How to book a Hockey field at NDA!

My magnificent alma mater, the National Defence Academy (NDA) paid considerable emphasis on sports. It goes without saying that the sporting infrastructure was top class and ample. To take hockey as an example, there were some dozen odd fields. But as with anything else in life, while they were all equal, some being better kempt, were more equal than others. Quite obviously therefore, these better fields were more sought after when scheduling hockey practice for the squadrons. Being coveted by all Squadrons thus, they needed to be booked in advance. Now as with anything else in NDA, ‘booking’ procedures were also somewhat unique and could be described for want of a better phrase, as ‘first come first serve’.

Scene 1

So, it was decided on one fateful day that ‘dukkis’ (second termers), Cadet RK Dahiya (self) and Cadet SC would be entrusted with the all important task of booking the field. However, as dukkis could never be trusted fully and were alarmingly prone to dope acts, a more experienced third termer was nominated to oversee the entire expedition.

Scene 2

At the appointed hour of 0200 hrs on a frightfully cold morning, Cadet Third Termer, Cadet RK Dahiya and Cadet SC, well attired with raincoats, sweaters and a scarf/muffler to ward of the chills, rendezvoused at the Squadron main door and set out, much like Shackleton would have for the South Pole.

Owing to the third termer’s superior knowledge of the terrain and other pitfalls, we avoided all main roads for fear of being accosted by a stray officer or drill ustad (the latter had the rather uncanny ability of appearing out of nowhere). Such an encounter would have led to uncomfortable questions from the questioner, to which we the questionees could scarcely have given satisfactory answers. Unsatisfactory answers would have in turn yielded even more uncomfortable ‘on the spot’ physical exercises (which you will recall from this piece, is not my cup of tea). Fortunately, we found our circuitous way to the hockey field near the Gym, undetected. A quick look see showed us that we were the first ones there (and that you will agree, is important under a first come serve paradigm).

Happy at our overall situation, Cadet Third Termer deemed it fit to retire to one of the goal posts and crouch next to the one foot high wooden board that hockey goalposts propitiously have, to get some shelter from the cold. So there we were, comfortably ensconced (or as comfortably as is feasible in such trying circumstances) hooded by our raincoats and resigned to waiting for the rest of the Squadron to arrive in the early dawn; visions of triumph in our minds at a job well done…

Soon enough however, what with the rigours of NDA life, we drifted off into a deep and deserving slumber.

Scene 3

I happened to wake up during the early twilight and to my amazement I discerned three shapeless blobs and three orbs that looked suspiciously like heads, hazily visible in the other goal post. Gave me quite a start, but quick thinking as I am, I decided that this fraught uncomfortable situation needed to be tackled at a higher level, viz at the level of the third termer. So, I shook him awake and gave him a quick and succinct brief. He in turn shook up Cadet SC with a well directed rap to his orb.

Now, this third termer, though a gem of a soul, was rather average in things called PT, cross country, sprints, etc. But on that day, I kid you not, once the situation had penetrated through the just-roused-from-slumber induced grogginess, and calm equanimity/visions of triumph had been replaced by undisputed alarm, took off like a rocket towards the opposite goal post. I’m sure that he would have left Carl Lewis, if for some strange reason he had been there that morning, trailing in his dust. The dukkis too fetched up some seconds later to a comical pantomime along “we came first, no we came first” lines, between our third termer and another (I presume) third termer. As it happened, the two Cadet Seargent Majors (CSMs) of the two squadrons had arrived at the same modus operandi viz-a-vis booking hockey fields.

The two third termers, argued and argued, each encouraged to not give up by visions of their respective CSM’s reactions at their failures to secure their respective objectives. And there was good reason for this obstinacy. The CSMs you see are a peculiar breed of cadets, chosen from amongst the sixth (seniormost) termers mainly for their adoration of Genghis Khan’s methods. They, like our man Genghis, believed in immediate and exemplary ‘rewards’ for failure to achieve the smallest objective. And booking a field was a major one in their eyes.  Hence, as can be imagined when two equally determined warring forces collide, an uneasy stalemate ensued. Meanwhile the four of us dukkis, maintained our silence, comfortable in the camaraderie of the oppressed.

Scene 4

The stalemate however ended in victory for us and misery for the other guys. Primarily because our Genghis reached the field earlier than theirs and he quickly asserted his authority and sent them packing (presumably to their gallows), in no time. Whew! that was a close one……