Cold Coffee, hearing the words one starts to salivate, this concoction is simply divine, probably this was the famous magic potion brewed by Getafix which gave superhuman powers to the Gauls. After all aren't NDA Cadets super humans and I dare say an ex NDA would kill for a drop of this elixir. Cold Coffee was served in the evenings but alas it was only once a week, the rest of the days it was something which resembled Tea and smelt like it, but was otherwise just plain boiled water with plenty of sugar, which too was devoured in tumblers generally plastic ones. Generous doses of this brew worked wonders for the bowels early mornings, the evening dose kept you going through the motions i.e. Roll Call, Ante Room procedure, Preps, the pre Dinner sprints and post Dinner sessions both moral and physical.
NDA Cadets are not in love with Coffee alone they are also tipsy about Tipsy pudding and can go to any lengths to get more than their fair share of this dessert. There have been umpteen number of incidents where cadets have lost their wrist watches in the bowl of Tipsy, recovered by someone else and returned duly licked clean. Every article which can be used to store the sweet dish is put to good use so a helmet or jap cap is fair game. All is fair in love and war, here it is love for the Tipsy and each one is at war with his competitors for the extra Tipsy.
Anyway to return to the Cafe Frappe, Iced Latte or Iced Mocha as the woke generation would refer this drink to, was something to die for, Hell hath no fury as compared to a six termer deprived of his cold coffee, if he happened to be out for some obscure reason, it was the fundamental duty of every second termer to save his share of the coffee, else, God forbid...The coffee in the tummies would be forced out by other means to drive the lesson home. But can you blame them for this demeanour, not really, imagine how did the 'Devas' behave when the 'Asuras' got hold of the pot of elixir during the 'samudra manthan' (churning of the ocean), Lord Vishnu himself enticed them in his avtaar as Mohini to steal it from them. We are mere mortals.
Just let your imagination run wild, "It's a hot summer day, after a gruelling run on the periphery followed by the cooling down on the Vertical Ropes, Beams and the Mat, when you hear the sound of the Tea room bell, the aroma of coffee is wafting through the corridors and finally the CSM has decided to call it a day. The cadets are sprinting to their cabins to pick up the tumblers and then patiently wait in queue for their turn, that folks is the epitome of discipline. It is not the Drill Square, as we were often told that "Drill is the bedrock of Discipline". It is the Tea Room corridor where we attain Nirvana, controlling the mind, body, emotions and learn to mediate with zen like with single minded devotion on just the Can of Coffee. No Starbucks or Cafe Coffee Day can come close to that taste and flavour ..... so wake up go smell the Cold Coffee!!
31 comments:
Brought back lovely memories.
Suyash kudos…Koffee cheers
Bob
Too good. πππ Got reminded of the time when our senior got Charged,' Dancing in front of moving vehicle ' by the Asst Adjt, while going for cold coffee after gamesπππ
Lucidly vivid recollection Suyash. Great!!
What memories?, can't forget the snack
Wonderful Suyash!
Truly nostalgic....
Lovely
Nice one, sir
Thank you Sir to bring back memories reminiscing good old days
Absolute. Cold Coffee & Tipsy pudding. Fantastic Suyash. If memory was a smell....
π
Well said sir Also, if some of us may recall, the other counter part of coffee at IMA was insipid cocoa which everyone detested except for once.... and that was the hot cocoa served at Clouds end before day break during Bhadraaj in 2nd term.....
Nice piece ! Ex NDAs would actually get the whiff. While the likes of me can visualise this coffee line with some faces attached to it.
Suyash you can claim your share of profit with Indigo/ Vistara..... They have experienced hightened bookings for Pune post your article . Great & nostalgic writings....
Got back fond memories of good old days. Very vividly described Sir. Thank you
What a connect between the golden lifeline of the men in khakis and the super drink.
Choti Choti Khushian... aur unki yaaden...
Wonderful memories brought back.. agree this one cup of coffee would be willing to go all over again
In Coorg some of us were fond of coffee made with black jaggery. Large potful of this coffee brewed would be made with an fireplace using firewood, to be kept at a corner of the fire place to be consumed on requirement!
Coffee is widely grown in Coorg!
KA Cariappa
Stoked that coffee bean roast inside of my NDA head. You're spot on, with the adrenaline rush of caffeine and periphery, of the tea cakes with Ralle Rassi and so much more that is only a Khadakvaslian. Reading your snippets always does take us back, Marty
Relished the article as much as we Relished Cold Coffee and Tipsy pudding
Very nice. Great skill to put these memories into words so beautifully
Cold coffee indeed brings nirvana…you made this so engaging … live through your experience!!
That's a lot of water under the bridge, Suyash. Eloquent as usual.
Your narrative is a heady aromatic brew, just the whiff of which jogs vivid memories!
Awesome sir..continue the good work
Memories of a bygone era sir... really wonderful
Wonderful Suyash.
Reminded of training times....
Nice write up
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