When I held my first glass of whisky, my mentor, who happens to be my husband now, repeated the saying of Ewan Gunn, the global ambassador from Johnnie Walker ,
“There is no wrong way of drinking whisky. If it makes you happy and you’re
enjoying it, then you’re already drinking it the right way for you”.
I wish, all things in the world were as simple as whisky; but since they are not, I have got here one of the seemingly Herculean ceremonies prevalent in the Indian Army, made easy for you.
I wish, all things in the world were as simple as whisky; but since they are not, I have got here one of the seemingly Herculean ceremonies prevalent in the Indian Army, made easy for you.
Dining is a royal affair in the army with the Mess revered as an institution since ages. Whether it is a peace stay or a field operation, the officers' mess moves with the convoy just like an important weapon. The officers' mess stands witness to age old traditions and customs of the army and one such ceremony is the 'Dinner Night'.
Going by the definition, Dinner Night is a ceremonial dinner in the
officers’ mess held for the officers & ladies of a unit or for any visiting
dignitaries. It traces its roots to centuries old Roman culture where warriors used to host extravagant feasts and laid the tables with lavish meals ranging from the egg to the apples. Although now, the ritual is not as pompous as it used to be, its grandeur is still unmatched by any other custom in the Indian army.
Though officers are expected to be dressed up in their uniforms on the Dinner Night, which is 6B for summers and Blue Patrol for winters, the ladies have the advantage of dressing up in the best of their sarees =D>. But make sure that you go for a formal saree and also a comfortable one which doesn't become an obstacle for you in working with the cutlery.
Though officers are expected to be dressed up in their uniforms on the Dinner Night, which is 6B for summers and Blue Patrol for winters, the ladies have the advantage of dressing up in the best of their sarees =D>. But make sure that you go for a formal saree and also a comfortable one which doesn't become an obstacle for you in working with the cutlery.
Time is an important factor in Dinner nights. Hence
all officers and ladies are expected to assemble in the ante room on time. This pre-dinner gathering is generally organized in a lounge or the garden area of mess under 'shamiyana'. The mess stewards, dressed in their ceremonial attires, will serve drinks and snacks to all the members. Since Dinner Nights are sit-down dinners, long rectangle tables are arranged for the same. For larger gatherings, 3-4 tables could be joined together. But the catch is, you might just not get to sit next to your better halves or your best friends :D; a special seating plan is formulated for such dinners and is generally circulated among the members before the scheduled dinner night. The plan will also be placed at the entrance to the dining room where every member can see it.
The cocktail gathering serves as the best time to meet the guests and familiarize yourself with the diners in your matrix on the table. Once dinner is ready, the Mess secretary will announce ‘Gentlemen, dinner is served’. It is customary for officers to move inside the dining hall in pairs and guests and ladies shall be escorted by the hosts with the CO or the senior most officer present entering last.
Dinner, starting with soup and ending with dessert, is served on the table by the stewards. A young officer among the hosts might be appointed as the Vice President of the ceremony; and only he or the President shall be passing instructions to the stewards during the course. The cue to start and finish a course shall be taken from the President. Members are expected to start the course when everyone has been served and close the plate as and when the President does it.
Music and soldiers might sound antonyms for some but in reality, it is an integral part of all military customs, with dinner nights being one of them. Pipes and drums are used extensively during the dinner course. Half –an- hour before dinner, some prevalent sets like ‘The Red Coated Soldier’, ‘a Retreat Air and a March’, ‘Strathspey and Reel’ are played by the army band. In some mess customs, the drummers lead the officers from the anteroom to the dining hall.
The table for the dinner is set as per the standard norms and every member is required to follow all the table etiquette as being on parade.
Read Tips on Table Layout for details.
All food is served from the kitchen. Guests do not handle serving platters nor do they pass dishes. Every course starts only when the band halts. Remember that second helpings are not offered in any course.
The serve ware is taken from the dining room by the stewards after every
course while the band continues to play. Meanwhile the guests are expected to
sit with attention with their arms on their laps.
Though the menu of the dinner night might vary from unit to unit, you are sure to be pampered with wine during the ceremony. White wine is served with white meat course and red wine accompanies the red meat. Each member fills his/her glass from the decanter and then slides it on the table to pass it the member sitting to his/her left.
In Dinner Nights, there is a custom of raising toasts to the health of the President which is drunk standing. It can either be done with wine or water and is passed around in decanters in the same way as wine during the food course. After dinner, once all toast glasses are filled, the President of the night taps the table thrice with the mallet, for silence, and stands up lifting the glass to his chest level. Following him, all members shall rise with their toasts in their right hands. The Band shall then play the national anthem. When the band finishes playing, the Vice President says, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen – the President’. All present raise their toast and repeat –‘The President’ and drink the toast.
As beautiful as the sun shines, it always sets. The beautiful dinner night too then officially comes to its end if the host has not planned any entertainment program thereafter. Members might just retire to the anteroom for some coffee or smoke before bidding good bye to the guests.
The food, the wine, the cutlery and the customs might make you conscious at first but the mantra to be at ease during your dinner nights is to just go with the flow and remember your general table and mess etiquette; and I bet your first Dinner Night will not be less than a star in your most cherished memories.
P.S. : Post on mess and general table etiquette coming up soon.
 |
| Members waiting for the senior most officer |
Dinner, starting with soup and ending with dessert, is served on the table by the stewards. A young officer among the hosts might be appointed as the Vice President of the ceremony; and only he or the President shall be passing instructions to the stewards during the course. The cue to start and finish a course shall be taken from the President. Members are expected to start the course when everyone has been served and close the plate as and when the President does it.
Music and soldiers might sound antonyms for some but in reality, it is an integral part of all military customs, with dinner nights being one of them. Pipes and drums are used extensively during the dinner course. Half –an- hour before dinner, some prevalent sets like ‘The Red Coated Soldier’, ‘a Retreat Air and a March’, ‘Strathspey and Reel’ are played by the army band. In some mess customs, the drummers lead the officers from the anteroom to the dining hall.
The table for the dinner is set as per the standard norms and every member is required to follow all the table etiquette as being on parade.
Read Tips on Table Layout for details.
All food is served from the kitchen. Guests do not handle serving platters nor do they pass dishes. Every course starts only when the band halts. Remember that second helpings are not offered in any course.
Though the menu of the dinner night might vary from unit to unit, you are sure to be pampered with wine during the ceremony. White wine is served with white meat course and red wine accompanies the red meat. Each member fills his/her glass from the decanter and then slides it on the table to pass it the member sitting to his/her left.
In Dinner Nights, there is a custom of raising toasts to the health of the President which is drunk standing. It can either be done with wine or water and is passed around in decanters in the same way as wine during the food course. After dinner, once all toast glasses are filled, the President of the night taps the table thrice with the mallet, for silence, and stands up lifting the glass to his chest level. Following him, all members shall rise with their toasts in their right hands. The Band shall then play the national anthem. When the band finishes playing, the Vice President says, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen – the President’. All present raise their toast and repeat –‘The President’ and drink the toast.
As beautiful as the sun shines, it always sets. The beautiful dinner night too then officially comes to its end if the host has not planned any entertainment program thereafter. Members might just retire to the anteroom for some coffee or smoke before bidding good bye to the guests.
 |
| Members concluding dinner with a cup of coffee |
The food, the wine, the cutlery and the customs might make you conscious at first but the mantra to be at ease during your dinner nights is to just go with the flow and remember your general table and mess etiquette; and I bet your first Dinner Night will not be less than a star in your most cherished memories.
P.S. : Post on mess and general table etiquette coming up soon.
