Caps Cups and Wine Bottles

 Our headgear is our pride, that is what we all have been taught. So much so that even religious rituals require us to cover our heads. The turban actually adds to the persona of the individual and is not just another fashion accessory.  So a Sikh will tolerate anything but when it comes to his turban, he will not tolerate any disrespect whatsoever. Kings and queens on coronation are also crowned, in the Army too the hat, berets and caps are respected and shown due deference. Our uniforms in any case are our pride, and we can't conjure an image where a soldier is without an appropriate chapeau or his helmet in the battlefield. The topee protects us from the vagaries of the weather and for baldies like me it provides us the much needed cover as the Almighty chose to reward us with a shining pate instead of a flock of hair. In winters we can't afford to step outside without our mandatory woollen caps. Since most of us have been fans of Hollywood Westerns we have acquired our stetsons and felts in addition to our usual repertoire of headgears.  But these days our hatstands are overflowing and there is practically no space for the collection of assortment of different kinds of caps, hats and topee.

The reason is, in our exuberance as good hosts we have now made this almost an unwritten writ where a visiting guest is presented a cap as a memorabilia. So wherever you go you return with some unique caps, these caps have their specific identities such as the formation sign, regimental or training academy insignia, school crests and so on. These days we have added stars to the caps as if the brass on the shoulders and the flags on the cars were not enough. Since the customised caps have these details embroidered or printed they can't be further gifted away nor can these be discarded lest they land up with any Tom, Dick or Harry who adorn them without realising their worth demeaning the pride associated with them. I must be having almost about a hundred of them with me, with a steel trunk specifically assigned for it. I am sure most veterans would be facing a similar predicament.

Like the Caps, there is another item which is again available in plenty, the crested mugs. Initially these were a novelty when we realised a printed customised mug which could have our photographs or regimental insignias printed they were a collector's item. But again this item too was picked up as an appropriate gift article for any visitor and then the floodgates opened. There are only a finite number of such mugs which we can display in the showcases, some can be used for our daily cuppa of coffee or tea, but the rest again have to be kept wrapped in the packing material lest they be damaged. Our cups and caps have between them a complete zoo and armoury as also the family album. Zoo because they depict most of Army Formation Signs from Elephant to Eagle, Owl to Tiger, we have them all. Armoury needs no explanation, Tridents, Swords, Tanks, Guns, Drones, Ships, Submarines and Aircrafts all find their pride of place. 

We also collect many mementos which are presented to us when we serve with a unit or formation  before demitting office. These are sort of well deserved and have an association as well, but then as is the practice that whenever a senior officer visits a unit or formation he is presented with the unit/formation memento. This memento is presented  to the appointment and not to the individual and some of us do give it to the office itself but then how many such mementos can be housed there as well. As the formation/unit insignia doesn't change but the senior officer changes every two years on an average.

Apart from all these memorabilia there is another item which is gifted but that is by the visiter to our homes. As youngsters when we called on senior officers we normally carried flowers and chocolates for their kids. Wine bottles were not easily available nor were they so affordable. Times have changed now, having watched lots of Hollywood movies and sitcoms, the practice of carrying a wine bottle has become a norm. Homegrown Sula wines are easily available but if we want this to be classy a Jacob's Creek or Champagne is chosen, for special occasions Single Malt is the order of the day.  Host a party and collect wine bottles by scores, which then stay wrapped in their packaging more often than not, to be gifted away. Thankfully these can easily be gifted away as there are no regimental sentiments associated with them. 

Is it time we take stock and curtail this gift culture, instead may be gift books, ideas and just pleasantries which may go a long way!