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As I was saying, we had in AU, Waltair, several Hostels. But they had no Messes attached to them. All the 4 Messes were in a separate Unique Complex. All students had to travel there in Sun, Rain or Hell-Fire for their grub. 3 of these were Vegetarian; and the fourth Non-Veg. It didn't mean that the 3 Veg-Mess-Wallas were strict Vegetarians....they just couldn't afford the Non-Veg Mess Bill. Whenever they felt like eating birds or fish or animals, they would be parasites on their NV friends and gate-crash as PGs (Paying Guests).
Cool!
When I set foot on IIT KGP soil in 1965, the scenario was quite different. The V/NV Ratio was about 50-50. And the Founding Fathers of KGP were Egalitarian-Cosmopolitan. They decided that every Hall will come with its own Single Mess, where there is only a single Menu with V-NV stuff all together. Vs and NVs will sit side by side and relish their meals in joie de vivre.
In B C Roy Hall there was this Prefect System: once a fortnight a Senior Boarder would be Prefect by Rotation and he would chalk out the Menu during his term. And Research Scholars were so many cows trying hard to so get away as soon as possible into the Bold New World that they couldn't care what they ate.
But after a few weeks I was shifted from that Blessed Hall to Gokhale Hall, just because I was no RS, but a Junior Faculty. At that time Gokhale Hall was meant for Teacher-Trainees. These were Hermaphrodites: they were neither Faculty nor RS. And they had a fixed term of 3 years, with a whopping Fellowship of Rs 400 unlike their poor RS cousins' 250. And they were promised an M Tech Degree and a Lecturer Post at the end of 3 years in one of the Engg Colleges/IITs. So, they had their future cushion all cut out for them and had ample time to indulge in Food, Leisure and Living.
I was posted there although I was entitled to Qrs simply because there were no Qrs available. And what fun it was!. They didn't believe in Prefect System, but had an elected Mess Committee. And there were equal number of South Indian Veg-Brahmins and Bengali and North Indian NVs. Since the Menu had to be common, we all had eggs, bread, milk, coffee, butter and jam for breakfast. The Southies wanted their Idli-Vada-Sambar (they would carry them to their Heavens!).
That was seed for War! A typical NV Breakfast would cost thrice the Idli-Sambar thing. And that meant that the Southie-Vegies were heavily subsidizing the NVs. There was rancor. So also with Lunch and Dinner. Fish, Meat, and Chicken cost thrice as much as Rice, Dal, Sabji, Sambar and Rasam. There came a day when the Rangarajans, Nagarajans, Vaidyaramans et al led their flock to the placid Bengali Warden, Professor G L Sinha. GLS simply refused to have two Messes and 2 Mess Bills in the same Hall. Result: He allowed 'Cost Compensation'.
One fine morning when I reached for my breakfast I was given a basket with 10 Idlis, 5 Vadas and 2 Puries with Chutney all for my single flimsy belly, which relished just a cup of Coffee and a couple of fags. The same thing happened at Lunch and Dinner: 10 Chapatis, 2 apples and 8 Bananas extra. The NVs were having a blast, laughing their heads off!
Not only that: since there was only one Menu and the Southie Brahmins could as well eat Chicken if they wished, the NVs could also shift to Vadas and Idlis after they had their fill. One rebellious night, the UPs and Punjus planned and entered the Dining Hall early one evening in a group and finished all the Subji, Samabar, Rasam, Apples and Bananas. So by the time the Southie Vegies entered as their group, they were left with Fish, Mutton or Bird as the case maybe. They had all to flee to the Nair's Canteen and order fresh Veg food to be cooked and served by midnight. And late at midnight the NVs, suffering from hunger, raided the Dining Hall and polished off the Fish, Mutton or Bird that were just crying to be eaten!
I don't know how that problem was resolved. Because I was soon shifted to the newly commissioned Faculty Hostel . Same story and same War!
Since now us Boarders were sane Permanent Faculty and not neither-here-nor-there TTs, we evolved by 1968 a wonderful System: There would be a 'Skeleton Menu' which is common for all. This had just bread, butter and Tea/Coffee for Breakfast; Rice, Sabji, Dal and 2 Rotis for Lunch & Dinner. The cost of this is charged for all.
And then for the next month, everyone is asked to order: Eggs (any number and finish), Vadas/Idlis, Milk, Curd, Sweet Dishes, Fruit, Fish, Chicken or Mutton as per the Menu of the Day. Everyone would be charged for whatever they have ordered extra and ate.
A bold and wise Experiment which satisfied all; and there was just one Kitchen, one Dining Hall and Camaraderie allover.
I am told that by and by this System was introduced in all Halls, UG and PG.
By then the TT Program was abolished and Gokhale Hall was converted into a Family Accommodation for QIP/FIP Scholars. The Mess there was privatized and became another Nair's Canteen open to everyone in the Campus.
Let me hereby stake some claim for inventing the Skeleton System: I myself was skeletal till my wife arrived;and she had her own kitchen in Qrs. C1-97 for a decade and B-140 for the rest.
Good Bye to Cigarettes that went up in Smoke on our First Wedding Anniversary as promised on the First Night!
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