SANYEEN INTERNET
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
Piazza Grande
Chapter no 7
The history of Arezzo is
based on twenty five centuries but according to the archaeological department,
civilisation, culture and
urbanisation started in 600 (B.C.), when Arezzo became the dominion or part of
Etruscan kingdom. The ruins
of old walls, discovery of Necropolis near poggio dell sole and the most
important and interesting
discovery is
Chimera and Minerva,
Chimera: chimera in Greek
language is called Chimaeras which means goat but in Greek mythological
stories,
chimera means, such a monster
or ogre which has goat's body, lion's head and his tail is like serpent.
Now a day you can find copy
or imitation of that bronze chimera (which was found during excavation) at
porta Saint Lorentino and its
official sign of Arezzo city. Second bronze statue is of Minerva.
Minerva: in roman
mythological stories Minerva is the goddess of sage and wisdom, technical
skills and
invention. She is exactly
equal to Greek goddess Athena. Due to her qualities and powers you can say
Minerva is the Latin name of
Athena.
Other than that Etruscan
vases are very famous which they call them Bucchero. They are made of special
kind
of black clay.
In 300 (B.C.) when Romans and
Etruscans defeated together the Senonines Gauls than Arezzo became the
permanent alliance of Roman
Empire. Romans made their fort and garrison here. In 1st century B.C. Arezzo
faced civil war and Aretinis
helped Marius and Pompeii but they lost the battle from Ceaser and Silla and
like
that Arezzo became the
dominion or was colonized by Roman Empire. In Augustan time they developed
Arezzo little bit. It has up
graded as a Municipium. They had wider the fortification of Arezzo. Amphi
Theatre
and Thermea (which were being
destroyed by barbarians later own) were built in the second century (A.D.).
Arezzo city got the real
importance and significance at that time when this city's wealthier person of
Aretini
family became the advisor and
prime minister of Octavian. During that period Arezzo's industry progressed
and developed. Especially red
vases, Vasi Coralline got a lot of popularity and their recognition and fame
gone up to Hindustan (India).
After that not even Arezzo, Roman Empire had faced barbarian's attack and the
fall of Roman Empire started.
Arezzo became the dominion Carolingian and Langabard. Due to that the
inhabitants of Arezzo started
diminishing and decreasing.
In Italy, if someone got the
honour and appellation of count bishop first time that person was from Arezzo.
He
used to live at Castle of
Pionta. He was the clergyman who appellate himself as a king. Other continued
like
that on his footsteps and
until 1059 (a.d.) it was like that. 1000 (a.d.) Arezzo was upgraded as
independent
administrative division and
the population of Arezzo increased and economy became strong. From 1000 (a.d.)
to 1200 (a.d.) Arezzo's
fortification was repaired again and it was connected with old fortification of
Etruscan-roman's era. The
perimeter of the wall reached 2,600 metres, closing in an area of 51 hectors.
The
main radial road took the
name borgo maestro. During the 13th century numerous public buildings and
towers
were built. On the highest
part of the hill and the first Greta Basilica of the communal period, the Pieve
of
Santa Maria a splendid
example of Romanesque architecture was completed. At the end of the century
under
the influence of new gothic
style which was then becoming popular, the construction of the cathedral was
begun in 1203 (a.d.). Other
than that under the influence of gothic art there were two more important
churches
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
were built. They belonged to
two important monastic orders, Saint Francesco and Saint Domenico.
The life of the town was
governed by the commune; largely controlled by Ghibellines, which extended his
dominion over a vast
territory from Borgo Sansepolcro to Massa Carrara, from middle Valdarno to
Umbra
valley, from Casentino to
Valdichiana. They captured cortona in 1258 (a.d.) in a bloody and sanguinary
battle
and clashing. Sometime
successfully and sometime not with the large neighbouring communes (Siena,
Florence, Perugia and Citta
di Castello) the defeat suffered by the ghibellines at Campaldino in 1298
during
that battle the bishop of
Arezzo Guglielmino Ubertino died and some chunks of Arezzo were gone to Siena
and Florence.
Ghibellines got victory and
power again in 1312 when Guido Tarlatti the bishop of Arezzo got rise. He
raised
the town up again. He re
conquered the lost territories and acquired new lands as well. The town walls
were
enlarged further into the
south west plain. When they were finished, the walls contained a surface area
of 107
hectors.
Guido tarlatti was succeeded
by his brother Pier Saccone in 1327. During his reign Arezzo city started
declining in 1337 the town
was ceded by Florence for the first time. This brought Guelph faction to power.
When the town regained
independence, several attempts were made to create government but failed. From
1378 to 1384 it was plunged
into prolonged political crises during which it was repeatedly sacked. Finally
in
1384 it was again ceded by
Florence by the Condotttiere Euguarrand de Couchy it was sold for forty
thousand
gold florins.
After the failure of last
attempts at requiring independence in 1502 and 1529, 1530, the hegemony
established
over the town by the
aristocracy allied with the Florence prince, ended political and social
conflict.
The long period of Florentine
dominion over Arezzo, first under the Medici from 1434 to 1569 and then a part
of the grand duchy of Tuscany
which was ruled by Medici themselves from 1589 to 1737 and later by house
of Lorraine from 1737 to
1859. The last phases of the government of the house of Lorraine proceeded in
the
first year of the 19th
century by the brief parenthesis of the Napoleonic conquest.
During these three years
Arezzo's population decreased instead of increasing. In 1552 the population of
Arezzo was 7750 but in 1745
it was decreased to 6700. Grand duke Leopold of Lorraine laid the foundation of
municipal committee of Arezzo
in 1772. In 1799 in Arezzo by the violent and Jacobin Viva Maria riot started
and marked a new revival. The
reclamation of the valdichiana was begun, planned and backed by hydraulic
engineer Vittorio Fossombroni
(1754-1844), who was for many years the prime minister of grand duchy.
Arezzo was connected with
Rome and Florence via railway in 1866. The implementation of the of the first
part of 1867's town planning
scheme via Guido Monaco, the modern artery connecting the station and town
centre, signalled the slow
but progressive resumption of urban growth. In the last years of the 19th
century the
non built up areas within
Medici walls grew smaller, Porta Colcitrone was knocked down and porta Santo
Spirito was replaced with a
wider barrier.
In 1895 the main streets and
squares were given electric lighting, public and private buildings soon
followed.
In the Second World War,
Arezzo paid a high tribute in terms of human lives and material destruction,
wreaked and repeated air
raids and the passing of the front. On July 16th 1944, as the allied troops
approached, the town was freed
from its Nazi-Fascist occupiers by the partisans operating in nearby
mountains. For its
contribution to resistance through activity of the partisans 3,500 men and the
sacrifice of its
population 3,110 dead, the
province of Arezzo was awarded the gold medal for military valour in 1984 by
the
president of the republic
Sandro Pertini.
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
In the Second World War not
even Italian, Indians (indo-pak subcontinent), Nepalese, Burmans, Canadians,
Australians, new Zealanders
and South Africans lost their lives.
In Arezzo war cemetery there
are 1200 graves and in those graves there are 370 graves of Indians,
Pakistanis,
Bengalis, Nepalese, and
Burmans. Among them 170 are Pakistanis.
Apart from that in Foiano and
Sansepolcro Indian army men are buried.
After the Second World War
Europe started breathing because they were sick and tired of these battles,
melees and conflicts. Like
other areas Arezzo city started developing and aretini took part in its
development
warm heartedly. From 1962 to
1965, architect Luigi Piccinato introduced new planes and schemes for the
construction and development
of the city. Province of Arezzo started working on that later on; Two other
architects Vittorio Gregotti
and Augusto Cagnarti, presented new residential schemes in 1987. In late 80's
Italy started facing
immigrants legal and illegal. They opened immigration (legalization) in 1987.
Since that
they did it twice in 1990 and
1996. As the immigrants came to other parts of Italy they came to Arezzo as
well. As Italy opened
immigration in 1987 but people weren't interested to come to Italy for working
purpose.
People used to prefer working
as illegal immigrant in other European countries instead of working legally in
Italy with their legal
rights. How they could have? Italian themselves, after the second world war,
they went
for work to different
neighbouring countries. Nearly 30 million Italians were migrated to other
countries and
now something like 60 million
Italians with their families are living in foreign countries. Among them six
million were transferred from
1946 to 1970. So immigrants who came to Italy in last decade are 2 million for
work purpose.
So those Italians who were
migrated in 1946 to Germany, Switzerland, England, America, South America and
Australia even to some
African countries like Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and morocco in search of work.
They
are still living there
happily. Some of them have been back after 20 or 30 years. Luckily when they
came back
it was developed. Like other
countries Italy got loans from World Bank on easy instalments for the
reconstruction of Italy.
After the Second World War they accepted allied troops who were here to stop
Russian troops because after
the seize fire Russians started entering in Europe. Still Italians think that
American saved us. So
Italians bowed their head in front of allied forces and in return they got
privileges and
favours from America. After
the Second World War the country who got loads of privileges, concessions,
loans and favours was
England.
Arezzo had been the central
and important place of painters, sculptors and artistic people. While Hindustan
was facing internal civil
wars at the same time Europe as awaking, a new candle of literature, fine art,
philosophy, wisdom and
knowledge was lighted which we call Renaissance. The word Renaissance means the
reborn.
Before renaissance and during
renaissance aretinis painters played important role. If you have a look with
pertinent eye the paintings
of Cimabue, Giotto and Margarito d'Arezzo, you will discover and see the germs
of
renaissance in these
paintings and frescoes.
In the 14th century, famous
painters who had honour to work in Arezzo were Pietro Lorenzetti (a painter
from
Siena), Andrea di Nerio,
Spinello Aretino and Pari di Spinello.
In the 15th century the
painters many painters showed their sterling qualities in Arezzo among them
praiseworthy and laudable are
Piero Della Francesca and Bartolommeo Della Gatta.
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
Like others, writers, poets,
painters and sculptors played important role in European renaissance similarly
Piero Della Francesca's
frescoes played major role in Europe's renaissance.
Piero Della Francesca was
born in Sansepolcro. In eleven years time he completed the legend of the true
cross
in the church of Saint
Francesco. The legend of the true cross is not even popular and has importance
in Italy;
even it is popular all around
the world. It's not famous because of Christianity; it's famous due to its
excellent
artistic work. People come
from all around the world to see these master pieces of frescoes.
As a matter of fact Piero
Della Francesca has made many frescoes but the frescoes which he made in Saint
Francesco church are
praiseworthy like:
Adorazione del legno
(adoration of wood)
Sogno di Costantino
(constantine's dream)
3) Episodio del ritrovamento
delle tre croci (the discovery of three crosses)
4) Vittorio di Costantino su
Massenzo (victory of Constantine upon Massenzo)
5)Incontro di Salomone con la
Regina di Saba (King Salomon's meeting with queen of Sheeba)
6) Santa Maria Maddalena
At the end of the 15th
century a very important person born in Arezzo was Giorgio Vasari. As sir
Christopher
Wren is popular and famous in
England for the renovation and restoration of London after the great fire.
Similarly Giorgio Vasari has
the same importance in Italy. He hasn't done renovation work not even in
Arezzo; he did a lot of work
for other cities of Italy as well.
Vasari was writer, painter
and sculptor. Under his supervision new buildings were constructed even old
buildings, churches and
historical places were renovated as well. The most beautiful among them is
Logge
Vasari. Its verandas are jam
pack of tourists during summer season. The greatest work of Vasari was writing
a
book which is the book about
the lives of renaissance's painters, sculptors and architects. It has two
volumes
and it has been translated in
many languages. The people who are interested in history, literature, painting,
architecture and sculpture
for them it's very important document. Apart from that the Vasari's house which
is
now Vasari museum is set with
his paintings is a great asset of art.
In the 17th century two
important painters worked in Arezzo. They were Teofilo Torri and Salvi
Castellucci.
Madonna col bambino (Mary
with baby) and Saint Donato, these two painting of castellucci are so good, one
can be admired after seeing
them. At the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century
Carlo
Dolce and Viviano Cadazzi got
fame in Arezzo.
During these 300 years the
whole Europe was being revolutionized by the paintings, literature,
architecture
and sculpture. The baby who
was born with the painting of Cimabue and Giotto now he was grown up, the
painters who used to paint
the stories of bible now they have started painting different things. Slowly
and
slowly Italian people and
government were coming out under the influence of church and priests. Before
they
were the head of the state
and artists were suppose to do artistic work what was the demand of bishop
counts.
At the end of the 18th
century and the beginning of the 19th century, painters like François Gerard,
Adriano
Cecioni, started painting on
different subjects instead of painting biblical stories.
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
From 1922 to 1923 Montefiore
Del Lazio and Adolfo di Carolis they made a painting of all the prominent
people of Arezzo for Palazzo
Della Provincia.
The contemporary painters are
Franco Fedeli, Luciano Redicati, Rapini, Roberto Remi, Enzo Scatragli, Giani
Villoresi, Mauro Capitani,
Sergio Bizzarri, Vitelia, Zacchini Franca Lanci but among them the most
impressive and moving is an
Albanian painter Bjram Matto. He has Van Gogh touch in his paintings. Other
than there is young and
beautiful painter Caterina Mariucci she has a new touch in her paintings.
Arezzo city is famous for his
sculptors. You can see the statue of hydraulic engineer Vittorio fossombroni
outside the church saint
Francesco. This was made my famous Florentine sculptor Pasquale Romanelli in
1864. If you walk down
towards Guido Monaco, it's a round park and in the middle there is statue of
Guido
Monaco who was father of
music and was born in 11th century and people call him Guido d'Arezzo as well.
This was made Salvino
Salvini. In this statue Guido Monaco is carrying his Antifonario. Than the
statue of
Ferdinando III d'Austria, his
statue is very important as well. Which was placed at Piazza Grande but now it
has been shifted to another
place.
At the end of the Corso
Italia and Logge Vasari you can see the statue of Giorgio Vasari. Two sculptors
have
work on this statue. One was
G. Castellucci and other was A. Lazzerrini. Outside the main cathedral of
Arezzo you can see the statue
of ferdinando di Medici. The central idea of this statue was conceived by
Gianbologna but it was
completed by Franca villa.
Passaggio Del Prato it's a
big garden in round shape and over there to give tribute to famous poet of
Arezzo
Francesco Petrarca there was
made a beautiful memorial for him with white marble. For this monument not
even commune di Arezzo spent
money, local people helped as well. It was carved by Alessandro Lazzerrini in
1928. The marble which they
use for this monument was brought from Carrara. In the beginning everyone
criticizes that it's wastage
of time and marble but when it was completed people of Arezzo were shocked and
perplexed.
Andrea Del Rabia is famous
sculptor for terracotta's statues. If you see Palazzo Albergotti at the top you
will
find the statue of
terracotta.
The architectural monuments
you can divide into two parts which are churches and other historical
buildings.
If you are in Italy, where
ever you go in every main city you will find cathedral which is called Duomo in
Italian. You will find Duomo
in the middle of the city especially in Centro Storico. If you are in Siena or
Perugia, you are in Prato or
Naples; you are in Milano or Palermo.
Similarly at the highest spot
of the city of Arezzo there is duomo. This duomo was started in 13th century
but
due to some reasons its
construction was being stop. After so many hurdles it was completed in 16th
century.
It was and is beautiful master
piece of architectural work. It was built with Romanesque gothic style which
was popular at that time.
There were lots of painters and sculptors who worked in this duomo but the most
beautiful thing of this duomo
is its mosaics. These were made by French mossiest (the one who make
mosaics) Guillaum di
Marcillat. When sun rays passes through these stain glass windows or you can
rather
say from these mosaics it
gives you marvellous view of the duomo. It seems like that that the whole
church
has been bathed with colours
and lights.
The second biggest church of
Arezzo situated in corso Italia. The foundation stone of this church was laid
on
the in the 10th century. In
fact there was an old pagan religious place where this church was constructed.
On
this pagan church they
started building a new church in the 12th century and it was being completed in
13th
century. It has old
Romanesque style of architecture. You can say its capo lavoro (master piece) of
that time.
It's called pieve Santa
Maria. Its bell tower is 59 meter high and it reminds the ancient golden
memories of
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
Arezzo. With this tower,
there are three stories verandas or you can say corridors or balconies. If you
see it
from corso Italia you
discover that every floor has different pillars and they are different in
numbers and shape
as well. Like first floor has
12 pillars or columns and they every pillar is different than other. On second
floor
there are 24 pillars and
similarly there are 32 pillars on third floor. There are different explanations
about
these pillars. One is that
the first floor has 12 pillars which means 12 months and second has 24 pillars
which
means 24 hours and 32 pillars
means 32 different sequences of time. Like in old day there was no counting of
hour so the whole day was
divided in 32 pieces. There were no hours of 60 seconds it was counted as 45
minutes into 32 the total
1440 minutes. This is the main speciality of this church.
Other than that there are
other churches. Cathedral you will find only one but churches can be more than
one.
Other churches are like
Badia Santa Flora, Saint
Annunziata Church, Saint Domenico Church, Saint bernardo Church, Santa Maria
Della Grazie, Saint Eugene
Parish Church, Saint Michel church, saint Francesco church, saint Augustine
Church.
The other historical places
and building of Arezzo the house of famous poet of lingua vulgare, Francesco
Petrarca, piazza Grande,
palazzo Pretoria.
If you talk about literature
and culture of Arezzo than you should start with Guido Monaco who was musician
and invented notes of music
than poet Francesco Petrarca.
Francesco Petrarca's parents
were inhabitant of Florence but due to political reasons they were on exile in
Arezzo and Francesco Petrarca
was born in Arezzo on 20th July 1304 than the family of Petrarca migrated to
France's city Avignon. When
he grew he was being sent to Carpentras where he got his initial education and
then he went to Montpellier
to study law and jurisprudence. After this Petrarca came to Italy with his
brother
Gerardo for further studies
in the University of Bologna During this period he lost his father and he gave
up
studying law. After spending
six years i these he went back to Avignon. He started writing poetry in the
memory of his mother. His
sonnets are dedicated to his girl friend as well. In the middle of 18th and
19th July
1374 he died and this famous
medieval poet who was born in Arezzo left us. Petrarca was the master of two
languages Latin and Italian
which was at that time lingua vulgare (the inventor of lingua vulgare was Dante
Alighieri). Petrarca wrote
poetry in Latin and lingua vulgare as well. Lots of writers, poets, painters,
sculptors
and architect played
important role in European renaissance but Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio
and
Francesco Petrarca played the
main role in the history of Italian literature. Before Petrarca in Arezzo the
famous poet was Guittone
d'Arezzo. Apart from that Leonardo Bruni wrote the history of Florence called
Historia Florentina. There
are two scientists who were born in Arezzo one was Andrea Cesalpino, he was
botanist and other was
Francesco Redi, he was naturalist and literary person. Antonio Guadagnoli was
satirical, witty and humorous
poet of Arezzo. He became very famous because of this type of poetry. At the
end of the 19th century
famous mathematician Francesco Severi was born in Arezzo as well.
Adam khan chughtai had
submitted his documents. There was no one like him in Arezzo even daowd has his
own style. He used to spend
his time in the central library of Arezzo which was situated at the end of
Corso
Italia in a very famous and
historical building palazzo Pretoria. Adjacent to that library there was the
house of
Francesco Petrarca and his
all collection of books which he collected in his whole life. He used to find
books
in English and used to search
in encyclopaedias the history of Arezzo and Italian literature. Like that he
came
to know the history of Arezzo
city and its environs. In turkey and Greece he had have any opportunity and
time as well. Over here he
has time and opportunity. He took the complete advantage of leisure time. The
history, culture,
civilisation, society, literature and art of Arezzo were inferior in front of
the history,
civilisation, culture and
literature of indo pak-subcontinent according to Adam. When Aryans invaded
India in
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
1700 (B.C.) there were
already Drawadians who were living there, on the other hand not in even in
Arezzo, in
the whole Italian land
civilisation started 2500 years before. Which means the signs of civilisation
has been
found in Italy in 500 (b.c.)
there is no doubt that according archaeological department the civilisation
started
in Italy in Palaeolithic
period but proper civilisation started in 500 (b.c.). On the other French
archaeologists
the world oldest civilisation
exists in Saon Valley a place close to Kalar Kahar (Pakistan). When Etruscan
were unaware of proper
civilisations and culture at that time Mohandodaro and Harappa were introducing
to
the world what is
civilisation and culture.
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha
(founder of Buddhism), Mahavera (founder of Jainmat or Jainism), Laotze
(founder of Taoism) were born
in India, Nepal and china. At that time Italians were even unknown of this
word which is called
philosophy.
If you open your span of
vision and you see towards other Asiatic and eastern countries than you will
find that
Maulana Jalal Uddin Rumi,
Omar Khayyam were famous for their philosophical poetry and they had already
created their master pieces
and until yet Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio and Francesco Petrarca famous
and praiseworthy poets and
literary person were not born. When Muslim ruled Spain for 800 years they ruled
Sicily, Reggio Calabria and
(Venice) Venezia for two hundred years. If you have been to Piazza San Marco in
Venezia (Venice), over there
you will find in the paintings the shadow and influence of Islamic art and
Muslim culture respectively.
In those paintings you will find the vestments, apparels of the people are like
Arabs. It shouldn't be wrong
if you say that Muslim played important role in European renaissance. Poetry
was started in Sicily in 1000
(a.d.). There were lots of Muslim poets and thinker who were writing in Arabic,
Latin and Italian, which was
lingua vulgare at that time. They have written marvellous books and they have
translated lots of Greek
precious books in Latin from Arabic which were being translated from Greek to
Arabic during Muslim's reign
in Bagdad (Iraq) and Spain. In Europe there was no concept of libraries. They
have translated the books of
mathematics, algebra, numerology, literature, poetry and history.
Abdul Rehman Ibne Aburteri
was Sicilian poet who was born in 12th century (a.d.). Abdul Rehman Ibne
Ramazan was born in Malta and
then he came to Sicily and became famous as a poet. Abdul rehman
Trapanavi (Abdul Rehman of
Trapani) was a Sicilian poet. Abdul Rehman Ibne Iyerza was born in Spanish
city Toledo in 1092 and died
in Rome 1167. He has written three books in Italian (lingua vulgare) which are
La bilancia (the balance)
Il fondamento della
grammatica (the basics of grammar)
Foridamento Del Timor di dio
Abu Wadow and Ibne Qalaqas
were Sicilian poets. Ibne Qalaqas has written books like Il fiore che sorride
(the flower which smiles and
mirando le virtù di Ibn al Qasim. There was another poet al idrees who was
born in Ceuta the city of
Marrakesh (morocco) in 1100 (a.d.) and died at Palermo city of Sicily in 1165.
He
was famous geographer of his
time and he has written following books one was in Arabic and called Nuzhat
al Mushtaque al Istraque al
Afaq and other was in Italian ho Il Libro de Re Reggero.
Ibne Bashroon was Sicilian
Muslim poet.
People know that India,
Greece and Egypt were the renowned for their culture and civilisation, sag and
literature and they were
famous for their wealth as well. Than Europe's great ancestor Greece had fall
down of
literature, culture and
civilisation. In the beginning of the 15th century this literature, culture and
civilisation
was reborn in Europe in
Italy. This is commonly known as renaissance. On the other hand neither India
had
renaissance or Egypt.
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
Adam found a job as cleaner
of different offices and other than that started cleaning glass windows of
different shops in Vittorio
Veneto road. Doawd found a job as a dish washer in one of the restaurants in
logge
Vasari. Like this they were
able to pay the bills at takmeel banday's house for example house rent, food
bills.
Adam used to think that there
is a lot of difference between fiction and fact. Ibrahim Lincoln used to sell
news
papers and he became the
president of America and Adam was cleaning the glass windows in Italy but he
will
never be able to become the
president of Pakistan. Lincoln had an ideology and goal of his future but
hadn't
have aspiration. Today in
America millions of people they sale news papers and none of them will become
the
president of America.
On the other hand daowd was
in miserable condition. He used to cry a lot. His father asked him only and
only
you collect money from
customers don't sale allo cholay (boiled potatoes and chick peas with spices)
and
clean dishes. What he was
doing now. He was cleaning dishes in restaurant the job he refused to do it.
Doawd
used to feel nausea and
queasiness, whenever he used to even think of cleaning dishes. It was against
his
prestige and status to do
this because it was his philosophy that wearing jeans and nice shirt and doing
this
job, collecting money from
customers. His clothes will be dirty and grimy and he afraid that when girls of
Lal
Kurti will see him doing this
they will laugh at him. Because when he was in Pakistan he used to dress up
nicely and standing outside
the girl's college was his routine. What he was doing now. He was washing dirty
dishes. He used to pray that
today there shouldn't be a lot of customers so he has to do little work and he
cleans less dishes but he
didn't know that if there will not be enough customers, he will lose job. He
didn't
know anything about
management. He used to use a lot of dish washing liquid and due to this the
restaurant's
owner was unhappy with him.
He used to shout in Italian but daowd was unable to understand. It's Italians
very strange habit when they
annoyed they will express it straight away they yell in a very loud voice. They
are like the Gawalmandi's
(name of a place in Lahore) gangsters. They don't do anything but they shout
like
that the opponent run away
after hearing their abusive language. In the beginning it was very strange for
daowd that Italian speak very
loudly and piercingly but with a passage of time he got used to it.
Italians when they speak they
use their hands a lot instead of phrases. They use gestures to explain things.
You can consider that they
are talking in theatrical or opera kind of way or it's their mal education. It
depends
upon you.
Still people were submitting
documents and some of them have gone to neighbouring countries after
submitting their papers.
Until March prefecture collected the papers and after that they stopped
receiving even
a single application.
Now they have started second
phase. They started sorting the documents which were being submitted. After
they complete satisfaction
they started giving papers which means people started getting Permesso di
Soggiorno (the permit of stay
and you are allow to work as well). They started pasting lists outside the
prefecture in the month of
June. Lots of people found there name and they went to collect their Permesso
di
Soggiorno (permit of stay).
People used to go to prefecture every day to see their names. Some were being
asked to bring your photo
copies of passport and some of them had collected letter that your proofs
unsatisfactory so you bring
new proofs.
There were different rumours
that such and such proof is authentic you people started running to and fro for
the proofs. Hindu, Sikh,
Muslim they forgot what religion they have they to the churches to get proofs
and its
was most acceptable proof
that you have eaten in caritas mess or your name is written in their register.
In all
the churches of Arezzo even
cathedral if your name was written in priest's register it was a proof that you
have
been to him for the help. The
false proof were being torn in front of the people who brought them and they
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
were being asked to get new
proofs that you are living in Italy from last one years or even before.
When Muslim used to go to
some priest for the proof and they beg for it they never thought of that these
Christians they call the
Jesus Christ in the son of god. Or these Christians they drink alcohol, they
use nude
and obscene dresses (for
Asians especially for Muslim they were obscene) and at some place they don't
even
wear anything. They never
even thought that when they are begging for the proof in front of priest that
the
whole Islamic world is bowing
their head in front of Christianity. On judgment day our prophet's head will be
down in front of their
prophet. As soon as they were getting their permesso di soggiorno (the permit
of stay)
they came back to their old
philosophy that one shouldn't trust these Christians they eat pork and they
call
Jesus Christ the son of god.
Takmeel banday convinced
everybody that they give permesso di soggiorno to everyone. The proofs which
Adam and Daowd had submitted
were false because they were of pronto scorso (first aid) because
unfortunately this department
was being computerized and according to the prefecture they sorted out that
their proofs were false.
There was no documental proof of Adam and daowd in pronto scorso. Takmeel
banday gave them suggestion
you go to Rome and get the proofs. There is friend of mine who sells proofs. It
will cost you 500 dollars.
One you will have documents you will earn many 500 dollars in your life.
Documents are very precious
and valuable.
When people started giving
the proofs of caritas and churches than police was suspicious so they refuse to
accept the proofs of their as
well. They have taken all their registers and sort out everything. This door
was
close as well. Adam and daowd
were seeing no light or chance to get some proof. The second disaster was
that prefecture wrote them
letter that you have done forgery so you leave Italy in fifteen days otherwise
you
can appeal in tar. Tar is
tribunal in Florence where you can challenge the prefecture or for anything.
Appeal
was supposed to be submitted
by a lawyer or solicitor.
Both of them were short of
money and to pay the lawyer's fee for them it was impossible. They didn't want
to
bother their families in
Pakistan. Their parents and relatives were thinking in Pakistan that their
children have
gone to Europe to make a lot
of money but they didn't know that what was going on.
They took loan from someone
and appealed against the decision of prefecture. The lawyer submitted their
appeal and told them to wait
for the respond and his receipt was there document to live in Italy.
Adam found job in fields of
watermelons. He used to go there early in the morning for plucking or you can
rather say collecting
watermelons. They were very heavy sometime they were of 15kg to 20 kg. On the
other
hand Pakistani watermelon was
not that heavier. Adam was so habitual of plucking watermelons that
sometime he used to see these
watermelons in his dreams. He was doing all this because he thought when he
will get papers he will find
some nice job. With permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay) it will be easy to
do
something else, something
decent. During the break the farmer, peasant used to take them home. They used
to
set the whole dining table
with different things. Like pasta, salad, meat (either beef or pork) roast
chicken, red
wine, grappa, water and
seasonal fruit. It has been ages that Adam hasn't seen the mosque but still he
hadn't
eaten pork and drank any kind
of alcohol. Whenever they had been there for lunch they those farmers raised
the question, why Muslim
doesn't eat the meat of pork? Adam was unaware of Italian language so he unable
to explain them, why we don't
eat pork? His other Pakistani companions were not even ready to hear the name
of pork. Eating pork, no way
but during lunch wine was their favourite drink. None of them never ever touch
water. They used wine and
grappa. When these farmers used to see them that they drink wine then they used
to make fun of them that
drinking wine is not allowed in Islam. Other Pakistanis never paid any
attention but
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
Adam used to feel shame and
due to this type of taunting his head had been always down in front of them.
In the month of august
watermelon's season was ended and now they have started plucking sweet marrows.
For Adam it wasn't difficult
job because he had this experience in Yunnan (Greece). The difference was only
that, here he has to pluck
sweet marrows and i Yunnan he used to pluck flowers. Early in the morning each
of
them used to take a wheel
barrow and plucking sweet marrow was there job. After the lunch break they used
to pluck peaches.
As the days were passing, new
things were coming out. So people were started getting soggiorno (permit of
stay). Some of them were
planning to go to Pakistan and some of them were going to France, Germany and
other European countries.
Adam and daowd were still unlucky. Their luck wasn't with them. They were
waiting for the lawyer's
reply. As soon as he will give them good news they will be free of this agony
and
distress.
Chapter 9: Piazza Grande
SANYEEN INTERNET
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
When you enter in via Guido
Monaco the first thing you see is the general post office of Arezzo and
adjacent
to that is Petrarca Theatre.
In front of Petrarca Theatre there is a bar called Cafe dell Teatro. The owner
of this
bar, are two young partners.
They are male and female. Whenever Adam used to get bore of his ambient
where he was living he used
to come to this bar to have cappuccino. He used to take cappuccino and as usual
he used to talk with them.
Andrea and Papini both of them were not even beautiful, they were very kind
hearted and well mannered. As
soon as Adam used to step in their cafe they used to call him Pakistano. After
hearing this word pakistano
Adam used to feel very happy. The reason was that where ever he had been,
everyone thought he is
Indian. It's quite common thing in European countries that whenever they see
someone
from Asiatic country they
think he is Indian. Adam explained them briefly about the history of Pakistan.
He
told them about the poets and
writers of Pakistan. He used to talk with them about literature. For them it
was
very strange that a guy from
Pakistan is talking about literature. European has very strange opinion and
estimation that there is a
lot of poverty and misery in Asian countries. They are dying of hunger. They
sleep in
the streets. In fact the real
problem of Asian countries is population. Once they will control their
population
other problems will be solved
automatically.
Adam used to ask Andrea quite
often that "what you think of foreigners"?
And his reply was always
that, "as you know i am the owner of this bar. For me every customer is
respectable
for me. He pays me and i
serve him. If there is no customer than there is no use of this bar, it doesn't
matter if
the customer is Indian,
Pakistani, Albanian or Italian. I don't care what nationality he has. I am not
racist,
chauvinistic or xenophobic,
before i was working in France. Whatever i have earned there, I saved some
money and bank gave me loan
as well so me and my friend we have opened this bar. It's my philosophy the
person who has travelled in
other countries for job. He shouldn't be racist or bigoted. I don't know that
you are
aware of this thing that lot
of aretini hasn't been out of Italy. So there vision is not broad. They think
that these
foreigners are here to steal
or nick there bread. Similarly when we Italian got to other countries for work
purpose, they must be
thinking the same that these Italians are here to steal our bread.
One day Adam asked Andrea,
why these European countries open their immigration if they think that we
foreigner are here to steal
their bread or job. Andrea responded, "about other European countries i
don't know
nothing but about Italy i am
for sure why they open there immigration. I don't know if you know this that
Italian population is
decreasing instead of increasing. After the Second World War lots of Italian
went to other
countries to find job and for
the betterment of their life. Most of them remained there. The mortality is
higher
than birth rate so there is
no balance in population. According to the analysis of united nation's expert
Italy
should be lenient about
immigrants. They should create space for them. If they won't do that they will
face the
problem of manpower. So Italy
with little duration of time opens its immigration to solve their own problem
not to help immigrants. Other
thing is that there are twenty percent Italian who are above sixty years old
and
pension department should
have funds to pay them. If they will not get taxes, they will be unable to pay
pensioner their pension. As
legal foreigner are bound to have permesso di soggiorno (work permit) and have
it
they should have job and it
should be legal contract so like that they pay taxes and Italian pension
department
is able to pay those who are
on pension. There one another reason that educated Italian doesn't want to work
in fields any kind of patty
job. It's against their personality and prestige. We should be thankful to
immigrants
they come on their own"
Adam said, "And still
they believe that we are here to steal their daily bread".
Adam thought of Auden's poem
refugees blue.
Come to the public meeting,
the speaker got up and said
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
If we let them in they will
steal our daily bread
He was talking of you and me,
my dear,
He was talking of you and me.
(W. H. Auden)
As soon as Adam said, he was
talking you and me, a lady who was sitting next to Adam. She said, "Auden,
this is a very good poem by
Auden. He has another poem which is called unknown citizen is very
satirical".
Adam didn't believe that
someone was speaking in English in Arezzo because Arezzo is a small city and
very
few people are acquainted
with English language and if someone knows he will prefer to speak Italian
instead
of English. Other than that
some people can speak French. Adam responded with perplexed and happy
feelings: "O! Yes he is
my favourite poet. I like Paul Verlaine and Charles Baudelaire as well"
Lady, "where you
from"?
Adam felt that some scorpion
has bitted him, he felt that someone was asking picho kithay day o, i am from
Pakistan and you"?
Lady, "O! Me, i am
Italian. As i am Italian but i was born in England".
Adam, "when you came to
Italy"?
Lady, "something like
twenty years before"
Adam present himself,
"my name is Adam Khan Chughtai"
While she was shaking hand
with Adam she said, "My name is Massara Cincira"
Adam said, "Your name is
different, it's not very Italian"
She said, "My
forefathers are from Catanzaro. They migrated to England from Catanzaro. My
father i mean
our family came back to
Italy. For your kind information that part of Italy is called mezzogiorno as
well. I
mean after Naples and further
on up to Reggio Calabria".
Adam, "what you do
here"?
Massara, "well, i am the
teacher of English literature and you Adam"?
Adam, i was studying philosophy
in Pakistan and now i am here"
Massara, "are you
studying here"?
Adam, "no i am not.
Although i want to study"
Massara, "can i ask you
why"?
Adam, because i am waiting
for my documents"
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
Massara, "Oh, i
understand, i got you but you can go to Italian language school. You go to
Centro di Ascolto
(a centre which hears you and
help you). It's a welfare organization. You go there and fill up the form. The
classes will be commencing in
September".
Adam got stunned and shocked.
He didn't know about this. Nobody has told him that he can learn Italian. He
can study in Italy. I didn't
know anything about Centro di Ascolto. All he knew was pronto scorso, caritas
and
churches where you can get a
token for lunch and dinner. Or they give second hand clothes or provide you
place to sleep.
Adam, "unfortunately i
don't have phone number but i come here quite often. Andrea is my friend".
Massara, "you can have
my number. You can phone me whenever you fancy".
While they were talking some
Pakistanis were passing. They saw him, recognized him and said in an absurd
way, "where did you get
her. Can you get one for us"? One of them said, "Look he hasn't got
documents and
he found a girl friend. Keep
it up".
Adam was feeling ashamed,
embarrassed after hearing this and beads appeared on his forehead because
massara was saying hello and
ciao to them. She didn't get what they were saying and she didn't know what
they were thinking about her.
She asked, "What they are saying".
Adam lied, "they saying
hello, hi to me".
But she reckons from their
faces that whatever they have said wasn't nice. Adam was looking here and there
that she shouldn't know what
he was feeling. He was feeling very uncomfortable.
Adam took her phone number
and as soon as he stood up to pay for cappuccino, massara stopped him and
said, "I will pay".
She paid the bill and said good bye to Adam and notify him to phone her. They
took their
way.
In the evening whole Arezzo
knew that Adam was sitting in Cafe dell Teatro with a girl and he was busy in
conversation with her.
Adam told daowd that today he
met with a very nice lady. She was telling him about Italian language school.
He was trying to convince him
if we want to live here than we should learn their language.
Daowd was sick of all these
things like studying, school and learning language. He said in smutty voice,
"Leave it yar (friend).
We aren't here to study Italian. We are here for labour work or patty
jobs".
Adam said, "Let's
imagine or suppose we will have documents. If we knew their language than it
will be easy
for us to live here, If we
need to go to their offices than we won't be needing someone to go with us for
the
translation or for
interpreting. You can't even imagine we will need Italian language for every
single purpose".
Adam gave such a beautiful
and striking lecture about learning Italian language, for daowd it was nearly
impossible to say no.
Both of them went to Centro
di Ascolto and filled up their applications. They showed them their lawyer's
receipts. Counter clerk took
the photo copies of their documents and told them we write you a letter that
when
you have to join the classes.
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
When takmeel banday heard the
story of girl he uncovered himself. He was a wolf and he disguised himself as
a sheep. All of them when
they sat together for the dinner, he spoke in a very malicious and sarcastic
way.
Adam was hundred percent sure
that today he will say something about him, "O!--- there are some people
who are here from last couple
of months and they have started drinking coffee on expensive bars. You don't
know about these goris (white
girls) they leave you at the railway station. When they are fed up they find
another boy friend. They
don't stick to one man. Some people think that they will get Italian passport.
It's not
like that. They are Italian.
They don't throw their worn and torn sandals. Marrying with Italian girl, no
way"
Adam and daowd were quite
because their situation was very critical.
Whenever Adam used to go out,
everyone used to ask him that you found a gori (white) girl friend. It's good
you can sex with her
sometime. If you haven't done anything, don't miss the chance. You will not
find another
chance. Ask her for paper
marriage, if she will accept your proposal than your problem will be sorted
out.
Adam used to feel strange and
get upset when used to say these things. They saw only once with a girl and
made such a big scandal, if
really marry with some gori (white) or Italian than what should they do.
Corso Italia is the heart of
Arezzo. Not even in Arezzo, you will find corso Italia in all major cities of
Italy. In
Corso Italia of Arezzo, there
is hustle and bustle all the time especially in the evenings. On Friday evening
and Saturday you can't find
even place to walk. Right in the beginning of corso Italia there is a bank.
Then
you will find different shops
on both sides; like Sasch, United Colours of Benetton, Sergio Tacchino, Ultimo,
Bata, Berso, and Carta Chic.
There are many cafeterias, pizzerias as well. If you keep on walking in corso
Italia you will find pieve
church. You will see gorgeous building of this church. This is the first church
of
Arezzo city; right at the
back of this church you will see Piazza Grande. Further on you will find the
central
library of Arezzo in Palazzo
Pretoria. Its outer wall is embossed with the insignias of all the kings and
nobles
of Arezzo who ruled this
city. In the middle you will find the insignia of Medici family. Adjacent to
this
library is the house of
Francesco Petrarca.
In Corso Italia young boys
and girls, they walk up and down and they repeat this walk many times. Girls
they
wear makeup and fashionable
apparels and boys they wear designer clothes. This is their biggest and
greatest
entertainment and amusement.
When they walk in Corso Italia every boy and girl feels that he or she is model
of Versace, Gucci, Moschino,
Cavalli, Prada, Armani and Valentino. The most prominent and outstanding
shop in Corso Italia is
Sugar. They are master in window designing or you can say displaying things.
Adam and daowd were strolling
in corso Italia. While they were walking, suddenly Adam saw massara. As he
saw her, he said, "ciao,
ciao". She was happy to see Adam as well. She came to Adam and kissed on
his both
cheeks and then shook his
hand. Adam got nervous in daowd's presence because he wasn't ready for this.
Adam introduced daowd to get
rid of perplexity, "daowd--------------massara, massara------------daowd.
Massara shake hand with daowd
and said, "Piacere" (please to meet you) and then said, "Adam
meet my
husband Giuseppe Rossi".
Adam stepped forward and
shook his hand with him. Daowd just said, ciao, ciao.
Adam said, we don't we sit in
some bar and have some coffee".
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
Massara said, "Some
other time. At the moment we are in rush. By the way you haven't phoned
me".
Adam, "i wanted to phone
you but i was a little busy".
Both of them said good bye
and disappeared in hustle and bustle of Corso Italia.
Adam stopped for while
because they were doing window shopping. He started looking at the window of
Sasch shop, the things which
were displayed in the window. He spoke to daowd, "lets us have a
look".
Daowd said, "Leave it
yar (friend). They must be very expensive and we don't even have
documents".
Adam got annoyed and he said,
"so those people who haven't got papers or they aren't legal they can't
even
see nice clothes. They don't
have wishes and desires. It's difficult for them to breathe and live. We aren't
going
to buy anything. We will have
a look". As they entered in the shop the worker or owner of the shop
became
conscious and alert. There
were cameras in the shop and there was a television which was showing what was
going on in other parts of
the shop. They went on the second floor. Over there, there was a slim and smart
girl.
She said something in Italian
and they didn't get what she was saying. Adam as usual said, "I speak
English".
As she heard this she went to
the other part of shop. Adam selected one T-Shirt. They came downstairs and
paid for it. The shopkeeper
gave them weird look and gave them rest and receipt in their hand.
When they came home, everyone
was curious what they have in their bag. All of them said in chorus, "What
have you bought"?
Adam said, "A
T-Shirt".
He took out T-Shirt form his
bag and showed them. As they have seen T-Shirt all of them said, "What
kind of
T-Shirt is this. These types
of clothes and T-Shirt are only for eunuchs and gays". The reason they
said like
this because this T-Shirt was
very tight in fitting.
Adam was very worried that
what this is.
Lala Bashir said, "How
much you paid for that"?
Adam said, "thirty
million liras, nearly 15 dollars".
As he heard the price lala
bashir said, "It's very expensive. You know bao (Mr.) Adam, the shops
which are in
Corso Italia. They aren't for
us. We are here to earn money. You don't have documents too. If you have
passion for clothes, you can
buy from flee market on every Saturday. Look i have bought two vests (usually
some people call T-Shirt as a
vest). He showed him his T-shirts. According to him they were vests. I bought
these two vests from 50 million
liras, nearly 25 dollars". Adam was flabbergasted and incredulous that
there is
the difference of only five
dollar and lala bashir has given him a complete lecture.
They didn't know what Takmeel
Banday's problem was. He started hating Adam and daowd. He was
malevolent and cruel with
them. It was the only will of banday that both of them should go away from his
house. But he never said
anything. His whole personality was full of Hippocratic ideas. That was his
philosophy that taunts the
person as much as you can. Rag him and mock so at last he will leave you. You
don't need to ask him to go.
So like this no one will say that Banday has kicked out someone from his house.
He used to taunt them. In
fact he used to pretend that he is talking to somebody else but in reality his
intention
was that Adam and Daowd
should listen what he is saying.
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
"People don't have even
documents. They drink coffees with goris (white) at expensive bars. Now they
have
started buying clothes from
expensive shops of Corso Italia. They think they are Italian. We shouldn't
ourselves with Italians. They
work for themselves. We have to think about our family in Pakistan and about
our relatives. They we don't
send them monthly allowance or draft than our families will be worried. We
suffer everything in Europe;
we face problems just for them that they live peaceful and tranquil life.
Anyway
we are here for labour work
and for patty jobs. As long as concerned about clothes, you wear them than they
will be torn and your money
will be in waste. I don't even buy socks".
Daowd used to listen whatever
he used to say but for Adam his sarcastic and mordant talk was unbearable. He
used to feel that someone is
pouring slowly and slowly acid in his heart.
Working in fields Adam's
colour became nearly black. He was doing this job because he had hope that if
will
get the documents i will find
some nice job. Both of them started going to school as well. In the beginning
there were many students. It
was co-education class. There were student from Romania, Albania, Hungry,
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,
Chechnya and Qazachistan. They were here to learn Italian language. Some boys
were here for girls. Slowly
and slowly the students started decreasing and at last few students were
remaining.
Daowd left the school after
some attending some classes. Adam was studying keenly and eagerly. Now he as
much Italian that he was able
to explain what he wanted to say. For him learning Italian wasn't difficult
because it has a lot of
resemblance with French and he studied French in Pakistan.
Adam used to phone massara
and like this days were passing. The people who were living him they were
thinking that Massara is
Adam's girl friend. He told them many times that she is married you
misunderstood
my relationship. Even if she
wasn't married there wouldn't have been physical relationship between us
because physical or sexual
relationship you can develop only with mutual understanding and will. If a girl
is
not willing to have sexual or
carnal relationship, you cannot force her, at least in Europe. But for his
companions it was impossible
to understand.
In the month of December as
the Christmas was coming nearer the hustle and bustle was increasing in Arezzo
city. Commune di Arezzo
started decorating Arezzo city like a bride. For Adam and Doawd there was no
Christmas no Easter, neither
Eid ul Fitre or Eid ul Azha. They were without documents. Adam wasn't happy at
all. He was very fed up of
all these things. As poet says that,
Sham hi say bujha sa rehta
hay
Dil ho goya charagh muflis ka
Mir Taqui Mir
Adam phoned massara before
Christmas that he has bought a gift for them for the Christmas occasion. He was
very happy to hear that. Adam
said, "How can i give this gift"?
She responded, "Listen
tomorrow i am coming to Arezzo with my kids and husband. You can ring at my
husband's mobile so we will
decide the place to meat".
Adam was unable to
understand. It was nearly unbelievable. He used to hear that Europeans are
racist,
xenophobic and chauvinistic
but massara was entirely different whatever he had heard.
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
Next day he phoned at
Massara's husband's mobile phone. They said that we are at cafe dei Costanti.
This is
Arezzo's famous cafe and its
right in front of san Francesco church".
San Francesco church has the
frescos of Piero Della Francesca. There is a very nice book shop called
Pellegrini. Next to cafe dei
costanti there is shop for fine art things called Fraschetti.
Adam was carrying the gift
and they saw him and recognise him. They were very happy having gift from
Adam. They offered him cup of
coffee and didn't refuse. Than massara said very politely, "Adam we have
decided to invite you for
Christmas occasion. At my parents home (she indicated with her gesture). There
you
will see my whole family. You
will see my sisters, my father, my mother and rest of them".
Adam didn't believe what he
was hearing. He said, "Yes why not. I will defiantly come. It will be my
pleasure
but i don't know where you
live"?
Massara, "you needn't to
worry about it. We will provide you pick and drop service".
Adam knew that if he will
give them his home address where he was staying so they will come to pick him
up
there than there will be a
new scandal about him. They will be gossiping about him.
He said in very preoccupied
way, "where you will come to pick me up because i don't want to bother
you.
You tell what time will come
so you will find me at the parking of Arezzo railway station. You can pick me
up from there".
Massara said, "That's
not a problem. We will pick you up from Arezzo railway station. We will be
there at 12
"o" clock because
we are invited there for lunch".
Adam waggled his head in yes.
After having coffee Massara and Giuseppe took permission to leave. Massara
kissed upon his cheeks and
walked away.
On 25th December Adam dressed
up nicely and he was waiting for them at the Arezzo's railway station at 11
"O" clocks in the
morning. He was thinking about massara's family what kind of people they will
be. How
they will treat him. He
doesn't eat pork. He doesn't drink alcohol. He will tell them straight away i
don't eat
pork and drink alcohol even
if he will have to be remain hungry and thirsty. He was knitting these thoughts
and dreams suddenly a car
stopped very close to him. They were massara and Giuseppe. He didn't realise it
has been one hour that has
been thinking. He heard the loud voice of massara, "let's go, Adam".
Adam abruptly and swiftly got
in the car. They were discussing something in Italian. Than massara turned her
head towards Adam because he
was sitting at the back seat and said, "I am sorry Adam. We were talking
about kids because i left my
younger sister with my kids. She is preparing them. We will stop at our home
first. We will pick them and
then we will go together to my parent's home".
Adam said, "It doesn't
matter".
The car left the Arezzo city
and entered in the environs of Arezzo. Than Adam saw fields on both sides and
some dwellings were as well.
It has been only fifteen minutes that Adam saw the sign board of Chiassa
Superiore.
Massara said, "I live
here. This place is called Chiassa Superiore. At the back side of my mother's
house there
flows a small brook or you
can say rivulet. The name of that brook is Chaissa Superiore".
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
The car stopped with jerk and
massara got off from the car and she opened the door for Adam and said,
"This
is my house. It becomes home
when we are in. I am going to get my sister and my kids. They must be ready.
We will take them with us. My
mother lives nearby, must be couple of minutes walk". She entered in her
house hurriedly which was
home when she was in and she came with her sister and kids in a flicker of eye.
She guided all of them up to
her mum's house. The house was very beautiful from outside, typical Tuscan
style of construction. There
was an open passage which was fenced but the fence wasn't very high. There was
a small door at the entrance.
It must have been two feet high maybe less than that. Massara didn't even open
the door she jumped over it
but rest of them they entered throw that small door. After mounting few steps they
came to the main door of the
house. She knocked the door. As was being opened massara, Giuseppe, their two
kids and mascara's younger
sister they entered in the house. Adam waited outside. Massara came out again
and asked Adam to come in.
Adam entered inside hesitatingly. As Adam stepped inside, Massara's mother
said, "So you are Mr.
Adam. I am very glad to see you. Massara talks about you a lot. In my family
everyone
speaks English and
understands as well".
They introduced him with
everyone one; Massara's dad, maternal uncle, maternal aunt, grandmother and
brother in law.
Adam felt very happy inside
due to this respect, honour and admiration. When he left home this was the
first
that he was being treated
nicely. He got this esteem and regard.
Adam took a seat and he
started watching television. He was watching television but in fact he looking
at their
activities habitually. Kids
started playing together and rest of them were busy in doing different things.
In the
mean time massara's grandmother
came to Adam and she started relating him the stories of England. She was
madly in love with England.
Suddenly massara's mother addressed Adam, "Adam you can eat whatever you
like because in today's
cooking we avoided ham and pork".
Adam felt that his whole body
has been glisten with light. In started thinking inwardly that what we think
about Europeans. We have
wrong assessment about them. He was feeling this internal destruction.
Massara's
mother again spoke,
"when massara told us that you are coming for Christmas lunch so we
avoided swine's
meat". Adam was thinking
now they will ask, why Muslims don't eat the meat of pork? But they haven't
asked
anything.
Many things were being placed
on the table. First of all they presented crostinis. They were round and small
like roasted bread. They were
garnished with peanut butter, sauce, mayonnaise and there were some other
sauces and some fresh
tomatoes. Adam took some crostinis, he enjoyed them. Then they presented roast
chicken. Adam started eating
with fork and knife but massara's father was using hands. He saw Adam in
difficulty, he said,
"Adam for chicken and woman don't use delicacy. Touch them feel them
wildly and eat
them. You will enjoy
it".
Adam laughed whole heartedly
but women didn't like it because they were in majority. Then they presented
soup with very hard bread. In
Italian it's called panne. You dip the bread in soup and eat or you can eat it
the
way you like.
When everyone ate as he
wanted. The plates were being changed. Adam was observing all this that he is
watching something on
television.
Now it was the time of sweet,
which is called dolce in Italian. Massara's mother made a sponge cake. The last
item was coffee. Italian use
very small coffee cups. For Adam they were like decoration pieces. On the other
hand in Pakistan drinking
coffee is status symbol. People drink big mugs of black coffee without milk.
This
isn't good for Pakistani
weather and dangerous for health.
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
When everyone ate and the
table was being cleared and cleaned than all of them sat in the middle of the
floor
and everyone opened his gift.
Everyone has given something according to his budget. None of them knitted
his brows not body brought
wrinkles on his forehead. All of them were very happy. Massara's younger sister
she was nearly twenty years
old. She sat with her dad close to inglenook like she was a little girl. Adam
got
shocked and perplexed to the
environment and milieu of their home. He was feeling very good. The whole
place was full of love,
affection amore. They were not Hippocrates. If they drank wine they had it in
front of
everyone. They smoked
cigarette together, daughter or father didn't hide. Even father lit the
daughter's
cigarette. Adam was buried
due to shame, ignominy. What we think about these Europeans what they are. We
take a single example and we
assess that they are not good. Sometime we judge people after watching their
films which isn't true.
It was dark outside. Adam
said, "I should go now".
He took permission from
everyone. Massara asked her husband, "could you please drop him at
Arezzo's
railway station. I will take
kids home because they are very tired".
He obeyed without any
reluctance. He took Adam and dropped him at the railway station and went away.
This was Adam's most
memorable day of his whole life. He heard about Christmas but what was
Christmas,
he saw it today. Lots of
things were uncovered and revealed.
Everyone was gossiping about
Adam that is having affair with some girl. Pakistani people they have many
qualities but the most
popular are that we think about others instead of ourselves. What they do? What
they
eat? When their passport will
be expiring? He sends money to his family or not? How many times he slept
with other woman? He drinks
alcohol or not?
Whoever has been to Europe
none of them will accept that they escaped from their poverty and misery. They
are here for economic
stability. All of them landlords and they have properties in Pakistan. Some of
them have
family conflicts and
litigations. Some have political problems. Someone had grudge with father so he
left
Pakistan. All of them belong
to noble and dignified families. Most of them are here because they were fond
of
coming to Europe. If they
need to offer a cup of coffee to someone than they relate the bundle of
problems,
you will feel that he is the
poorest man on this earth. One can't understand that for drinking beer and
having
sex with prostitutes, how
they arrange money. In daily life they will save even a single mille lira. They
willn't
spend even a two liras for a
foreigner girls or rather gori (white) but for prostitute they would love to
spend
fifty mille lire without any
shilly-shallying. After having sex with her they will praise themselves that
they
physically very fit, strong
and powerful. If they have done once they will tell you they have ten times.
For
Adam these twofold or dual
personality people were very bizarre and peculiar. In one way they used to use
Subhan-Allah, Masha-Allah,
tauba tauba, astaghfar and in other way they were like that. At one side where
ever they used to go, they
used to ask for halal meat (any animal which is slaughtered according to the
principles of Islam. When you
cut his throat with knife you should Allah-o-Akbar, god is great. You repeat it
until the whole blood goes
out from his body) and pork or ham eating it you can't even dream about it they
were not even willing to say
his name but drinking alcohol wasn't a problem for them and having sex with
girls wasn't a sin. As they
knew that eating pork, drinking alcohol and having sex with woman without
marriage is haram (not legal)
in Islam.
The month of March was
started. That was the sign that cold season is going to be ended. The spring
season
was coming. There was no job
in the fields and there was no cleaning job. At all the restaurants, the people
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
who have documents were
working. Daowd and Adam were living their life what they have saved.
There were on the horns of
dilemma and at this critical time there solicitor told them that court has
rejected
their applications. They
don't have any chance for appeal. This was their last chance. Even though were
expecting for permesso di
soggiorno (work permit). There solicitor told them they should leave Italy in
fifteen
days. If they willn't do this
and by chance will be copped by the Carabinieri than they will be deported.
For Adam and daowd this was
greatest shock and jolt. They were very hopeful and buoyant because ninety
eight percent people had the
documents. Two percent were left. Unfortunately there were in those two
percents.
Takmeel banday was very happy
inwardly that he won the game. He never liked Adam because he wasn't
flatterer. Banday found
another way to robbed money from them. He created a plan. He encouraged them
and
said, "You don't need to
worry. I will buy you false Carta d'Identita (Italian identity card). They will
be real.
There will only pc, this
means photo change. I will have to go to Rome. You need to buy me train's
return
ticket, three million liras
each which means hundred and fifty dollars each as well, you two photos. After
having this Carta d'Identita
you will be able to travel without any problem to Germany, France or Holland.
If
Italy will again open
immigration you can come back to Italy and you can stay at my place. You will
find
these doors open for you
forever".
They didn't like it but there
was no other way. Then he continued, "For me even single penny is haram
(illegal
money). I won't take your
money. They money will goes in Rome agent's pocket. In fact this Carta
d'Identita
they make in Napoli (Naples).
I mean roman agents work for them".
They had enough money to pay
him for these Carta d'Identitas and they had money for train tickets to go to
France.
Takmeel banday has given them
the mobile phone number of his friend who was in France. Anyway most of
the people who had documents
they went to France or Germany for work. Adam and daowd knew some
people in Paris as well.
Chapter 10: Piazza Grande 2
No comments:
Post a Comment