AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 7 – Panorama CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 269 of 332 Another thing that has improved for the submariner is the chocolate ration given these days to compensate for the lack of sunlight and additional nutrition required for general hardship. Earlier we had to eat ‘petha’ and peanut ‘chikki’ instead of present day Amul chocolates. Tinned vegetables in earlier days were supplied in label less tins with the most uninteresting vegetables pickled in brine. The modern day ready to eat meals and frozen cut vegetables are a real luxury. I remember in the earlier days fresh eggs having a very small shelf life would finish within a week of the voyage and then the chefs would change over to egg powder supplied in abundance. But omelettes made from this concoction would look and taste like a thick rubber sheet. Earlier meat was supplied in large chunks or carcasses and the chefs had to sit and clean them but these days fresh mutton and chicken is supplied chopped and cleaned in packets. Innovativeness in the galley or kitchen is what keeps the interest alive. Despite themenu for the week being displayed on the notice board underwater, the most favourite question asked underwater by all would be and I am sure, still is, “What’s for lunch or dinner today”? Chefs are all the time innovating and trying to keep the interest alive by cooking different dishes, or making special snacks, or baking a cake to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries underwater. Any excuse to keep the submariner happy. Rocky and Mayur of culinary fame did not have to sail on a submarine to endorse the talents of our chefs. But the one tradition loved by all was the “entering harbour chicken”. This involved giving half a chicken to each individual on the day of entering harbour every time. Our chefs used to save chicken rations during the voyage so as to be able to give this large piece to each crewman on the day of entering harbour usually the last meal onboard. Vegetarians would get an equivalent piece of paneer to revel in the fact that the submarine was entering harbour and that the next meal would be ashore. The “entering harbour chicken” coupled with “home revolutions” was a heady concoction for the crew. “Home revs” is a term used for the phenomenon of a mysterious increase in speed on the day of entering harbour after a long voyage. The engine room department would report extra speed being achieved for the same revolutions ordered by the Captain as he steered the submarine homewards!!! I remember that on one occasion, as I was ready to cast off at dawn and awaiting my Executive Officer’s report that the submarine was ready for sea, I noted with concern when he reported that the “submarine was ready for sea except that we had been supplied only one type of vegetable namely 300 kg of pumpkin”. I was taken aback and thought to myself as how would I face my ship’s company for forty days with the prospect of eating only pumpkin for the entire duration. I quickly made a few telephone calls to my superiors requesting to delay my departure and to supply me a variety of vegetables as this was likely to affect the morale of my ship’s company.