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.