Splice the Mainbrace and Navy Food

By Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne

(Retired from Sri Lanka Navy)

Former Chief of Defence Staff

Navies are famous for excellent cooks and serving delicious food the world over. The best food is served during naval fleet exercises in overseas ports and on special days when the Navy usually serves “splice the mainbrace followed by ‘Bada Khana’ (big meal in Hindi).

Braces are the lines in sailing ships that control the angle of the yards. In square rigged sailing vessels, mainbrace is the longest line in all running riggings. It was common to aim cannon fire at riggings during sea battles. If mainbrace was hit, it had to be repaired immediately. ‘Splice the mainbrace’ was performed by experienced able seaman on knots and splices under supervision of Boatswain on sailing ship’s mainbrace.

This was a very tedious emergency repair until the completion of which, the sailing ship cannot change her tack (direction of sailing). It becomes much more difficult when these repairs have to be done under battle conditions. As an appreciation to his hard work, an extra ration of rum is given to the sailor concerned.

The modern-day Navies have no sails and no mainbraces; but they have “splice the mainbrace ceremony “drinking a tot of rum.

So, in celebration of the Navy Day, ‘splice the mainbrace’ is performed by giving our sailors extra tot of liquor (in Sri Lanka Navy – old arrack) prior to Commanding Officer and other officers sitting with sailors in the General Mess (junior sailors dining room) to have delicious ‘Bada Khana’ prepared by excellent Navy cooks.

The menu for ‘Bada Khana’ is always, mouth-watering vegetable fried rice, fried chicken curry, dhal dry curry, potatoes tempered, brinjal moju, boiled egg and battered/crispy crumped sheer fish. Dessert is always Wattalappam.

Our sailors love this food. They always work hard and look forward to ‘splice the mainbrace’ and ‘Bada Khanna’. Those are the traditions of the Navy.

At other times, our Navy’s culinary skills are displayed when our ships sail abroad and take part in international maritime exercises. We carry our traditional food stuffs on board and participate at international food festivals.

With the Navy band in attendence and our traditional dancers performing Kandyan, Sabaragamuwa, low country and Jaffna dances, we are considered cultural ambassadors of Sri Lanka.

Our Navy has ships capable of performing long-distance voyages and carrying its cultural troupe and band. It is also equipped with a state-of-the-art kitchen with a bakery at the Supply and Secretariat school in Trincomalee to train cooks and stewards. For further training, they are sent to Indian and Pakistan Navy catering schools. The Navy has provided cooks and stewards both to the President’s House and Temple Trees to serve very long periods and they are capable of handling day-to-day dining and banquets held in honour of visiting Heads of State.

Cooking out at sea is a difficult task. In rough sea conditions, it becomes is a nightmare with the ship or craft rolling and pitching in gale-force winds. But our cooks never keep us hungry!

Anyway, only a few people can eat in such sea conditions as others fall ‘sea sick’.

If you are in a small craft or FAC (Fast Attack Craft), there are no cooks. The crew members get together to prepare their meals whilst on patrol. Some seamen and marine engineering mechanics are excellent cooks. I had one such sailor, Leading Engineering Mechanic Premaratne, when I was OIC P 467 (Dovra); he rose up to Master Chief Petty Officer. He used to bring fresh vegetables from his village when he returned after leave and prepared delicious meals onboard.

Cooks like Premaratne are assets to the Navy.

Where can one relish this unique ‘Navy Food’? Visit the Light House Galley restaurant at Chaithya Road, Colombo 1. Best quality food is available there at fair prices. It is becoming more and more popular among young office workers in the Fort area, especially on Friday evenings. Safe parking is available next to the Port city with Navy protection.