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Drills Thrills and Spills - An Army Wife's Tales | Life as an Indian Army Wife | Memoir of Military Culture | Soldier's Life
Parampara. Pratishtha. Anushasan. For Jyoti Mamgain, these famous words uttered by Amitabh Bachchan in Mohabbatein, defining the ethos of an all-boys’ school, seemed like these were penned to describe the world she had entered into, the Indian Army, by virtue of her marriage to an army man.
In these delightful vignettes, the author introduces us to little-known aspects of life behind the cantonment walls. It’s a world that flummoxes her with cryptic messages like ‘sab Tik Tok hai’ and ‘guarding the igloo’ (in the searing heat of the Indian plains). Where wives of army personnel are veritable ichhadharis, shape-shifting beings, who can take on multiple avatars over the course of a day. Where a ‘black box’ takes on an entirely different meaning. It is also a world that unfolds scenarios that never cease to surprise her even after all these years – for example, the quiet, shy lance naik at the billing counter transforming into an Ed Sheeran and Kishore Kumar at a cocktail party.
Quirky and fun, Drills, Thrills and An Army Wife’s Tales brings together two disparate worlds and demonstrates how what emerges from the collision is a whole new experience that exemplifies ‘method in madness’. Or should that be madness in the method?
In these delightful vignettes, the author introduces us to little-known aspects of life behind the cantonment walls. It’s a world that flummoxes her with cryptic messages like ‘sab Tik Tok hai’ and ‘guarding the igloo’ (in the searing heat of the Indian plains). Where wives of army personnel are veritable ichhadharis, shape-shifting beings, who can take on multiple avatars over the course of a day. Where a ‘black box’ takes on an entirely different meaning. It is also a world that unfolds scenarios that never cease to surprise her even after all these years – for example, the quiet, shy lance naik at the billing counter transforming into an Ed Sheeran and Kishore Kumar at a cocktail party.
Quirky and fun, Drills, Thrills and An Army Wife’s Tales brings together two disparate worlds and demonstrates how what emerges from the collision is a whole new experience that exemplifies ‘method in madness’. Or should that be madness in the method?
195 pages, Kindle Edition
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 29, 2025
Drills, Thrills and Spills
is more than a book — it is a living mosaic of the joys, challenges, humor, and resilience that define the life of an army family. Jyoti Barmola Mamgain’s storytelling is graceful yet unpretentious — warm, candid, and deeply moving.
For me, it wasn’t just a book; it was nostalgia bound in pages — stepping into a world I have always known closely. Having grown up listening to my own mother’s anecdotes of army life, I found myself smiling at the familiar quirks, laughing at the relatable chaos, and tearing up at the bittersweet moments that every fauji family understands.
The authenticity shines through in every chapter. The narrative balances humor with poignancy, offering a glimpse into a world where camaraderie, duty, sacrifice, and love go hand in hand. It is a reminder that behind every uniform lies a family that loves, adapts, and perseveres with remarkable strength.
By the end, I found myself teary-eyed — not only out of recognition but also admiration — for the spirit of the women who stand strong beside the men in uniform, and for the author who has so beautifully honored them through her words. I felt as though I had relived so many precious stories of my own childhood. The book is at once personal in its detail, yet universal in the emotions it evokes.
It’s a heartwarming, insightful, and deeply human collection of tales — a tribute to army wives and families everywhere — one I would recommend to anyone who wishes to understand the unspoken strength, quiet courage, humor, grace, and heart behind the uniform 💌
For me, it wasn’t just a book; it was nostalgia bound in pages — stepping into a world I have always known closely. Having grown up listening to my own mother’s anecdotes of army life, I found myself smiling at the familiar quirks, laughing at the relatable chaos, and tearing up at the bittersweet moments that every fauji family understands.
The authenticity shines through in every chapter. The narrative balances humor with poignancy, offering a glimpse into a world where camaraderie, duty, sacrifice, and love go hand in hand. It is a reminder that behind every uniform lies a family that loves, adapts, and perseveres with remarkable strength.
By the end, I found myself teary-eyed — not only out of recognition but also admiration — for the spirit of the women who stand strong beside the men in uniform, and for the author who has so beautifully honored them through her words. I felt as though I had relived so many precious stories of my own childhood. The book is at once personal in its detail, yet universal in the emotions it evokes.
It’s a heartwarming, insightful, and deeply human collection of tales — a tribute to army wives and families everywhere — one I would recommend to anyone who wishes to understand the unspoken strength, quiet courage, humor, grace, and heart behind the uniform 💌
May 26, 2025
A book that took me on a walk down memory lane while living the Army life. The writing is engaging, and the content is brought to life with hilarious anecdotes and incredible illustrations. Each chapter has a catchy headline, making it even more engrossing.
The author shares her experiences of transitioning from civilian life to the fauji way of life. She aims to help readers experience what it’s like to be an Indian Army wife—dealing with common yet challenging situations, embracing the lack of facilities, opportunities, and amenities that we often take for granted in civilian life.
One can’t help but be in splits at her mention of quirky incidents and the catchy fauji lingo.
A must-read for my civilian friends who sometimes have a rather lopsided view of Army life—limited to women in chiffons and a fauji’s love for his bar collection. 😜
I would also recommend this book to the better halves of our combatants, as many of the stories she shares are deeply relatable. You’ll likely find yourself recalling an anecdote or two—or even more—to add to her collection.
The author shares her experiences of transitioning from civilian life to the fauji way of life. She aims to help readers experience what it’s like to be an Indian Army wife—dealing with common yet challenging situations, embracing the lack of facilities, opportunities, and amenities that we often take for granted in civilian life.
One can’t help but be in splits at her mention of quirky incidents and the catchy fauji lingo.
A must-read for my civilian friends who sometimes have a rather lopsided view of Army life—limited to women in chiffons and a fauji’s love for his bar collection. 😜
I would also recommend this book to the better halves of our combatants, as many of the stories she shares are deeply relatable. You’ll likely find yourself recalling an anecdote or two—or even more—to add to her collection.
November 8, 2025
Drills Thrills and Spills- An Army Wife's Tales is a well written and engaging book written by Jyoti Barmola Mamgain, an multitalented personality and a proud wife of an Indian Army Officer. Through this book, she provides an insight into the life of the ladies married to soldiers of the Indian Army. The challenges that they have to face, many interesting aspects and anecdotes from the life in a Cantonment(Area where Army officers and Jawans live), as well as perks of being associated with the Army are the things Author talks about in this book. So those who are interested in knowing the unhidden aspects of lives of Indian Army officers, jawans and their spouses, must go for this book.
February 19, 2025
A hilarious tale with which I am sure our whole army wife tribe can connect.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews