumita and the boys. Both Ruchir and Shumita thoight Rome was too far and so we settled on two, Florence and Milan. Also, I was for train travel but the others said that as there were five of us with baggage, we should rent a car for the long road journeys.  

So off we went at noon on 8 June hitting the road to Florence. In about 2 1/2 hours, we reached Modena, birthplace of Ferrari and home to its Formula One racing team. We made our way to the Enzo Ferrari Museum (Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari) and had our hearts racing just looking at the various models of the super racing cars from the rare ones of 1950s to Michael Schumacher's and more recent ones. There were a few Alfa Romeo and Maserati cars on display too and a video presentation depicting the life of the great Enzo Ferrari. A second part of the museum is the former house and workshop of Enzo's father which takes one back to the history of Ferrari's origins.

While leaving Modena, Shumita told me something I didn't know; my favourite singer of Neapolitan and opera songs, Luciano Pavarotti, was born here. After spending a lifetime entertaining audiences all over the world with his brilliant and powerful singing, he went back to Modena to rest in peace beneath the green, green grass of home. 

We got back on the road to Florence or Firenze as the Italians call it, arriving there at about 6 pm. We checked in our hotel which was ideally located in the heart of the city, just a short walk from most of the famous sites, and settled down for our stay.

The next two days we followed the true tourist itenerary visiting one landmark after the other beginning with the Cathedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore commonly known as the Duomo which with ts huge dome symbolises Florence just as Hawa Mahal represents Jaipur. Inside is the most famous feature of the church, the enormous octagonal cupola built by Brunelleschi. Historical frescoes and stained glass windows glorify the church which is one of the most well-known in the world.

Incidentally, I always thought 'duomo' meant 'dome' but learnt that it is actually an Italian term for a church.

After the Duomo, Akhila and I rested while Shumita and the boys climbed the 414 steps to the top of Campanile, the tower alongside the Duomo, to get a magnificent view of Florence. 

Next we visited the Galleria dell'Accademia which is home to the famously infamous 17-foot sculpture of David. Onwards to the Uffizi Gallery to see Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Leonardo da Vinci's Anunciation, Michelangelo's Holy Family and many other paintings of Titian, Lippi, Raphael and Caravaggio.

We then entered the Vasari corridor, a private passageway of the Medici family built in the 16th century. It links the Uffizi Gallery with Palazzo Pitti, the palace of the Medicis, via the top of the historic bridge, Ponte Vecchio. The Second World War saw the destruction of all old bridges over the Arno River but remarkably, Ponte Vecchio was left untouched. The bridge is now one of the landmarks of Florence with shops on both sides known particularly for selling exquisite jewellery.

Palazzo Pitti was closed for renovation but we did visit Giardino di Boboli, the pretty garden above the palace, which has many classic sculptures, fountains and breathtaking vistas.

On the evening of 9 June, following the recommendation of a friend of Shumita's, we went to Piazzale Michelangelo, a square on a hill just south of the city centre, which provides an excellent panoramic view of Florence. A replica of David's statue stands near the edge of the hill where there was a big crowd of tourists waiting to watch the sun go down over Ponte Vecchio and beyond the Arno river. Coincidentally, it was the evening just one before full moon, so as we watched the sun set in the west, the moon rose directly opposite in the east. A brilliant sight!

On 11 June, we hired a car to go an extensive road trip starting with Pisa. A drive of just over an hour and we stood looking at the amazing Leaning Tower, one of the seven wonders of the world, with people taking photographs either pretending to push or support the Tower. Once again, Shumita and the boys climbed up the Tower while Akhila and I sipped our Cappuccino at one of the many cafes in Piazza del Miracoli by the side of the Tower. A quick look inside the ancient Cathedral next to the Tower and we resumed our journey.

We headed to Siena, two hours away from Pisa. This drive in Tuscany is considered to be one of the most scenic in Italy. It joins the road from Florence to Siena which is known as 'Chiantigiana' after the famous red wine, Chianti. Majestic cypress trees, lush vineyards, huge wheat farms and bright yellow flowers (ginestra) on slopes of rolling hills provide stunning views all along. 

The Gothic town city of Siena has a walled centre with medieval brick buildings and dark lanes. Its 13th century Duomo is one of the prettiest churches I have seen. The entire floor is covered with inlaid marble mosaic and the church houses a plethora of works of the best Italian sculptors of that era including Michelangelo and Donatello. Besides, it has frescoes, stained glass windows and a hexagonal dome topped with Bernini's gilded lantern like a golden sun. A unique feature is the Piccolomini Library inside the church featuring a cycle of frescoes illustrating ten episodes from the life of Pope Pius II. There was a large collection of ancient, holy tomes of huge sizes with big, bold and colourful typefaces  dating back to the 15th century.

The other landmark we visited was the Piazza del Campo where a prestigious horse race takes place twice a year. As usual, the Piazza had many cafes and a gelataria claiming to be the best in the world for its mouth-watering gelatos in which we indulged.

Reversing course towards Florence, we came to another small and cute hill town of San Gimignano known for its 14 towers of varying heights. No cars are allowed inside the town, so while Shumita and the boys climbed up the road to see whatever sites they could, Akhila and I ambled up to Piazza del Duomo to sip our Cappuccino. On our walk down with wine shops on both sides, I could not resist the temptation to buy some local wine and settled for the glorious red Chianti.

By now the sun was going down and tired but happy, we made our way back to Florence. Our driver was a sweet lady who kept up a nice commentary describing the countryside and the places we were passing by. Additionally, we had music going on with "Grande, Grande, Grande" and "Il Mondo" on my request followed by Shumita appropriately playing Andrea Bocelli who was born in the village of La Sterza in Tuscany, about 40 kms. south of Pisa. Our driver told us that on his birthday on 22 September (all good people are Virgoans!), he holds a free concert and party in his village.  Tempted to join the fun?

A dinner at a restaurant in the busy Piazza della Repubblica with a colourful carousel in the centre marked our final evening in Florence and the next morning we were on the road to Milan. 

Looking at the road map, I had seen that only a small diversion was required to include Verona in our itinerary and Verona as everyone knows was the setting of Shakespeare's love story of Romeo and Juliet. So we took the detour and arrived at Verona by lunchtime. Again, the city allows no cars inside so we were dropped at Piazza Bra, the city's largest square. A quick lunch and we walked to the Roman amphitheater, the Arena, which was built around 30 AD and is the third largest in Italy after Rome's Colosseum and the Amphitheatre of Capua. 

After a quick look at the Arena which was under renovation, we entered the narrow lanes of the city and made our way to Via Cappello for Casa de Giulietta, the house of Juliet. An archway leads to a small courtyard with a lifesize bronze statue of Juliet. On the right stands the house with the famous balcony where much of Shakespeare's drama is played out.

Hardcore realists will say 'Romeo and Juliet' is a work of fiction and there was no family such as the Capulets. Tell that to the hundreds of romantics who throng to Verona every day just to see Juliet's statue, house and the balcony. This is the house of Juliet, this is the balcony from where the love of Juliet and Romeo blossomed, this is the balcony which Romeo climbed to be with Juliet. And the statue- it is believed that rubbing Juliet's right breast is a charm for love and fertility. So young lovers, may that work for you and may your love bloom and grow forever!

On to Milan.

MY VI VISIT TO ITALY - PART I

The belief is that while in Rome, the eternal city, if one throws a coin in Trevi Fountain, it shall ensure a return to the city. Remember "Three Coins in the Fountain", the 1954 movie with its vastly popular theme song sung by The Four Aces?

On my first three visits to Rome, I threw a coin each time and returned for a fourth time. I threw a coin on that trip too but haven't been back to Rome. Akhila and I, while on a holiday in Monaco, did make a day trip to Sanremo on the Italian Riviera in 2018 so could that be attributed to the coin since we did visit Italy? There was, of course, no coin throwing on that trip so we should have been through with the country.

Not so. This summer, we had to get away from Delhi. Jaipur was a no-no with our house undergoing renovation. Various options were discussed and we finally settled on a two-week sojourn to North Italy, a region I had not seen. Ruchir took up the planning and said he would join us for a week. We asked Gaurav to come with family but he said he couldn't get away though Shumita and the boys could join us. So plans were made for 1-15 June.

The trip took off with an Air India flight from Delhi to Milan on 1 June. After a 45 minute drive from Milan airport, by midnight we were at our hotel, Villa d'Este, located in a town called Cernobbio on the banks of Lake Como. Ruchir had already got there earlier.

We spent the next six days exploring the area extensively beginning with our hotel itself. The main building is surrounded by parks sprawling over 25 acres. The property has its origins dating back to 1578 when it was developed as a residence for a Cardinal. It was converted into a hotel in 1873. A book about the hotel had an interesting line: "George Washington did not sleep here but Alfred Hitchcock did!" Elizabeth Taylor's love affair with Richard Burton blossomed here with Liz, according to the famous director, Mike Nichols (The Graduate), attempting to hide her identity by wearing a large hat all the time.

For me, the most fascinating part of the hotel was the magnificent "Mosaic Garden" also known as the Nymphaeum. The lush green lawn adorned with multiple-coloured flowers, some of them gigantic, leads to a small pool after which a few steps take one to a dozen marble structures representative of Italian Renaissance art. The path is decorated with colourful pebbles and a 50-metre climb leads to the statue of Ercole (Hercules) below old fort ruins and a tall bell tower which is a typically common feature of the area.

Another unique feature was the floating swimming pool which was brilliantly lit at night.

Lake Como is a huge lake, the third largest but deepest in Italy, covering an area of 147 sq. kms. It is shaped like an inverted Y with the three arms meeting at the town of Bellagio. The lake is said to be the oldest holiday retreat dating back to Roman times. A boat ride is a must and with gusty winds, there is a swell which, with the vastness of the lake, makes one feel as if one is at sea. Our first boat ride was a round trip for one hour and the lake seemed endless. We sailed feasting our eyes on romantic villas and luscious green waterfront promenades. The boat Coxswain proudly pointed out world-famous hotels with exquisite names as we passed them by. There was Villa Passalacqua, the 24 suites of which have centuries old original frescoes and ceiling carvings, a 200-year old greenhouse and floral parasols. This is a new hotel which started functioning in 2022, was voted as Europe's Best Hotel in 2023 and World's Best Hotel in 2024. Another hotel belonging to the same owners is the famous Grand Hotel Tremezzo located just opposite Bellagio which is home to Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni located right on the waterfront.  

Apart from hotels, the Coxswain pointed out houses belonging to celebrities like George Clooney and Gianni Versace. And then there were villas where popular films like 'Casino Royale' and 'Star Wars' and TV serials like 'Succession' and 'Made in Heaven' were shot. 

There is a marriage venue too where our own Deepika Padukone/Ranveer exchanged wedding vows.

We had a meal in most of these hotels which boast of Michelin star chefs. Being vegetarians, we provided them with a different challenge which they took on quite sportingly! 

We made two land trips, the first to the nearby city of Como on the southwest end of the lake centred on Piazza Cavour with a big lakeside promenade. After roaming around and visiting the famous Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore, we followed our lunch with delicious gelato at a gelataria highly recommended by our driver.

The second trip was across the border to the Swiss city of Lugano by the side of the lake of the same name. We went up a hill to Restaurant Montalbano for lunch and savoured a beautiful panoramic view of the lake and the picturesque valley.

I had invited our friends we made last year in Zurich, Natasha and Adrian, to come and have a meal with us. Very sportingly they obliged and came all the way and we had dinner at restaurant Veranda at our hotel. There was a three-man combo playing soft music and I remembered Natasha telling me that their son had studied with the grandson of Domenico Modugno who originally sang "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" which was made popular in English by Dean Martin as "Volare". We requested the Combo to play it which they promptly did. Another request was made for "Buona Sera" and the band obliged again.

On Saturday night after dinner, we walked into the hotel bar with a young two-person band, a boy and a girl, singing popular songs. Here my request was for "Gloria" and "La Bamba" which were duly played much to the delight of all with many taking to the dance floor.

Sunday morning and our Lake Como visit came to an end. At noon, Ruchir went off to Zurich to catch his flight to New York and we took a car to Florence for the second part of our holiday.The week would transform into an unforgettable dream.

LALIT "TIGER" TALWAR AND ME - A TIMELINE

January 1956. I begin my second term in NDA transferred from 'Fox' to the newly-formed 'King' squadron.  Fresh 15th course cadets arrive and two of them impress me as they have a certain air about them: Vijay Malhotra and Lalit Talwar. They are both naval cadets with consecutive academy numbers of 2420 and 2421 respectively, and since they are in the same division as me, we have cabins on the same floor. Over my five remaining terms, I keep bumping into them though we have little to do with each other being from different courses. But that lays the foundation of a lifelong friendship with both.

December 1963-May 1965. I am posted in NDA as a Divisional Officer and so is Lalit Talwar. Both are bachelors and stay in the Officer's Mess with cabins near each other on the same floor. We now meet almost every day and spend a lot of time together in the evenings along with other naval bachelors like Subodh "Guppy" Gupta, Mel Charles Kendall and Sudhir "Ike" Isaacs. Guppy and Lalit take up golf and insist that I join them. After some resistance holding that golf is an old man's game, I cave in and join them but not before a few lessons from the Russian blue-blooded Dimitri Jouravlov, NDA golf coach, who is well-known for his remark that water is the best drink in life but as he can't afford the best, we can give him the second best, Rum.

Somewhere down the line, we start calling Lalit, "Tiger". I suspect it was because of his prowess at golf that the nickname got associated with a champion golfer as borne out years later by Eldrick Tont Woods appropriating the nickname for himself. For some reason, maybe wayward golf and kiddish temperament, Tiger and Guppy call me "Child". Tiger continued to address me as such all through his life.

Apart from golf, I discover another passion of Tiger's- Indian classical music. From Ravi Shankar to Ali Akbar Khan and Bismillah Khan, he has a big library of tapes which he makes me listen to whenever I visit his cabin. I too become a fan of this class of music and Tiger gladly transfers his collection on to my tapes. 

Mid-end1965. I am transferred to New Delhi as Flag Lt to Admiral Chatterji, Commandant, National Defence College. Tiger is selected for the new Submarine branch and comes to Delhi to learn Russian while standing by to go to the USSR. Both of us apply to join the Delhi Golf Club, become permanent members within a month and start playing there.

One Saturday evening, I invite Tiger to have drinks and dinner with me at the NDC where I stay. We sit outside on the huge lawn and after just 2 whiskies, Tiger says he is feeling groggy and leaves without dinner. We have a game planned the next morning and when I go to pick him up from Kotah House, he is still in bed. He says he has a massive hangover and won't be playing. I go back to my cabin and while putting away the bottles taken out the previous evening, discover that a gin bottle, which was more than half full, is empty. It then dawns upon me that Tiger was mixing gin instead of water with his whisky and hence the hangover!

We attend many classical music performances. I vividly recall a jugalbandi with Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan accompanied by the tabla wizard Allah Rakha.

Tiger gets engaged to Rashmi and both families decide that he is too handsome to be left alone in the hands of Russian girls. So Rashmi and Tiger are married before Tiger goes abroad. 

1966-1990. We operate in different spheres with Tiger leaving the Navy in 1980 and settling in Noida while I am at Navy's call shuttling between different cities. 

1990-2020. I settle down in Delhi after taking retirement from the Navy and meet Tiger off and on and we play some rounds of golf at the DGC. I am playing regularly at the Army GC and I invite Tiger to join me there. For some reason, the Army course is Tiger's Achilles heel, so he doesnt't come as often as I would like him to.

Summer 2005, after visiting Ruchir in New York, Akhila and I are returning to India and are at Heathrow changing flights. Suddenly I hear someone shouting 'Ravi'. I turn around and am pleasantly surprised to see Tiger. He tells me he is on his way to US after a stay in London. He has one daughter in UK and one in USA so it is convenient for him to break journey in London both ways rather than take long connecting flights.

2020-2024. Thanks to the lockdown, we keep in touch on WhatsApp. The first message I have from him is a forward of a youtube recording of Ustad Shujaat Khan playing Sitar and singing the ghazal 'Zindagi Se Badi Saza Hi Nahin' at Jashn-e-Rekhta. Tiger's forwarding message says, "Enjoy, my favourite artist." There are regular exchanges of music including a sufi qawwali with a dervish dance. And, of course, "Dama Dam Mast Qalandar"! Tiger also says he enjoys my blog and often sends appreciative comments which boost my morale.

14 October 2024. We meet at Kailash Kohli's last rites. This would turn out to be the last time I would see him in person.

03 January 2025. I am on a visit to the NDA and go to our old Squadron 'King' now 'Charlie'. There is an album with old photographs and I find some of Tiger's on joining the NDA in 1956. I send these to him. I also send some of the NDA golf course where it all started. He mentions Jouravlov in his response and I tell him that the course is now appropriately named after our old friend.

24 January-14 May 2025. Tiger undergoes a complex liver surgery. He is in and out of hospital. His daughters create a site on WhatsApp on which they keep his friends apprised of his condition.

15 May 2025. We get a message that Tiger is no more.

So rest in peace, my friend. Thanks for the happy times we spent together and many, many thanks for introducing me to golf and Indian classical music.

If there is a golf course in Heaven, you and Kailash will already be playing. If not, I am sure you will convince St. Peter to make one. And music, they are all there, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Vilayat Khan, Bismillah Khan, Allah Rakha and his son Zakir Hussain.

ALILA FORT BISHANGARH- A HIDDEN GEM

I haven't kept count of the number of trips I have done between Delhi and Jaipur on National Highway 48, but if someone said 100, it would be grossly short. After settling down in Delhi in 1990 post-retirement and with one leg in Jaipur, 3-4 trips per year have been the norm. For 35 years, you do the math.

Once one enters Rajasthan at Shahjahanpur, one sees a number of forts atop hills. The first one is Neemrana, a pathbreaker of sorts since it set the pace for converting forts into heritage hotels. Then there is one at Shahpura followed by Achrol which featured in the popular 1984 TV miniseries "The Far Pavilions". Driving on, when you see the majestic well-known Amer fort, you know you have reached Jaipur. The same hill range has the Jaigarh fort famous for its cannon named "Jaivana" which was manufactured in 1720 in the foundry within the fort, and was then the largest cannon on wheels in the world. Finally, we see the Nahargarh fort which keeps a watchful eye on the whole of Jaipur. Don't go there at night; it is believed to be haunted!

Sometime back, searching for heritage hotels around Jaipur, I came across one named Alila Fort located near Manoharpur which is on NH 48 next to Shahpura and just 50 kms. from Jaipur. I wondered why we had never seen it from the highway and then forgot about it....

Till last month when we got an invitation from Akhila's cousin, Anup, to the wedding of his daughter, Anusha, with a boy also named Anup! This was followed by a number of calls from Anup and his wife, Sarita, and the venue for the wedding was Alila fort.

We decided we must go for the wedding and hit the road a day before the date. In three and a half hours, we had crossed Shahpura and turned off the highway to the right for the fort. After about 5 kms. we sighted the fort for the first time, a quaint structure on a small granite hill. When thinking of forts, one generally pictures a fortification spread over a large area. This fort is different as it is only as wide as the small hill it is perched on but is nine stories high more like a modern multi-storey building. Appropriate, as the fort was originally built 240 years ago as a watchtower with a long-range panoramic view of the surroundings to provide early warning to Amer/Jaipur for any approaching aggressors.

Originally called Bishangarh fort after the village it is located in, it is now popular as Alila, a name given by Hyatt for a luxury class of hotels. ‘Alila’  means ‘surprise’ in Sanskrit which Hyatt hopes to achieve for their guests in these hotels by offering glimpses of local culture combined with ultra-modern facilities.

For many years, Bishangarh fort lay unoccupied, neglected and deserted. A "For Sale" sign was up on the highway when it caught the eye of one Rahul Kapur. He decided to have a look and after sighting it, roped in his architect brother and friends to buy and convert it into a heritage hotel. His account of their travails to do that makes interesting reading. There was no road and to reach the fort, they had to clamber up on hands and knees. They had to be careful not to annoy hordes of monkeys for whom the fort was a safe haven from leopards. The fort was in a state of decay and covered with vegetation consisting of thorns and brambles. And when they attempted to enter the fort, "zillions of bats" flew out. 

With no road, when the renovation work started, Rahul Kapur became the proud owner of 22 donkeys to cart the material to a height of 145 metres. Extreme caution was exercised not to cause any damage to the original structure the complex nature of which required three lifts to reach different levels much like changing trains at railway junctions! Finally, 15 years from its rediscovery and 9 years of renovation, Hyatt started running a 58 room hotel with two presidential suites in 2017. 

Its potential was then recognised as a venue for weddings. 60 more rooms were added at ground level along with lawns, gardens, halls and special sites for different Indian wedding ceremonies. To say that we were glad to attend a wedding at this spectacular fort would be an understatement.

The wedding evening started with the reception of the 'baraat' at the gate of the ramparts of the fort. That was followed by the 'Varmala'  ceremony with the bride walking slowly down the slope escorted by other young girls and the bridegroom receiving her at the bottom of the hill. They then moved to a gazebo by a small pool for the exchange of garlands. Finally the 'Pheraas' which were held down in a 'Baaori'.

Watching the ceremonies, I thought the scene was ideal for a romantic movie. Which story would be better: Romeo scaling the walls of the fort to abduct Juliet or Juliet running down the winding road in the dark to elope with Romeo?

Any royalties from the story would be mine!