DRAGON BOATS and ZONGZI ROWED TO PAKISTAN -EP 7: buried hate n born love - a novel

BEAUTIFUL DRAGON BOATS, DRAGON LANTERNS,FLOATS ALL AROUND AT GAWADAR,PAKISTAN

Nofil was on his way at beautiful Makran coastal highway. He hardly reached in time. There was festivity in the unit. Every one was enjoying with their Chinese friends. Green colored dragons were playing a flute. There was a demonstration of fish turned into a dragon from fish-dragon. Very beautiful and different types of dragon lanterns and dragon boats were also present there. Nofil stopped to look at colorful lanterns which are mainly used on Lantern festival in china. Nofil felt himself in any China town in the glimpses of Chinese music and festivity, when suddenly a huge lion dragon caught him from behind.

‘Oh leave me Li, let me breath at least,’ Nofil

 hardly sat himself free.

BEAUTIFUL DRAGON BOAT AT GAWADAR PORT

Why are you late? I’ll throw fire on you. Dragons are the signs of power and dignity. You can’t get out of my grip now’ Li got excited to see him there.

‘Dear dragon I beg your pardon, it was a long distance.’ Nofil bowed like Chinese.

Soon the Nofil was enjoying with Li in lion dragon’s costume. They all performed dragon dance standing in patterns like a long tail of dragon. Drummers were beating there drums.
ZONGZI
'Oh I'm smelling my favorite Zongzi,' Li's eyes roamed towards lunch tables.

'Off course, we have arranged a full treat for you. beautiful dragon boats have rowed here from china to participate in race,' Nofil increased his suspense.
'i'm excited to row along the Gawadar shore,' Li continued his dragon dance while playing his mouth organ.
'oh, i know it'll be Chen's call. I'm irritated of her now,' Li checked his phone. 

Anza’S CALL FOR OPERATION

‘God knows when they’ll get together again and will talk like this,’ mama sighed and left the room quietly. Anza saw her leaving the room.

‘Miss Anza, you have to report at NorthWazirastan in 15 days. As you know after the successful operation Zarb e Azab we have powered over the terrorists. Many so called commanders are killed or have been fled away. We have established the authority of the government in that area but some secret networks are still working there and terrorists are trying to restring their remaining powers. We really need a person there, who mixes up with the local people to uncover the black sheep from the flock of people. According to the situation you’re the best option that we have. You’ll work in local dispensary as Doctor Shireen Gull.’

div class="MsoNormal"> ‘But sir, my family wants me to come back, may I have some long break to satisfy them’

‘I can understand your problem but at this time of operation, we don’t have a single moment to waste. I promise you a long break after this service but for the time being we’re already late. Anza remembered her conversation with brig. Bakhtiar before leaving the Karachi.

‘How I’ll handle mama, she is looking very serious this time,’ she decided to talk with baba.

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ZONGZI, A SPECIAL DISH OF DRAGON FESTIVAL

Li offered Nofil his my

ZONGZI,  a traditional Chinese food 

traditional dish Zongzi. It was a pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumpling wrapped in reed leaves.

‘It is the special food eaten on this day, like sheer khurma, a special dish of your Eid,’ Li was very excited to tell him about zongzi.
‘It had various fillings. It is prepared with fish meat and egg yolk,’ he offered him a plate.

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After listening about fish meat, Nofil picked some rice and started to eat reluctantly.

 ‘Umm, it’s tasty…,’ Nofil really liked the taste. He looked at Li, who was lost somewhere.

They didn’t talk about Chen after that. Nofil saw him disconnecting his mother’s call again.

WHERE IS BULL DOG TODAY?

‘I don’t look that French bull dog at security gate from yesterday. Do you know where did he go? He was a very healthy one and surely is tasty,’ Major Umer came to his table and asked in Punjabi.

Nofil’s morsel stuck in his throat.

‘What do you mean,’ Major Umer.

‘Nothing is this dish tasty?’ Major Umer was in full mood of gratification on that day.

‘What happened to you?’ Li asked Nofil after don’t understanding their conversation in Punjabi.

‘Keep on eating my friend, don’t worry, most of the donkeys are exported to china. What a time has come, donkeys are no more worthless now,’ Major Umer offered him a glass of water with meaningful smile on his face.

‘Major Umer, I’ll remember it for any other time,’ Nofil got up leaving his lunch.

‘If you don’t mind, we’ll meet on dinner. I am tired of travelling. I should be fresh for dragon boat race tomorrow,’ Nofil was right, he couldn’t sleep the whole night. He got up by looking at Major Umer, who was enjoying dumplings at one side with his Chinese friends….
'Lets get ready for dragon boat race,'
'Up to the mark get set go,' Li and Nofil hurriedly walked towards the bank.

IS Anza WAITING FOR HIM?

 ‘It was 5 am, next morning she came out to terrace with a cup of tea. She felt the fragrance of flowers in clear dawn. They talked all night. Rabia went to sleep.

‘It was the end of May but the air was cool and soothing at that time. She looked at the sky, the sun was about to show its grace.

‘You should seriously think about your future, mama was right,’ Jasia aapi also came outside after offering her Fajr prayer.

‘Aapi, I haven’t planned for the wedding yet..,’ Anza was still looking in the sky as she was searching something behind the wide blue curtain.

‘He would have been died in crossing the border illegally or even if he reached Europe safely he would have been spending luxurious life there, his only interest was to earn money, and he was an opportunist. He even doesn’t remind you if he would be alive,’ at last Jasia aapi said what she kept in her heart for many days. Anza looked at her as some one got her stealing.

‘Aapi, what are you saying? I don’t understand’

‘Bilal Malik, stop waiting him, he’ll not come back,’ Jasia aapi decided to talk openly. She was also worried for her future.

DRAGON BOAT RACE IS ABOUT TO START

Now it was a time for dragon boat race, which was the actual fun of the festival. This race was originated from ancient people paddling out on boats to seek the body of patriotic poet Qu yaun.  Three boats with the dragon mouths at edges were specially prepared for the race. There were three teams. Each team consisted of 20 players. Drummers sat at front of the boats to boost up the morals of their teams. 20 men had to row the boat by joined efforts. All Chinese workers seemed very excited. The youngsters of Pak army and Pak navy also participated in the race. Li and Nofil were in different teams. The race started with a horn. All players rowed there boats fast. The air was not supporting on that day but the excitement of the players was at peak.

Row, row fast, players were shouting with high drum beats. According to the Chinese traditions the winning team follows the good luck in the following year. Li’s team won the race.  Li was super excited.

‘Last year in these days I was at wedding in Beijing . I participated in a race with 10 teams but I had a great time over here. This is one of the best holidays I ever had. This year is going to be great for me but I can’t assure you one, for you,’ Li was tired but he didn’t want to sleep at all. They had dinner in a five star hotel and came to local cafe for the herbal tea.

   'Thank you dude for such nice arrangements. Don't you think we should visit khunjrab pass till our border?' Li put his wish.

'Aren't you being so adventurous, now a days,' Nofil looked at him.

'Actually, I'm also feeling like a commando in your company,' Li explained him with joy.

'OK, I'll see for any plan in next holidays but till then just enjoy here,' Nofil assured him their next trip.?

ANZA GOT CONFUSED

 ‘Aapi, I am not waiting for him. It was just my good gesture that I helping his parents in finding him. He was just a good friend of mine,’ Anza couldn’t understand how to clarify her position. She never thought that someone could be that open to her like Jasia.

‘That’s what I am trying to advise you. Have you noticed even his own parents are not worried for him anymore? His mother no more plunk on roads in protest to search his missing son. She doesn’t contact us again and again to locate his son. They have continued their lives again. May be they had got any information about their son and didn’t bother to share it with you.His two sisters are married now and his younger brother has settled in his profession. This is what life called. No one stops its life for anyone. You should also go on’

‘Aapi, please, stop, there is nothing like as you’re thinking.’

‘I hope it would be …’aapi continued when her son started crying and she went inside to see him. Anza felt relaxed as she left.

‘Aapi and her false guesses, why I’ll wait for that looser Bilal , once I find him I’ll ask him, how he dared to left the country without let me know. This is how friends behave?’ he spoke to herself without admitting that her aapi was right to some extent.

WHY LI IS IRRITATED OF HIS COUSIN?

Li’s phone was constantly ringing.

Li’s parents were on the phone.

‘Congratulations, dear uncle and aunt,’ Nofil greeted them.

‘Thank you son, we’re happy that you joined Li there. You people have arranged such a nice party over there,’ Li’s father was energetic gentlemen.

‘Look Li, chen designed my dress, how beautiful is this?’ Li’s mother took the tablet.

‘She has planted new flowers in the garden. Let me show you the first flower of her hard work,’ she walked to the garden.

‘Stop this Chen Chen and talk something else, when you changed the paint?’ Li noticed the new paint on walls.

‘Only Chen has such a great esthetic sense. Look, how she has changed the whole decor on this festival,’ his mama moved the tablet to all side of the lounge.

‘Why you let her touch my book shelf? Why didn’t you ask me before changing the paint color,’ Li got angry. Li noticed his book shelf was not in TV lounge anymore.

‘We have put it upstairs carefully, don’t you get worry,’ his mother became conscious.

‘Now put me too upstairs,’ li turned off the phone. His mood was very upset.

‘Look, this is the reason I don’t like her. From my result day to my birthday, from my shopping to every festival, she is always there to ruin my pleasure. She always overwhelmed her choice on others. Everyone in my family praised her for her good grades, her intelligence, her good choice and damn sense of responsibility,’ li seemed jealous of Chen at that time.

‘Calm down Li, I think its’ her nature. She takes care of your parents in your absence. She took out time from her busy routine to keep you in touch with all activities happening there. You’re lucky that you’re blessed with a caring friend like her. I think she likes you,’ Nofil tried to calm him down.

‘She visits my family and keeps in touch with me just to show that she is very caring and compassion. Look, you also have started praising her. It’s just me who know her real intentions. My parents always ignored me just because of her. I hate her.’ Li was furious after disconnecting the call.

‘See, how she ruined my day, when I went on holidays to celebrate new year feast, my parents constantly talked about her. My mother forced me to get marry with her. They didn’t ask or discuss about what I want. I may get holidays at dragon festival but I didn’t go just because of her,’ Li was really annoyed.

The mobile was silent now and drummers also stopped beating. Li composed himself soon. They moved to the grand feast, which was specially arranged by the army for their guests........
TO BE CONTINUED

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