“Sunday” Routine – “Liberty” and Leisure – Memories of My Navy Days

Today in Sunday. 

And – we are having a Navy Foundation Meet in Lonavala – so – I am looking forward to enjoying the Sunday with my old Navy shipmates and friends. 

This reminds me of the Sundays I enjoyed during my Navy Days.  

So – let me hark back 40 years in time to my early Navy Days – and reminisce about the happiest days of my life – my bachelor Navy days – when I was a carefree bachelor – posted on frontline warships – based at Mumbai (then called Bombay) – and recall – how I spent a typical Sunday

Here are happy memories from those Wonderful Days of My Life in the Navy – memories of how I spent my “Sunday Routines”...

SUNDAY ROUTINE

“Liberty” and Leisure

Reminisces of My Navy Days

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Today is Sunday.

Out here – in Pune – it is a bright Sunday Morning. 

I am all set to attend the Navy Foundation Meet at Lonavala on this bright Sunday Morning where I will meet my old Navy shipmates and friends. 

This makes me hark back to my halcyon Navy Days – and remember my “Sunday Routines” in the Navy.

Once you retire – every day is a “Sunday Routine”.

But – when we were in the Navy – and – our ship was tied alongside in harbour – we looked forward to our Sundays.

Unless you were on duty – Sunday was a day of “Liberty” – when we could enjoy what the Navy calls “Sunday Routine” – our well deserved leisure time.

Let me tell you about a few of my typical “Sunday Routines”.

In the Navy – when you are at sea – you are on duty round-the-clock 24/7 – and there is no “holiday” – so there is no “Sunday Routine” at sea in the true sense.

But – when your ship is in harbour – you have “make-and-mend” (half day) on Wednesdays and Saturdays – and – a “Sunday Routine” on Sundays and Holidays.

Unlike the corporate sector and government civilian babus – an operational organisation like the Navy does not have the luxury of a “5 Day Week” – so we worked 6 days a week – and we had our weekly “off” only on Sundays – unless you were the “Officer of the Day” (OOD) – or you were put on some other “bum job” duty – in which case – you worked on Sundays too.

So – we eagerly waited for Sunday – and coveted our “Sunday Routine”.

“Sunday Routine” was our own personal time which we could spend as we liked – and we could do as we pleased.

Aristotle has wisely said: 

“The end of labour is to gain leisure...”

We laboured the whole week to gain our “Sunday Routine” – and – we were determined to enjoy our well earned leisure to the fullest.

Different individuals spend their leisure in different ways.

Your persona is defined by the way in which you spend your leisure.

There is a saying:

If you want to find out the true character of a man – find out how he spends his leisure.

In the defence services – especially in the Navy – how you spend your leisure mainly depends on where you are posted.

If you are lucky to be posted in a “maximum city” like Mumbai – there is a plethora of opportunities for enjoying your leisure.

On the other hand – if you are posted to a back-of-beyond remote desolate cantonment – your choices for spending your leisure are limited.

Let me describe to you – to compare and contrast – two typical Navy Style “Sunday Routines” – one in Mumbai – and one in Vizag – almost 10 years apart – both when I was posted on frontline warships – the first in the latter half of the 1970’s – and the second in the latter half of the 1980’s.

INS “XXX” (Harbour Sunday Routine – as an “In-Living” Officer)

Mumbai (then called Bombay)

Circa – 1970’s

This was the happiest time of my life.

It is great to be on a happy ship.

Ours was a frontline warship – the ship was new – the crew was good – we had a delightful wardroom with friendly officers – and the general atmosphere on the ship was harmonious.

The main reason for the ship being a “Happy Ship” was our Captain – who was a great guy. 

His credo was simple – all he demanded is that we do our jobs properly – and once we did that – we were free to do whatever we pleased.

(I have observed during my long service in the Navy – and in inter-service establishments – that – particularly in the Defence Services – much depends on the Commanding Officer (CO) – for creating a harmonious the atmosphere in a ship/unit – and a painful “killjoy” CO can make life miserable for all – like we saw on some other ships)

On a Sunday – we woke up early.

(If you remember – I told you in an earlier article that I never had late nights on Saturdays – and I preferred to have my hangovers on working days).

Early in the morning – we crossed the gangway and went ashore.

Then we embarked on a long Sunday morning walk cum jog – walking out of Lion Gate, past Kalaghoda, crossing the Oval, past CCI, then onto Marine Drive to jog to Chowpatty – and back to Churchgate – where we picked up a copy of the Cole (for the day’s races) – followed by “chota hazri” at Stadium Restaurant.

Later – in the wardroom – we had a leisurely Sunday breakfast on board ship – of dosas and coffee – while “studying” the Cole – and the racing columns in the newspapers.

Ours was a wardroom of “punters”.

At around 10 or 10:30 we were off again – walking down to our favourite Stadium Restaurant Churchgate – for a brunch of sumptuous “Kheema Pav” followed by a cup of invigorating Irani Chai – while discussing our “forecasts” and “predictions” for the day’s races.

Then we caught a western railway local train to Mahalaxmi racecourse – so that we were well in time for the first race of the day – which began at noon – or sometimes a bit later at 12:30 or 1 o’clock in the afternoon.

(We took the precaution of buying a “return ticket” – for obvious reasons)

I loved going to the races. 

The atmosphere was electric – the bookie ring – the tote – the stands – the racecourse – the crowds – the excitement – the thrill – the horses – and – not to forget – the beautiful lady punters in their Sunday best – it was a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

In the evening – after a refreshing shower – and fortified with a generous quantity of Scotch and Soda – our hip flasks topped-up – we headed out again – for dinner and a late night movie – followed by midnight ice creams or milkshakes.

The restaurant where we went for dinner depended on our luck at the races – either Olympia or Bade Miyan (on a luckless day) – or Gaylord or Kamling (on a lucky day).

Even during the off-season – when there were no races – there was so much to do on a Sunday in a “maximum city” like Mumbai.

Like I said – those were the happiest days of my life – and my most enjoyable “Sunday Routines” too.

I thought these happy days would never end – but two years later – I was yanked off the ship, and posted to Jamnagar (as an instructor) – and it was still a big culture shock for me after my wonderful days in Mumbai.

I was familiar with the dreary place as a “student officer” – but it was a big disappointment – especially after my glorious days in Mumbai.

I suffered and endured almost one year in that horrible desolate place – almost becoming alcohol dependent – since the main leisure activity there was drinking Rum (while listening to old Hindi Songs on Urdu Service).

I escaped becoming an woebegone alcoholic by getting “selected” for the “prestigious” M. Tech. Course at IIT Delhi.

After two years of “paid holiday” – followed by two years in R&D – and then two more years on instructional duties at IAT Pune – and I was back on a frontline warship in Mumbai.

“Bombay days were back again” 

(Yes – Mumbai was still called Bombay in the late 1980’s).

It was back to halcyon “Sunday Routine” days – I lived at Vasant Sagar in Churchgate – and for the first few months we had a great life.

As I was living it up – chanting “Happy Days are here again” – our luck ran out – and the base port of our ship was changed from Mumbai to Vizag (Visakhapatnam) – and we were off to the Eastern Seaboard.

I had been to Vizag only once on my earlier ship – but I did not see much of the Naval Base – since our ship was berthed on the iron ore jetty in the port trust – and we were in Vizag just for a day or so – and we spent our liberty hours ashore in the town.

But it seemed that – as far as Vizag town was concerned – nothing much had changed in the last 10 years.

As compared to Mumbai – Navy life Vizag was a big comedown – as you will realize – when you see how I spent my “Sunday Routine” at Vizag (Visakhapatnam)

 

INS “YYY” (Harbour Sunday Routine – as an “MLR” officer)

Vizag (Visakhapatnam)

Circa – 1980’s

I was now married (“MLR” or “Money in Lieu of Ration” in Naval Jargon) – and I was living with my family in Naval Park Vizag.

Sunrise is early on the eastern seaboard – so I would get up at 5:30 on Sunday morning – and I would head for my Sunday morning super-long walk – up Dolphin’s Nose – down to Continental Beach – and then head back straight to the “Sunday Market” in the HSL complex near Scindia – and reach there by 7 – just as the market (haat) was opening up.

The entire naval community would be there at the “Sunday Market” – mostly ladies whose husbands are sleeping off their hangover – and some early riser husbands like me.

In Vizag – this Sunday Morning Market was a “must visit” since you lived far away from town in Naval Park – to pick up your weekly stock of vegetables, fruit and fish.

At around 8 – I returned home – I had a bath – we breakfasted on the idlis I had brought from the Sunday market – and at 9 o’clock – we all settled down before the TV set to watch the epic serial Ramayan.

(Later – when Ramayan was over – we would watch Mahabharat from 9 to 10 every Sunday morning).

Then we (self, wife and son) headed to the swimming pool – and spent an hour swimming and cooling off – and chitchatting with friends.

At 12 noon we were sitting in the makeshift club located in the parking lot of the officers’ mess for the Sunday afternoon Beer Biryani Tombola.

(Yes – in Vizag it was the rather prosaic and boring Tombola at the Navy Club – in lieu of thrilling and exciting Horse Racing at the Mahalaxmi Race Course which we enjoyed in Mumbai)

Then – I headed back home for a “Beer and Biryani induced siesta” –  which made me feel groggy.

In the evening – maybe we headed for town – full family of 3 on my Bajaj scooter – mostly accompanied by friends – and walked around Ramakrishna Beach – or maybe saw a movie at Jagdamba – followed by dinner at Daspalla.

Then we headed back home – and hit the sack.

Vizag was a big comedown from the glorious “Sunday Routines” of Mumbai.

One thing good in the Navy is that nothing is permanent.

So – many years later – in the year 2000 – I was back in Mumbai – and I enjoyed my “Sunday Routines” even better than before – since the Navy gave me a lovely house in Empress Court – opposite the Oval – in Churchgate.

What better location can you ask for in Mumbai – especially to enjoy your leisure...? 

EPILOGUE

My best and most enjoyable “Sunday Routines” were in Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi.

And the most lackluster and dreary Sunday Routines were in Jamnagar – arguably the worst place to be posted to – during my younger days in the Navy.

The Sunday Routines in places like Vizag, Kochi (Cochin) and Pune were somewhere middle-of-the-road – as I have described above.

In IAT Girinagar Pune – on Sundays – we could go trekking up to Sinhagad – or walk up the hills of Girinagar – or we would head for Pune City – to spend the day with our parents/relatives (Pune is my hometown).

How about you...? 

How do you like to enjoy your Sundays...?

And especially if you are a “Fauji” – do tell us how you enjoyed your “Sunday Routines” in the “Fauj” – in the Army, the Navy or the Air Force.  

And hey – all you young Civilian Friends – especially all you “Techie” Nerds, Geeks and Dorks – do let us know how you spend your Sundays and Weekends.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. This story and all stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

This is a revised version of my article earlier posted online by me Vikram Karve in my academic and creative writing journal blog at 7/08/2014 11:30:00 PM at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/07/humor-in-uniform-sunday-routine.html  and later re-posted at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/04/leisure-management-navy-style-sunday.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/10/sunday-routine.html and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/05/sunday-routine-unforgettable-memories.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/01/sunday-routine-memories-of-happiest.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/03/memories-of-my-navy-days-sunday-routine.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/06/sunday-routine-liberty-and-leisure.html etc

Sunday Fiction – Rendezvous at Sunrise

Today is Sunday. 

So – let me hark back to my early creative writing days – and post a few stories which happen on a Sunday. 

Here is the first story – “Rendezvous at Sunrise”

It was my first piece of creative writing (I had done a lot of non-creative writing before).

Dear Reader: This is my first Love Story – a Tale of Unrequited Love...

RENDEZVOUS AT SUNRISE

Short Fiction – A Simple Love Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

PROLOGUE

If you ask me what motivated me into writing my first short story – I will say: 

“The Sunday Morning Market in Vizag.” 

Yes – it was a visit to this Sunday Morning Market – almost 30 years ago – in 1988 – that inspired me to write my first story – “Rendezvous at Sunrise”.

In Vizag (Visakhapatnam) – every Sunday Morning – I would go up to Dolphin’s Nose – and then come down to the beach (which we called “Continental Beach”) to relax in the waters and walk on the sands. 

After that – on our way back – we would head for the “Sunday Market” at Scindia to pick up our weekly stock of vegetables and other goodies.

Maybe – this Sunday Morning Activity stimulated the dormant and latent creativity in me and gave birth to my first piece of creative writing – a love story.

Your first love always has an enduring place in your heart. 

It is the same with your first creative work.

Your first creative baby always has a special significance. 

This is the first short story I wrote. 

It is a simple love story.

It is a story of inchoate and unrequited love that happens to all of us.

I wrote this story almost 30 years ago during my Vizag days after a visit to the Sunday Morning Market.

I kept this story with me in my diary for some time.

Then – one day – I sent this story to the literary supplement of a newspaper in response to a fiction story competition.

To my delightful surprise – this story won the first prize. 

I cannot describe my emotion when I saw my story in print – given the pride of place in the magazine.

Yes, this was my first published work of Fiction – my first Creative Baby. 

I love this story – Rendezvous at Sunrise. 

Do read the story and tell me if you like it.

RENDEZVOUS AT SUNRISE – Love Story By Vikram Karve

Sunrise – on the eastern coast – is a special event.

I stood at Dolphin’s Nose – a spur jutting out into the Bay of Bengal – to behold the breaking of the sun’s upper limb over the horizon of the sea.

As the eastern sky started unfolding like crimson petals of a gigantic flower – I was overcome by a wave of romance and nostalgia – vivid memories – not diminished by the fact that almost 10 years had passed.

  

I was a young bachelor then – and Vizag (Visakhapatnam) did not have much to offer.

Every Sunday morning – I used to rise before dawn and head for Dolphin’s Nose to enjoy the resplendent spectacle of sun majestically rising out of the sea.

The fresh salty sea breeze was a panacea for all the effects of the hangover caused by Saturday night excesses.

  

After the viewing the metamorphosis at sunrise – I used to walk downhill along the steep mountain-path towards the rocky beach for a brief swim.

I used to notice a flurry of activity at a distance – in the compound of a decrepit building – which I used to ignore – but curious – one day I decided to have a closer look.

  

It was a fish market.

Most of the customers were housewives from the nearby residential complexes who were in their “Sunday-worst” – sans make-up, slovenly dressed, face unwashed and unkempt hair – what a contrast from their carefully decked-up appearances at the club the previous evening...

  

I began to walk away – quite dejected.

And suddenly – I saw her.

I stopped in my tracks.

She was a real beauty – tall, fair and freshly bathed – her long lustrous hair dancing on her shoulders.

She had large expressive brown eyes – and her sharp features were accentuated by the rays of the morning Sun.

I cannot begin to describe the sensation she evoked in me – but it was the first time in my life that I felt my heart ache with intense yearning.

I knew this was love.

  

But – I knew in my heart that I stood no chance.

She had a mangalsutra around her neck.

She was married – maybe happily too.

Nevertheless – I went close to her – and – I made her pretense of buying some fish.

Smiling cannily at me.

She selected a couple of pomfrets and she held them out to me.

I managed to briefly touch her soft hands – the feeling was electric – and a shiver of thrill passed through me.

She communicated an unspoken goodbye with her teasing dancing eyes – and then – she briskly walked away.

I was too delightfully dazed to follow her.

I returned to my room – and – I had fried pomfret for breakfast. 

Needless to say – the pomfret fish were delicious.

   

I religiously followed this routine every Sunday morning.

She never missed her rendezvous with me – same place – same time – at precisely 7 o’clock in the morning.

But – not a word was exchanged between us.

I was too shy – and she probably wanted to keep it this way – a beautiful ethereal relationship – a love so delicate that one wrong move might destroy everything.

   

Meanwhile – I developed a taste for fried pomfret – which was quite creditable – considering that I had never eaten fish before.

   

I left Vizag – and I traveled around the world – I met so many beautiful girls in the numerous exotic places I visited – but I never forgot her.

A man’s first love always has an enduring place in his heart.

   

And now – I was back in Vizag almost ten years later.

As I walked down the slope towards the beach – in my mind’s eye – I could still vividly visualize the playfully sublime look on her face – her gentle smile and communicative eyes – although 10 years had passed.

I could not contain the mounting excitement and anticipation in me. 

I was desperately yearning to see her again. 

It was a forlorn hope – but I was flushed with optimism.

   

As I reached the beach – I noticed that the Sun was well clear of the horizon.

I glanced at my watch. 

It was almost 7 o’clock.

I hastened my step – I almost broke into a run – and in a few minutes – I reached the fish market.

I stood exactly at the same spot where we used to have our rendezvous at sunrise.

  

With tremors of anticipation – and trepidation – I looked around with searching eyes.

Nothing had changed. 

The scene was exactly the same as I had left it ten years ago.

Only one thing was missing – SHE wasn’t there.

Yes – she wasn’t there.

I had drawn a blank.

I was crestfallen.

My mind went blank.

I stood vacuously – oblivious to the world around me.

And suddenly I felt that familiar electrifying touch – the same shiver of thrill.

It shook me to reality – as quick as lighting.

She softly put two pomfret fish in my hands.

I was in seventh heaven.

   

I looked at her.

I was not disappointed.

Her beauty had enhanced with age.

But something had changed.

Yes, it was in her eyes.

Her large brown eyes did not teasingly dance anymore.

There was a trace of sadness – a tender poignancy in her liquid brown eyes as she bid me an unspoken goodbye.

I was so dumbstruck by the suddenness of the event – and the enormity of the moment – that I stood frozen – like a statue – unable to react or to say anything.   

It was only as she was leaving – that I noticed – that there was no mangalsutra around her slender neck.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

I wrote this story almost 30 years ago in 1988 and I have posted it online earlier in my creative writing blogs when I started blogging around 18 years ago, then again in then year 2004, and many times later at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/a-story-of-unrequited-love-by-vikram-karve_27566_blog  and many times on my various blogs like http://creative.sulekha.com/rendezvous-at-sunrise-my-first-romance_48501_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/03/rendezvous-at-sunrise-tale-of.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/04/my-first-romance.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/06/sunday-morning-romance.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/01/my-first-love-story-rendezvous-at.html etc