FAUJ MAIN MAUJ

 

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

30/XI/2024

 

It can happen only in the fauj they say! What? That’s what I would like to highlight. (With no offence to anyone).

 

Yesterday, we had a social evening in our club. A lively, vibrant, active, energetic, and spirited club. Once in a while, we friends aka course mates let down our hair, so we meet there.

 

One can catch up on family affairs and gossip. It is less bitching and more bonding. A couple of drinks, pull a leg or two, then have a hearty meal. One feels fresh and rejuvenated.

 

It was a DJ night yesterday with a ‘Retro’ theme. An interesting take. Knowing the fauj well, it was taken in that spirit. Single, married, children, serving and veterans came finely dressed for the occasion.

 

The formation commander did a very wise thing. To get the best ‘talent’ out of the people who look and act a little serious in life. One that stood out was the singing competition.

 

Let me confess, we have lots of Manna Dey’s and Kishore Kumar’s within us. Arjit Singh and Sonu Nigam need not feel bad. We even had ‘imitation’ Usha Uthap crooning for us. Then there was a die-hard Mehndi Hassan but he used simple Urdu for a change. What a variety of ‘singing salads’ was served to us!

 

The best was the ‘cheering parties’. Spouses had to cheer for their better halves, irrespective of what they would have told them while he/she sang in the bathroom.

 

Children were not bothered. They were more interested in exploring the club and running around.

 

The cheering parties, I am not sure, were cheering genuinely or were they ‘detailed’ like we had to cheer at the top of our voices ‘HUP-HUP CHEETAHS or HUP-HUP INJUNS’. Today, times have changed. It was cheering, jeering, whistling, clapping while I went, ya-yaaaaaaaa for the melodies I liked.

 

There is no ‘Besura’ in the fauj. Especially, if it is the CO of the unit who doesn’t know how to sing but leads from the front, setting a personal example both on the battlefield and the singing domain.

 

Then there were dummies. Like we have in the ‘pipe band’. All pipers cannot play ‘Bedu Pako’ perfectly. They just move with the rhythm and fiddle their fingers, while keeping their bellows full.

 

Then there were ‘gossip groups’ yapping away to glory. Suddenly, they would realise that a song is over and pretend to clap. Most of them didn’t even hear what was being sung.

 

Then there were groups surrounding their bosses. Are they not fed up with him in the office or were they genuinely interested in listening to his monologue here too. Some of the bosses had their spouses accompanying them. Waiters had special instructions to look after them ensuring a steady flow of drinks and snacks. Fauj hai, mauj thore hi hai, Boss ke pass hazri lagani zaruri hai.

 

The ‘bindas’ groups were seen hanging at the Bar. Their priorities in life were clear. “Kaun si peeni hai, kitni peeni hai, soda dum tak or half soda half water”. Just a wink to the barman and the drink was served. The change today is, we now have water dispensers dishing out cold, hot, and normal water.

 

Then there were the ‘foodies’ (the spelling is correct). The menu was the first thing they ‘recced’, with a round to the snacks counter. Coupons of all that they liked were collected and orders placed in advance depending on the size of the group or family.

 

Veterans were there in large numbers with spouses. For the serving, attendance was compulsory I suppose.  Lady officers were there too without any prejudice or bias, unlike what is being discussed in the media today. If there was any lady CO, I couldn’t have known. We all were alike.

 

‘Parking ka lafra’ as usual takes a back seat with the Corps of Military Police deployed. They do not let you break discipline, unlike in the civil, especially at a wedding function. Here, things were streamlined, spill over catered for and drivers ready to help. That is what fauj is all about.

 

The evening was enjoyable and the food was tasty, sumptuous, budget friendly, and served piping hot with crisp rotis to accompany.

 

The drive home could have been better if the roads had not been dug everywhere.

 

What a party I must say! “Hukum hai to gana parega”. Reminded me of a line in a song. “Gana aye ya na aye, gana chahiye”. Notwithstanding that, to take the stage & sing, even when you know you can’t, needs guts.

 

A fauji is ‘har fun maula’ or a Jack/Jill of all trades. Do you have it in you? I wonder!!!!!!

 

 JAI HIND 

©® NOEL ELLIS