bls31
October 4th, 2009, 11:38 AM
The Desi Ghee and the lost Tiffin
It was 1965 Punjab was basking under the pale Sun and the mellow temperature of early November month, the fields, emerald green, with paddy crop and the sugarcane ready for crushing. It was pleasing and relaxing sight to the eye. And so were we of XI Corps, having accomplished the task of relieving the Pakstani Army’s pressure in Jammu and Kashmir by inflicting heavy armour casualties in Khem Karan and occupying the Pakistan territory right up to the Ichhogil Canal on the Amritsar-Wagha border. The Corps then deployed in the Lahore sector, had become a busy host for the sundry VIP’s looking for photo ops with the combat troops, that too in Pakistani territory. With no television those days, it were there photos in the news papers that alone satisfied their vanity.
“ ‘Inder’ said General … , the Corps Commander, as he unexpectedly walked through the connecting door in my adjoining office ‘ Shri Guzari Lal Nada, the Deputy Prime Minister( Dy PM) , is visiting us and arriving day after tomorrow by Punjab Mail reaching Amratsar at 6 AM and plans to spend the day with the troops deployed in the occupied territory. Please get the visit organised.” He paused for a few seconds and continued- “and yes, another important task for you to oversee personally, he is a pure vegetarian, eats food prepared only by his personal cook, who will also be travelling with him, that too with pure ‘Desi Ghee.” It was said with an added emphasis on ‘Desi Ghee.’
I was required to organise the cooking of the food by his personal cook and serving of the same.
I was further informed that a Deputy Superintendent of Amratsar Police with a team of Constables had also been deputed by the Home Ministry to assist me.
I was the DAMS to the Corps Commander and I passed detailed instruction all around, tying up various details in connection of the visit.
The Headquarters 7 Infantry Division, deployed in BARKI (Pakistan) where the Dy PM was to have his lunch after visiting the troops, was amply cautioned about the importance Dasi Ghee, and the V I P status of the accompanying personal cook of the Dy PM.
On the appointed day I along with rest of the welcoming party, which included the local congress workers were lined up on the station well before the arrival time. It was a tension filled atmosphere for me but a festive occasion for others.
The train arrived on schedule and as it slowed down the locals broke the line , there was a virtual stampede, flower petals, garlands and slogan shouting – “Gulzari Lal Nanda – Zindabad- Zindabad…. Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega Tera Nam Yad Rahega….”
I was more worried to locate the Cook and despite the ensuing melee, some how, with great deft, ingenuity, help from the accompanying policemen and our own two LO’s managed to locate, apprehend and soon packed him in a special Jonja, escorted by the LO’s straight to the Divisionl mess to get going with cooking the special meal with as much. Desi Ghee. as required.
Having achieved some sort of a coup, in my own view, for the day, I put-on the PROs’ cap and got involved with the onerous task of briefing the incredulous American and other foreign correspondents who could not digest our having knocked out so many Patten (the invincible) tanks and forcefully negate their assertions that Pakastani troops had ever reached even the outskirts of Amritsar.
The deed done, as I reached the officers mess to check on the lunch arrangements , I was horrified to notice Shri Nanda already partaking of the same Aloo- Puree- Chana that I had organised as a back, up with others joining him on the table.
I missed a couple of heart beats, imagining the wreath of the Corps Commander for the botched up arrangements of lunch for no less a person than the Dy PM, and with a heavy heart , started in the quest of the missing cook, in my view, the villain of the piece.
To my chagrin, I found him, still in his soiled Kurta Pajama, non-chantilly smoking a ’Bidi, lolling under a nearby tree. Holding my temper, with some effort, I was furious and would have soon flayed him if I could, I enquired in rather a brusque tone “Was there any problem with the Ghee and the vegetables for the Dy PM’s lunch’” I paused, took a deep breadth and continued- “ If not then where is the lunch?”
The venerable gentleman could discern my discomfort and the anguish written all over my countenance. Having pity on me, he disclosed that there was no plan to cook the lunch in situ, as he was to bring the packed lunch from the Dy PM’s residence it self.
A bit relived but wondering as to why then Nanda was enjoying the Aloo Puree I enquired - “ OK, then where is the Tiffin ?”
And then he dropped the ‘bomb shell’- “I left it back at Delhi.” leaving me shell shocked. But the environment which had recently turned hostile and become so uncomfortable for me once again became balmy.
I did thank my lucky stars in that I did have a back up plan of Allo –Puree - Chana which ultimately came to rescue the situation which could have easily turned mighty ugly.
Col IM CHHABRA
as told to Brig Lakhman Singh
.
It was 1965 Punjab was basking under the pale Sun and the mellow temperature of early November month, the fields, emerald green, with paddy crop and the sugarcane ready for crushing. It was pleasing and relaxing sight to the eye. And so were we of XI Corps, having accomplished the task of relieving the Pakstani Army’s pressure in Jammu and Kashmir by inflicting heavy armour casualties in Khem Karan and occupying the Pakistan territory right up to the Ichhogil Canal on the Amritsar-Wagha border. The Corps then deployed in the Lahore sector, had become a busy host for the sundry VIP’s looking for photo ops with the combat troops, that too in Pakistani territory. With no television those days, it were there photos in the news papers that alone satisfied their vanity.
“ ‘Inder’ said General … , the Corps Commander, as he unexpectedly walked through the connecting door in my adjoining office ‘ Shri Guzari Lal Nada, the Deputy Prime Minister( Dy PM) , is visiting us and arriving day after tomorrow by Punjab Mail reaching Amratsar at 6 AM and plans to spend the day with the troops deployed in the occupied territory. Please get the visit organised.” He paused for a few seconds and continued- “and yes, another important task for you to oversee personally, he is a pure vegetarian, eats food prepared only by his personal cook, who will also be travelling with him, that too with pure ‘Desi Ghee.” It was said with an added emphasis on ‘Desi Ghee.’
I was required to organise the cooking of the food by his personal cook and serving of the same.
I was further informed that a Deputy Superintendent of Amratsar Police with a team of Constables had also been deputed by the Home Ministry to assist me.
I was the DAMS to the Corps Commander and I passed detailed instruction all around, tying up various details in connection of the visit.
The Headquarters 7 Infantry Division, deployed in BARKI (Pakistan) where the Dy PM was to have his lunch after visiting the troops, was amply cautioned about the importance Dasi Ghee, and the V I P status of the accompanying personal cook of the Dy PM.
On the appointed day I along with rest of the welcoming party, which included the local congress workers were lined up on the station well before the arrival time. It was a tension filled atmosphere for me but a festive occasion for others.
The train arrived on schedule and as it slowed down the locals broke the line , there was a virtual stampede, flower petals, garlands and slogan shouting – “Gulzari Lal Nanda – Zindabad- Zindabad…. Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega Tera Nam Yad Rahega….”
I was more worried to locate the Cook and despite the ensuing melee, some how, with great deft, ingenuity, help from the accompanying policemen and our own two LO’s managed to locate, apprehend and soon packed him in a special Jonja, escorted by the LO’s straight to the Divisionl mess to get going with cooking the special meal with as much. Desi Ghee. as required.
Having achieved some sort of a coup, in my own view, for the day, I put-on the PROs’ cap and got involved with the onerous task of briefing the incredulous American and other foreign correspondents who could not digest our having knocked out so many Patten (the invincible) tanks and forcefully negate their assertions that Pakastani troops had ever reached even the outskirts of Amritsar.
The deed done, as I reached the officers mess to check on the lunch arrangements , I was horrified to notice Shri Nanda already partaking of the same Aloo- Puree- Chana that I had organised as a back, up with others joining him on the table.
I missed a couple of heart beats, imagining the wreath of the Corps Commander for the botched up arrangements of lunch for no less a person than the Dy PM, and with a heavy heart , started in the quest of the missing cook, in my view, the villain of the piece.
To my chagrin, I found him, still in his soiled Kurta Pajama, non-chantilly smoking a ’Bidi, lolling under a nearby tree. Holding my temper, with some effort, I was furious and would have soon flayed him if I could, I enquired in rather a brusque tone “Was there any problem with the Ghee and the vegetables for the Dy PM’s lunch’” I paused, took a deep breadth and continued- “ If not then where is the lunch?”
The venerable gentleman could discern my discomfort and the anguish written all over my countenance. Having pity on me, he disclosed that there was no plan to cook the lunch in situ, as he was to bring the packed lunch from the Dy PM’s residence it self.
A bit relived but wondering as to why then Nanda was enjoying the Aloo Puree I enquired - “ OK, then where is the Tiffin ?”
And then he dropped the ‘bomb shell’- “I left it back at Delhi.” leaving me shell shocked. But the environment which had recently turned hostile and become so uncomfortable for me once again became balmy.
I did thank my lucky stars in that I did have a back up plan of Allo –Puree - Chana which ultimately came to rescue the situation which could have easily turned mighty ugly.
Col IM CHHABRA
as told to Brig Lakhman Singh
.