Nauka Daud - The Long Boats

At the beach side bar in Mumbai, the officers of the navy and air force are enjoying a drink. Over the drink, the officers of the navy and the air force are expressing their point of view which of the two military wings is a more potent force and has the killer punch to deliver the enemy INCAPABLE.

 

Air commodore Abhimanyu: air force is undoubtedly the more potent force it has deep penetration strike capability deep into enemy territory. We can disengage enemy assets and their  logistical support deep within the enemy territory.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: navy is more potent force we have the capability to strafe the enemy from both the sea and air thru our aircraft carriers we can reach close to enemy lines, enforce the economic blockade by encircling the enemy sea routes and disengaging their economy, we can facilitate in large amphibious assault directly on the enemy territory. The navy attacks the enemy from land, from sea, from above the water from below the water and from air. Navy is definitely the more potent force of the military.

    

Air commodore Abhimanyu: you guys are just the tortoise in the water, we are the eagle in the sky. We strike like lightening.

 Commodore Chander Shaker: we are the sharks in the water, the tiger on land and condor in the sky. You guys are just the moths and dragon flies buzzing in the sky.

 

The argument continues in a friendly and jovial mood between the naval officers and the air force officers for a while with none agreeing to be less than the other. Until lieutenant Sandeep Singh of the navy suggests a simple solution to settle the argument.

 

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: sir, I suggest that we hold a rowing competition of rowing the long boats. The boats to be hundred feet long and to have 100 rowers each. The distance to row will be 1.5 km. It will be a test of strength, stamina, speed and endurance of the ROWERS.WE will have the best of three matches. And who ever wins the rowing competition is better than the other.

 

Both air commodore Abhimanyu and commodore Chander Shaker ponder for a while what lieutenant Sandeep Singh has said. Air commodore Abhimanyu is the first one to break the silence.

  

Air commodore Abhimanyu: this seems like a good idea we will beat the sailors at their home ground in water and in rowing

 

Abhimanyu turns to his officers who all raise their beer glasses and shout in unison tally ho.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: that is good, we don’t mind. Beside, we will love beating the bird men three zero. How much time you need to train your boys for the competition.

 

Air commodore Abhimanyu: we don’t need any time to get into our gear we are always ready to stand up to any challenge, anytime, anywhere and any which way. We are ready to go into the competition tomorrow itself.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: your confidence is good Abhimanyu, but I want to give you a fighting chance against us, so we will tran for the competition for one months and after that every two days we will hold the three rowing matches. And who so ever wins will buys every one a round of beer for everyone. Because it will be a honor for us to be one up above you and we will buy you the drink.

 

Air commodore Abhimanyu: the honor will be ours Chander Shaker, we will be buying you the drinks, so be ready to loose.

 

 Commodore Chander Shaker: don’t rush Abhimanyu, we are sailors, you practice well for a month and at least give us some competition, that is all I will say to you.

 

Air commodore Abhimanyu: we wiil just win with such a big margin Chander Shaker, that you will be just starting from the start line and we will breast the finish line as well, my boys will row with the super sonic speed, you just wait and see.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker laughs and so does all the naval and air force officers, all the officers retire for the night and leave the pub in a friendly atmosphere.

 

The next day both the naval officers and the air force officers select their fittest and the strongest officers and outline their month long exercise regime in preparation for the long boats competition.

 

The navy cut out tow feet by two feet, one hundred wooden boards, the navy officers place the boards on the sand then sit on the boards and use a rowing paddle to row on the sand to strengthen their upper body strength and arms.

 

The air force officers practice on the rowing machines in the gym. And they ridicule the style of the rowing exercise adopted by the navy and call it sand rowing.

 

 The air force sends out one of their loveliest woman officer to the club where all the naval officers meet. In the evening to discuss the plans of the rowing competition and the progress that they are making.

 

The navy on their turn also send out one of their loveliest woman officer to the club to keep an eye and ear open on the progress that the air force is making in terms of strategy and their progress for the rowing competition.

 

But commodore Chander Shaker is not very happy with the progress of his officers he feel that they can just about beat the air force men in the rowing competition. He call his men together and ask for a strategy that will beat the air force rowers by more than half a kilometer in the 1.5 km race. No officer is able to come up with such a strategy that can make them win the race by more than half a kilometer. There is silence among all his officers

 

COMMODORE CHANDER SHAKER: HOW, HOW CAN WE BEAT THE BIRD MEN by more than half a kilometer in the race, I think we will have to grow wings to beat them by that margin.

 

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: sir, I have a plan, and we can beat them by more than the margin that you want to win. They will be just a 100 feet away from the starting line and we be crossing the finishing line.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: what is the plan

  

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: sir, we will attach our long boat by a one km. Long cable to one of our submarine and we will be pulled forward by the submarine and we will cross the line even before they have moved from the starting line.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: be practical sandeep we want to win with honor, and not raise howls of protest from all the quarters, everyone will know that we are using unfair means by moving at such a speed, rack your brains a bit more a come out with a more practical solution.

 

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: we can use navy divers directly under our long boat, pushing the boat forward with underwater hand propellers.

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: the bubbles from the divers oxygen tank so close to the surface will be a tell tale sign and everyone will know, not a good suggestion think of some thing else.

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: sir, we will be having the lead boat, which will be also our safety boat and it will be 100 feet in front of our long boat. We can tie a hundred feet long cable to it. The cable will be attached to a horizontal pole ten feet below the surface of the water, the other horizontal pole ten feet below the water will be attached to our lead boat, and, on those two horizontal pole we will attach the hundred feet cable. None will be able to see the cable because it will be ten feet below the water and the lead boat also does not move very fast but moves ahead of our long boat only.

Commodore Chander Shaker: that is a brilliant idea sandeep, get to work on this as soon as possible in all secrecy and be careful of that lovely air fore officer who is cosying up with you. She is in the club to keep an eye on the sly to know what we are doing.

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: she is not cosying up with me sir, but I am wooing her, I want to thank air commodore Abhimanyu for sending a wonderful girl friend for me.

Commodore Chander Shaker: but I thought you already had a girl friend.

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: she left me for a millionaire,sir.

Commodore Chander Shaker: good for her.

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: good for me sir, now I got this great new girl friend, don’t worry she won’t know any of our plan. But sir, don’t you think that it is a bit of unfair to win like this.

Commodore Chander Shaker: all is fair in love and war my dear boy. We love our navy and we love our air force, it is all for love only and since there is no war it is just for love so it is perfectly okay.not to worry. And keep your mind free of all this fair and unfair nonsense, leave that to me only. You just do your wonderful job, quietly and quickly.

The one month passes by with both navy rowers and air force rowers practicing hard for the competition.

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh having fixed their naval long boat with the cable and attached it to their lead boat.

The day of the first match of the best of three matches arrives. Both the long boats of navy and air force are side by side.

The starting of the race hooter is sounded and the race begins.

Both the long boats are head to head for almost 300 meters, then the naval long boat starts to break away from the air force long boat. The naval long boat is pulled thru by the cable by their lead boat the navy long boat starts to go faster and faster and reaches the finish line 500 meters ahead of the air force long boat.

There is celebration in the naval camp all the naval officers throw their caps in the air in jubilation and hug each other.

The air force camp just looks on in disbelief and in defeat.

In the evening the navy throws the party in beach side pub and also join in the celebration of the marriage party on the beach, where two belly dancers are doing the belly dance and the song is being played.

Every time I dream I dream only of you.

Every time I dream I dream only of you

For you are my only dreams

Your face is like a moon shinning bright

Your divine smile, your mesmerizing eyes haunt me in my dreams

I can only think about and your magical flowing hair

I am happy in the sorrows that you give to me

I am happy in the tears that I shed for you

For I can feel your tender soul from far

You have a heart delicate as the rose petals

Even in my dreams I can not think of hurting you

I fear if I come too close

You may wither from my lonely heart

I can not show you my compassion because of my lonely heart of

My soul is not tender like yours

I fear if I come too close

You will shy away from my lonely heart 

I leave my soul to you

To keep my lonely heart with me

I fear if I come too close

I will hurt your gentle feelings

Every time I dream I dream only of you.

The victory celebrations continue till late in the night.

Next day in the morning air commodore Abhimanyu call all his officers to his room to analyse their defeat.

Air commodore Abhimanyu: I can’t believe that we lost so badly. We are not so bad in our preparations and we are up to the challenge to the naval boys, the margin of our defeat is unbelievable. We have pilot officer Chander mukhi who have befriended lieutenant Sandeep Singh, has she got anything of what the navy boys are up to.

Pilot officer Chander Mukhi: no sir, the navy boys won it fair and square, sandeep did say that they will beat us by a big margin and with ease and there is nothing fishy about their win.

Flight lieutenant Nakul: sir, I have something to tell.

Air commodore Abhimanyu: yes Nakul what is it.

Flight lieutenant Nakul: my girl friend sub-lieutenant mehak, had a little too much to drink in the yesterday party and she revealed that the naval boys had attached a 100 feet long cable to their lead boat and the cable was 10 feet below the water, so we could not see the cable, and 300 meters distance into the race the naval lead boat started pulling the naval long boat and that is why they won by such a big margin.

Air commodore Abhimanyu: why the cads, I can’t believe this. I knew their win smelled a rat and Nakul your girl friend mehak, is she not the one that the naval boys sent over to keep an eye on the things in our camp.

Flight lieutenant Nakul: yes sir, the same, she is a nice girl she is now my girl friend.

Air commodore Abhimanyu: well then don’t say anything to your girl friend. If the naval boys can pull a fast one us, we can repay them back in the same coin. What do you boys say.

All the officers shout in unison ‘yes’ to air commodore Abhimanyu decision. And flight lieutenant Nakul comes up with the plan.

Flight lieutenant Nakul: sir the naval boys attached the cable to their lead boat, we will attach our cable to a sea plane and the plane will taxi 300 meters in front of our lead boat, which will be ahead of our lead boat and we will say that the sea plane is their to take the video coverage from air. But we will continue to taxi the plane in water ahead of our lead boat and we will win the race by 1 km. They beat us by 500 meters we will beat them by 1 km.

Air commodore Abhimanyu: that is great idea Nakul, get to work on it and stay clear of your girl friend she must not even get the hint of this. The navy boys will be pulling their long boat by their lead boat we will pull our long boat by our sea plane. You have two day to make the necessary arrangements Nakul, get on with the job and fast.

Flight lieutenant Nakul goes about the job of attaching the under water cable to the sea plane meticulously and the air force boys are ready for the long boat race.

The second of the best of three long boat race starts at 10 am sharp. The air force boat starts pulling away from the naval long boat, there is panic in the naval camp and the navy boys signal their lead boat to increase the speed but the air force long boat still continues to pull ahead of them at a much faster pace and the race is won by the air force boys.

There are sullen faces in the navy camp but they do not raise a protest that they smell a cheat in the just concluded race because then their cheating would also come out in the open. The navy boys accept their defeat sportingly and join in the celebration and party thrown by the air force camp. There is song and dance and music all around. Flight lieutenant Nakul and lieutenant Sandeep Singh takes the lead in dancing and singing and are joined in by their girlfriend and they sing the song.

Annu Baby

Annu baby

You fly like an angel

You move like a ballerina

You are the one with the look in the eye

You always get the one you want

You are the man eater

Annu baby you are the one

With all the right moves

Annu baby you have that pout of your full red lips

I see you all with my all seeing eyes

You trap your playboys

With the wink of your sexy eyes

You get that mean look in your sexy eyes

To tell the other women you got their man

Annu baby

You are the one with that lean and mean body

That fall like a lethal weapon

On the passions of the one you love

Making him fall at your feet

At your will, at the single wink of your eye

Annu baby you are the one with the sexiest walk of all

Just prowling to net your prey

You are the predator

Always on the prowl for your man

Annu baby you are the sexiest of them all

Just beckoning your man

With your sexy index finger

Of your soft fair right hand

With the pout of your sexy full red lips

Just undulating your slender body

Softly from side to side

Your curves showing from knee length black tight skirt

Raising your beautiful face slightly up

That mean look coming in your eyes

I got your man all the way, Message to the other women

Annu baby you are the man eater

You are the sexiest of a them all

With that sexy pout of your lovely red full lips

You are the conquer of hearts

 

 Annu baby you are the most beautiful

Annu baby annu baby my annu baby

You know I lie when I say I l’oove only you

Annu baby annu baby

I am the deceiver

Not you

Annu baby You have angel eyes

The queen of angels the empress of my heart

The queen of angles

Queen of angels

The angles won’t be there if you had not been there

You are the eye sore of all the angels

The angels eyes get swollen,Just looking at you

And they can’t get enough of you

Annu baby annu baby

You are the loveliest of them all

You know I lie when I say I love you

You are the most beautiful of all

I love you with all my heart

You are braglina

You just brag what you do

You just can’t stop telling what you do

You know I am the deceiver not you

Annu baby Annu baby

You got all the right moves baby

You make all the right love moves

You are free like a bird

You are beautiful like an angel

Annu baby my love, my love

You are the sexiest of them all

You know I lie when I say I love you

Annu baby, Anu baby, Annu baby…

 

The next day commodore Chander Shaker summon all his officers in his room

 

Commodore Chander Shaker: it is beyond doubt that the bird men pulled a fast one on us yesterday, they used the same trick on us that we used on them but I can’t understand how can they go faster than us and win by such a big margin when we both are using the same lead boats.

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: sir, both the lead boats are ours only and the one that we gave to the air force has a slower speed than the one we have, yet they were going faster than us. There is only one explanation to this they had the cable attached to their sea plane that was only taxing in front of their lead boat but the plane never really took off. The air force camp has said that the sea plane is there to take the video coverage from air but the plane remained at sea and never really took off.

Commodore Chander Shaker: I am going to take this matter up with Abhimanyu and tell them they won by cheating. They don’t know about our trick but we know about theirs.

 

Lieutenant Sandeep Singh: sir, pilot officer Chander mukhi told me this morning that the air force camp knows about our little trick and they are upset and that air commodore Abhimanyu is going to lodge a strong protest with you today about the manner we conducted the first race and claim that they won have the first race because we cheated.

Commodore Chander Shaker: but they cheated by a bigger margin than us in the second race so we will claim that we have won the second race.

Air commodore Abhimanyu enters the room at this instant.

Air commodore Abhimanyu: well my good friend Chander Shaker we have both cheated in the two races and won our respective races. The one who came up with a better idea of winning the long boat race won that race with a bigger margin. But we are not complaining. All I want to say is that in the third race we go all fair and suqare and who so ever wins it wins the competition fair, with no hard feelings.

Commodore Chander Shaker: that seems like a good idea Abhimanyu. I accept. We will meet on the racing track now. 

Two days later the third race of the long boats begins.

Both the boats start off from the starting line like a bullet and remain head to head with none giving any quarters away.

As the long boats approach the finishing line the naval long boat start inching away from the air force long boat. In a photo finish to the race the naval long boat is just inches ahead on the air force long boat.

The third long boat race is won by the navy in all fairness. There is celebration in the naval camp, all the navy men who have gathered to watch the long boat race throw their caps in the air in joy, the air force boys also throw their caps in the air in comradeship and for the well done effort of the air force rowers in the long boat.

The long boat races end in joy, celebration and comradeship in the naval and air force camps.

The end