South Indian Udipi Food in Mumbai during 2nd Mates Exam

South Indian  food -on shore leave in Mumbai,

1963-65 -1967

PROLOGUE

It is a quiet  evening and I decided to jot down a few lines after seeing " masala dosai "- in yahoo news-We Dufferin cadets on shore leave in  63-65s had a set routine and much depended on our origin -i.e. upcountry or local-viz. If a local, a few upcountry friends joined the local ; some like me were often in a standard routine -visit a local family (guardian at Matunga-King Circle,  travel by R 43 bus - or meet a school friend in Colaba - take in a movie with this classmate, usually in fort area and that was all.. 2-3 LPs on Juke Box at Mondegar cafe --with a soft drink waiting for Regal cinema show time maybe.

South Indian food –

Meals was on a tight budget ;.remember just, Rs 8/- pocket cash and so it was not easy .

Later we found this Udipi hotel outside Alexandra Docks, called Dilkush Vishranti Griha -a quaint but loving description which I think can read as  Happy Heart-Restiing House, catering to both  South indian khana and Marathi snacks (misal /usal/ sabudana vada etc etc).

Simple eats and quite cheap- Poori with Sheera was Rs 2/- This was enough for us .

Even at 2nd mates time in Sept 1967, whilst staying at Marine Club we had shared Rooms – 

used to eat here.ThePoori item  never  cost more than Rs 3/ with Coffee or Tea at breakfast.

Neelam was occasional -for Dinner only if we had cash left was just plain rotis one curry shared with papad and salad. 

Dear Harpal Singh Sahi was my joint study Mate in Marine Club (ROR & M Notices and oral questions with the usual SELFI Examiner for Written exam prep). Harpal just loved south Indian khana and Masala Dosai especially; after diner he would say:

Hi  "Raj--I want a Dho- sa ( see below in article) ok ..dhosa-please-cant miss that " -ok , ok.

Way back in 1967.. it cost just Rs 3/- I think. ---

Today maybe it is Rs 50/-----with all served.

See  below India's signature dish (obviously promoted) --' Masala Do-sai '...please

(correct pronounciation) as is today  in ghee- with all ingredients & side dishes and chutneys.

Study was a serious matter-no fooling. Besides we had limited funds and staying in Bombay was not easy We completed all studies together -End Sept. down from ship and cleared orals with Capt.Sarukkai!!- a tough Examiner ; passed all in Dec inc Radar--and we were simply  jubiliant. FInally the 4  plus years *54 months  had been completed-we were qualified finally.

Nothing has made me feel better than that experience of completing the 2nd Mates Exam -sheer elevation to cloud nine.

Was back home by year end Dec 1967--after a fight in GESCO office in an attempt  to recollect my Apprentice ship Rs 500/- Indenture Bond Money.....(long story) . After capt D.G. Hazari intervened and  blasted Cha Cha capt Maini (marine Super) for bully tactics-and I signed a letter saying will join back-which in any case I was doing. Looking back we had bullies all over ..even in offices then. The princely Ransom of Rs 500 cash was given back finally.

I got myself a Train tkt plus 2 sets of white Uniforms and a Battle Jacket too-

God Bless late Capt. DGH (RIP) -

or I may have had to Walk back to Madras !!.

2007

Dilksush Vishranti Griha (my home away from home) in Fort area was sold -and became a Bar some years back; Indira Dock gate is Walled in -

Now  both are shut.

GESCO went on to greater heights -got many more ships and apart from SCI is the only surviving shipp company from our times today.

GE Maritime College and Offshore Div. are new additions.. are doing well.

I still get a copy of their "Ocean Waves"  Newsletter periodically and have written for it-- 

Still surveyed their ships till recent times-2004.

OH yes before I forget-- today Iddly -sambar (is safe food for any age) and  Masala Dosai (umpteen desi and Mumbai versions)  went on to become even more famous throughout India and the World-at all Hotels, Cafes and now even Road side eateries, as I saw recently---.

3 CHEERS for the Masala Dosai & Filter Kapee.

AAL IZZ  WELL

RGDS

TR

India’s Signature Dish? Masala Dosa!

Shore leave and Cinemas

Shore leave days- Cinema  in Bombay 50s-60s 70s:-
We said Seeing a Cinema or Picture!! Long before the word Movie or the term Bolly wood was heard of -Yes it was a city for the latest cinema shows. Also in decent theatres of those times and very economical, good crowds and it was nice.
I am not sure if I wrote on Bombay Cinemas - but in 1963 when I came for Dufferin Interview, pending out comes on result of final selected list , saw 2 Movies as the waiting tension was getting to me-
1) The Longest Day- at King Circle Cinema -got directions and went for the 5 Pm show and liked the film
2) DR NO--starring James Bond 007 Sean Connery's first Bond film and the new find Ursula Andress and her Bikini was a big hit (LOL) and the song " Underneath the Mango tree -I think it was at Eros and a major sellout.
Soon I learnt that I was was selected and after Eye-sight test etc joined Training. A month later we were in the Routine.
We only got Shore leave on alternate sundays. 2/month max.
This was ok as we had limited funds. We had to stay in Uniform on such Shore leaves -all the time for ID .
Movies in AC comfort then was a priority at Rs.1/ 33 Ticket or Rs. 2./62.
We did not snack in theatres then as we do now at a cost higher than the ticket!!
Strand, Eros, Regal and Metro were our fav spot and after for lunch at 1 pm-
A day was happily spent between 10 am to 7 pm on a shoestring budget of Rs.8/ plus 2/- inc toiletries shoe polish, paste etc . Then back from VT to Dockyard Rail Station or bus and the Launch at Mazagaon Pier at 7pm-sharp . Miss the launch and you were Out...
EROS Theatre was also a fav as the Manager there was my Batch mate (late ) Ulhas Rao's Father Mr K Rao, Kannada gentleman from Udipi and would help us get seats in advance on sunday matinees of rush days.
My batch friend Ulhas K Rao passed away 5 years ago (RIP)
VT- Ballard Pier to Metro to Colaba were all walking distances and so we walked We Dufferin cadets were give the facility to use the facilities at Seafarers Club at Ballard Pier. Play TT. Some played Billiards or just shared a soft drink -
Eat at Neelam or Sher e punjab near by or Dilkush Vishranti for Udipi snacks--or at Mondegar Cafe the Juke box at 25 paisa per song(LOL) plus snacks and thumbs up at Colaba and to Regal- Eros or Strand.The ultimate budget was the deciding factor or miss evening meal . Hmmm. 2/50 on Brun-Maska Chai in Irani hotels with Omlette was also seen as a saver or Masala Dosa at Dilkush.
Life was easy and economical and Carefree.
We walked on average at least 5-10 km on a shore leave day.
Simple times but fun and carefree .
rgds
TR

+2

Prayers at Sea- and on training

Prayers at Sea- 

dt 17th July 2017.
What does Spirituality &Prayers mean to Mariners -and how is it practiced at Sea.
The query was from a younger Mariner -also a correspondent to journals.

LOOKING BACK
Honestly, I feel Faith is an inherent trait and a part of our early home upbringing. Then it is finally a matter of the person's own inclination i.e. Faith as "Vishwas"-

On T.S. Dufferin, a former Troop ship that served in the War and later converted to a rustic Training ship for the navy -both cadres -- the order "Fall out for Prayers" was done thrice daily; at 6 am, at 9 am during morning Assembly and last fall in was at night by abt 9.30 pm. It had no conditions attached -just individual Faith and mind you it was all done in the same attire viz. the uniform or in the morning in working overalls-viz. boiler suit-working overalls. Nothing else mattered and at age 17 plus -less than 19 , the home upbringing and training on any spiritual practice alone held us and impacted us-
If we had a Prayerful attitude, we spent 3-5 mts in reverence to the Almighty--any name-any faith as we wished. Just look at the Sea and Sky; or else with eyes closed, as we leaned at the Ships Railing -- to Pray --We all did .No chatter, talk, dialogue or speech sermon, or hifi dissertations-just our silent , simple Prayer from the Heart....Soul .

The early Captain Superintendents instilled in us boys (then average age 17-18 max) with Discipline- Work and a healthy respect for the Creator and Creation. Fall In was early morning assembly 6.30 after wash up brush and a Mug of Tea in the mess Rooms- fast Fast - Fall on Quarter Deck- the first formal meet of the day Then Fall out for Prayers at 6.35 hrs for 2 mts, when we quietly looked seawards or to the sky; many leaned against the wooden Taff railing-heads bowed down in Prayer. So, we said our own prayers in line with our Faith/ Choice or some just maintained silence.
There were 80 Cadets (annual intake ) from all over India- and a few came from Ceylon., Malaysia and earlier even Burma and Pakistan (pre -partition days).
This developed a Communal Harmony from about living , studying and working with about 8 faiths and 5 Countries of SE Asia; It was so clearly established and a respect for our own 15 States and their customs and traditions and respect for all.
Later after Morning routine was over it was Clean ship, PT /Exercises, Bath - change , Breakfast in regular Uniforms-Fall in again- included a March past with a Captains Address and Patriotic songs and Universal Prayers-read .
So many things done, cheerfully, briskly and not a minute wasted
When I saw the Film "Chak De India" I recalled so many similarities of bonding together as one Unit -to Train and Serve in the Indian Merchant Navy.-
"Jai Hind"
TR
Cadet Roll No 1978 (63-65)

NOTE:

In later years I  learnt that Open space prayer is highly regarded and taught in Meditation systems. It was taught at Bangalore in a Camp 1992, in Open space i.e. "Sit in a garden and quieten the mind by simple breathing exercises and reflect , then pray -saluting each of the 5 Elements (Pancha Mahabhutas viz.the Elements Years later it was explained in later years by SC Math in Ashta murthies 8 aspects of Existence-and Space.
NOTE:

Our much loved and famous Dufferin song has an amazing philosophical depth .
We're on the road,
We're on the road,To anywhere,
and every mile-stone seems to say:
that the road to anywhere, the road to anywhere
will lead to somewhere,--Someday.
It also has a resemblance to Rabindranath Tagore's 'Ekla Cholo' in its spirit and -- .

 'Ekla Cholo Re'.was also featured in a film- Kahaani, where Amitabh Bachchan pays tribute to Song: Ekla Cholo Re Lyrics: Anvita Dutt Guptan, Music Director: Vishal-Shekhar

Just sharing-
Rgds
TR

T.S.Dufferin and history of Mazagaon Pier

12th Aug 2015.

T.S.Dufferin and history of Mazagaon Pier 

Our training ship Dufferin was moored one and quarter miles off Mazagaon pier and trained over 2200 cadets till 1972. Access was by launch from Mazagaon Pier.
HISTORY
1) The word Mazagaon is from the Sanskrit "Matsya Gram", meaning fishing village. However, folk etymology derives it from the Marathi as "Maza Gaon", meaning my village.

2) The Mazagaon Fort was a British fort , built around 1680. The fort was razed by the Siddi general Yakut Khan , in June 1690. The fort was located at the present-day Joseph Baptista Gardens, atop Bhandarwada Hill outside the Dockyard railway station.After the British arrived in Bombay in the 1660s, they selected Bhandarwala hill as a site for the Mazagon Fort, that was built in 1680-.razed by wars and clashes for power Mughals, Portuguese British
3) Mazagaon Hill : Joseph Baptista Garden / Mazagon Hill / Mazagon Fort (Mumbai City) was built as a public municipal garden around a reservoir atop of the Mazagon Hill. It was named after an Indian freedom fighter "Kaka" Joseph Baptista.It provides a vantage view of the city, particularly the off-limit docks on the east side.
4) It saw many changes with Portuguese, Mughal and British dominance in succession and by the end of the seventeenth century, Mazagaon became an outlying suburb of Bombay.
5) In 1790 the docks at Mazagaon were completed. However Bycullah took over and Mazagaon became mostly a Dock Workers place.
NOTE: Dr. Buist wrote in 1851 that Bombay Island for most part rose in to round or nearly flat topped hills varying in height from 100 to 1000 ft. At that time there existed a belt of Coconut trees adoring the Shores of Bombay having within it an infinite variety of Woodland, Mountain, Lake and River Scenery every where. According to him Bombay island scarcely surpassed in picturesqueness and beauty anywhere in the world. Within one hundred years there was a tremendous change in Bombay. Many of the hills like Mazagaon hill (150 ft.) Chinchpokli Hill (150 ft.). Matunga Hill, Tardeo Hill had vanished from Bombay's topography. Even the hills like Malbar Hill, Worli Hill do not look like hills now. Most of the hills in Greater Bombay have already been digested by our greed for more land and for housing industry & other activities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time passes all by.
Today there is nothing muchto recognise today.
The Mazagaon pier exists as the sole  Silent Witness to the Dufferin era. 
Salutations to the place. 
Today it is a high security place to even access.
From earlier days a few pics attached.
TR

Mariners Nostalgia--all has to come to an end...

It all came to an end in 1975.

I was master on M.V.Chennai Sadhanai- a 42, 000 tonner Bulker on Japan -Australia run and the last year 1974-1975 was quite eventful -but we managed well.
Thanks to a wonderful team of officers and crew.

My wife Sudha was then  sailing with me (in fact since 1972) on ships and  was expecting in 5th month ..not too safe  to sail so had to sign off; mid April 1975 last date-signed off together at Kashima port , Japan and flew back to Madras via Mumbai on AI -707 jet.

Later it was not possible to continue the sea career as Sudha had serious health problems needing treatment  and so I settled ashore in a Port Trust job for a year and then got a post as a Marine Cargo surveyor  with firm of J.B.Boda Marine survey Co. -where I have worked the last 38 years till this date...now ona Administrative Retainer.. 

Sea life and the Shore Life has been .a great varied experience. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to gain all this and also now be able to recall and write about it. I sem to have exhausted all recalls and if this Blog is to go forward it can be only on experiences ashore in shipping as a Marine Cargo Surveyor....

Time flies and  I really miss those sea days- 

Cadet on mv Jag Laxmi 1965

3rd mate on Jag Laxmi

3rd / 2nd mate on Jag Laxmi 1967- 68-

Ch Officer on Chennai Ookkam in Sisco

I have been writing for many years and perhaps it is time to close this Blog and when writing I had several things in my mind-viz: 
1) Happy recalls of a different era long before Sea Life came down to just Freights and Tonnes or just plain business only.
2) Life was hard work, but simple.
3) Wages were low, but life was far simpler and more of an adventure and not a business.
4) I hope this blog records of a life lived at Sea will be found of some interest   --
it was definitely much happier way of work, earn, travel & Learn--
5) I sincerely hope that some day hopefully younger persons may some day read this.Thank you God

-I will conclude with a Poem and a Prayer :

Leisure by William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows. No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass. No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night. No time to turn at Beauty's glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance. No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began. A poor life this is if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. William Henry Davies

 PRAYER & THANKS GIVING TO THE SEA LIFE

God is no stranger in faraway places, He's as close as the wind that blows on our faces. It's true we can't see the wind as it blows, But we feel it around us and our heart surely knows, That God's mighty hand can be felt every minute. There is nothing on earth, that God is not in. The sky and the stars, the waves and even the sea, The dew on the grass, the leaves on a tree, Are constant reminders of God and His nearness, Proclaiming His presence with crystal-like clearness So how can we think God was far, far away, When we feel Him beside us every hour of the day? We have plenty of reasons to know God's our friend And this is one friendship that time cannot end! (Author Unknown)

TR/ MARINE RECALLS 

On Social and Reading habits in earlier times-60s-70s.

Social and Reading habits in earlier times-
Reading was a great hobby & pastime with most of our generation  in the 50s, 60s, 70 -80s especially.
I was usually able to get the honorary post of Ship's Librarian on most of the ships that I worked on. In any case, I really depended on Reading to spend my  spare time-after duties s we had long voyages of 32 days some times-and sailing was for a full year. before leave was sanctioned..Recreation on open sea passage,  was then very limited to a few deck games in good weather only; mostly only Chess, draughts (checkers), or cards (bridge, rummy, teen patti-  with a select few.Can you ever imagine playing Carroms in rough seas on board a ship tossrd about with  men & equipment ? A guitar or mouth program made all the difference at social meets. 
The Radio was only good for local or coastal areas and any Broadcast was limited ;did not reach out seawards to  the open sea. -The alternatives were few and we did not have any music system like Cassettes -Videos- TV-DVDs/CDs or any Music even in 60s.Tape recorders of spool type lke SONY TC 250,   a great buy, came  in only around 1969-70 , but  weighed a Tonne!!When I purchased one and brought it home, the whole neighbour hood came to see it for  a great mind blowing event viz. A "Sony Music Sound Demo"-an event in 1969-on TC 250 with Chai or Lime juice!!. (Portable Cassette tape recorders came in by 1972 and were a blessing).
So Books & Magazines it was mostly -Time, Newsweek, Readers Digest, Film fare,illlustrated Weekly, Sport & Pastime and a few more, would be purchased in ports before sailing out of India to last the  voyage-or next port where it was available. (Singapore, US ports only on my route in GESCo.) Add in select novels and we had quite a range to select from Fiction inc. thriller, detective, adventure and all from those wonderful writers of the 60s-ad 70s.These publications had a budget, but as we pooled in,  managed well.I would go ashore and  purchaseand stock the ships Library. In some cases the selection was 2 copies of each and  then to circulate them.
Readers Digest -a magazine that nurtured us all in youth, with such a good choice of Reading- was  much loved and for the whole year treasured; Old copies would be read over and over again till it was dog eared, tattered and torn and often stapled in parts, in bits to be read by us. A condensed book series in every copy  was like a reading a novel itself. Humour, Quotes, lessons on Life , adventure, Drama in Real Life, Quiz etc was all much appreciated.(I was saddened when the Readers Digest ran into financial difficulty, a few years ago;Why- I never will understand). Since then I do not subscribe also as the print is small and I have limitations -but it us now said to be available On line later.

It was all a  part of the ship's recreation and ship board culture then.
Readers Digest's  brilliant series titled  "Lives like That"-actually connected people and places before Social networking like Facebook, Blogs, Twitter etc  came. This recall idea came to my mind on seeing the advert on I-Phone and on line Reading and esp --seeing Books-Browsing today at Book Fairs -now in Chennai too in January each year.
Rgds
TR

Pic of Jag Laxmi, GESCO, 1965-68
 

Bombay Port--now a Museum, status

Bombay Port--that was once a great a shipping centre and a textile mill centre that once was-has completely changed. Can barely recognise this now as the Docks are all closed.

With the name Mumbai ---in the last 2 decades, just changed to a pure business centre (Dalal street) and Bollywood tinsel town and -later a strange mix.... of what ever. God knows.
 
We who have spent our youth-joining a sea career, studies in Basic Training on T.S.DUFFERIN off Mazagaon Pier & LBS Nautical & Engg College can never forget it. Nor the Alexandra for larger ships and , Victoria & Princess Docks for smaller Coastal ships-
I was rather saddened to learn last month that both Victoria &Princess Docks have been Filled in--ending an era of Maritime History.
 
Now it will be just this Museum reported in mirror --http://www.mumbaimirror.com/others/sunday-read/Bombay-Dock-on-the-menu/articleshow/20611278.cms.
Nothing lasts long--esp Maritime heritage in India esp !!
TR

Bombay Dock on the menu - Mumbai Mirror -

Mirror gets an exclusive peek into the Mumbai Port Trust’s soon-to-be-opened Maritime Museum.

mumbaimirror.com