Our enthusiastic explorers were taken for a fieldtrip to the Indian Navy Dockyard, in Mumbai, near the Gateway of India, on the 10th of September. Passing the Lion Gate gave us an immense sense of pride; men in uniform definitely stir up the inner patriot.

We started our expedition at 0900hrs and spent a glorious 6 hours scanning the horizons, Navy Style!

To be secure on land, we must be supreme in the seas.
- Jawaharlal Nehru

These great words explains the importance of a Naval Force and we were about to witness it all.

We first visited INS Brahmaputra (F31) which is a frigate in the Indian Navy. INS Brahmaputra is one of the oldest ships possessed by the Navy docked in Mumbai. After reconstruction, it has been added to the elite fleet as a frigate carrier, in custody of modern RADAR and GPS systems and latest missile system.
Its latest mission: successful evacuation of stranded Indians in Lebanon under the code name – SUKOON!! And now getting ready for another cool undercover mission! Phew!!! Some life …….

They that go down to the sea in ships, which do business in great waters:
These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
- Bible, Psalms (CHAPTER - CVII, v. 23-24)
This awesome trip was followed by a jig to the adjoining submarine docked on the same jetty.

The Members were taken to Sindhu Kesari, a delight for the Navy.
The latest to join the modern defense of the world, submarines are The ‘hidden weapon’. 3/4th being inside the water, Kesari definitely fooled us about its strength and size!

Inspite of severe space constraints, the sub was brilliant. The Control Room boasted of two periscopes, four torpedo firing systems, and state-of-the-art equipments for communication etc! Over a month dwelling in a small place like a sub, relying on stored air, it can get very taxing on the nerves. The crews wear disposable clothes, as sanitary benefits are seldom provided. Climbing out of the sub, feeling the sunbeam, made us thankful of our affluent lives.

The Naval lunch was on board the INS Brahmaputra, a few minutes of snooze and then set off to another jetty, to smell in the Floating Museum-INS Vikrant.
The former crowning glory of the Indian Navy, it mapped the various stages in the life of the Naval Force.

The ex aircraft carrier has been converted into a museum, open to the public. The museum covered naval operations in great depth. It also highlighted the glorious naval victory in 1971 and the significant role played by Vikrant in achieving this win. We combed the different sections depicting the various stages starting from every small component essential to build a ship to the various aircrafts owned by the Navy for aerial attacks. Specialized naval areas, like diving, naval operations, armament, missiles, naval uniforms and seamanship aspects were included in the gamut of artifacts, exhibits and displays. Certain sections contained audio effects! These sections further amplified the fun! The whole ship was a catacomb, with real-life replicas of the then engine room, hospital etc. The museum was like a microcosm of the entire Navy, giving us a preview into the lives of the soldiers who made it their home……..This trip acted as a reminder to most of us that our navy is one of the best in the world and has the capability of protecting us from any kind of harm.

"A good Navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guarantee of peace."
-President Theodore Roosevelt