The Dates season in Turbat

By Tarriq Umeed, Turbat

If we take a glance of this world, so it be comprehended to us that there are different seasons for each and every thing, whether it is the season of vegetables or fruits, hot or cold, and so on. If banana is available in winter, so watermelon is available in summer, if cauliflower is called the vegetables of cold season, so okra is called the vegetables of hot season and also it is the queen of summer. Definitely if in winter most of the people like to eat blueberry which is the sweetest fruit, likewise it is the fashion to eat dates in summer which is the sweetest fruit with different flavors.

Furthermore, it is believed that dates fruit which is high standard in this global village, have different season of ripeness in every nook and cranny of this earth. Though the actual season of date starts from May and lasts till June but there are some differences according to season that if we take an example of U.A.E and Pakistan, so it starts earlier in UAE and also it finishes before, but in Pakistan we can observe that it starts later. in Pakistan, also the season of dates are different in various areas where date’s season of Turbat is earlier than others, especially in Balochistan which is the biggest province of Pakistan by area.

It is too hot in Turbat in the season of date; even then people don’t care about weather intensity and enjoy this with their core of hearts. When the seasons starts, so everyone gets excited about date and anxiously wait for it, who are hoping and work harder than others in order to get good result.

Especially, we can see a strange pleasure at the faces of children who start collecting dates with the help of different things but mostly they use “khapath” a tool is used for cutting the branches of dates which is part of Balochi culture, too. The interesting thing is this they mostly form groups which consist of five or six members who assign an exact time for collecting dates and also choose a venue to come back after collecting dates due to what they can know that who have got more dates and they feet cheer with their companions.

In this season, when anyone go for a visit orchards field, so it feels a odd pleasure by seeing  charmed dates, The children who roam place to place, but in working hour help their elder man and woman. Everyone looks busy with their works and listening songs but some of them sing different type of songs in order to express their inner feelings. Where we can find birds that they show their Cheer by flying here and there with its melodious Chirpings which absolutely bestows extreme source of joy. Anyhow it is one of the biggest sources of earning for people by selling according to the rates of Turbat market and near the date’s dealers.

How to safe the dates:

 Date is the fruit of summer which has sizeable place in mankind history. it is not only known for its benefits, varieties and culture whether it is widely famous for its different types which are occasionally being froze for upcoming seasons for the purpose of eating this delicious fruit. There are several methods for country, cities, town, and village to dry the dates in the every area of Turbat comes in procedure of keeping the dates for further utilization and traditionally there are different method for saving the dates.

Though, everyone knows that before packing the date we have to take out the straw and “chale” (which is a balochi word) after that they wash them with clean normal water and keep them for three four hours for drying. Instead of that there are also some other ways to saved which are explained below.

Haarage:

It is considered one of the most difficult ways to save the dates for which we need to be very careful. So for this firstly we have to boil the water than put the dates into water and wait for ten or twenty minutes after that take them out from the hot water and placed them in a sunny place following a Month periods than will get ready for utilization. There are only two kinds of dates are being used for making haarage “haalini and moozathi” in Turbat area as well on other ears such as panjgoor and Maskhy where the dates being found abandantly. If someone wants to eat at the same so boil them at least for one or half hour otherwise if we do so and keep them for drying so they become chale which could be unable for us to eat.

 Khaapuk:

The procedure producing of Khaapuk, is a simple but an old way to dry the dates which can be discovered after cutting haalini and moozathi into two or four pieces or cut the dates into round. When it got finish to cut dates than they keep them under the sun and after some days it get ready to eat and also we can save them for a long time by mixing them with other things or we can also keep them without mixing any things. In our areas the dates of khaapuk and haarage is very special to send them as a gift for our friends, relatives, and the ones who are working in aboard countries.

 Chale:

Chale, which I mentioned above, while cleaning the dates they take them out from the dates which we can’t eat but it is useful because we use them to feed the animals like goats, sheep, cow, and camels.

Maader-o-naa: This is too tasty like honey……..

 It is the sweetest and soft date which is highly known in every nook and cranny of Baluchistan. We can get this by mixing dates with oil (which is called saaphi rogan in balochi) which we can get from goats, sheep, and other animals. It took a complete half hour to get ready by using any dates with the help of fire. When it becomes ready so we can eat at the same time or we can keep it for three or four days and enjoy its delicious taste but it can’t be save for a long time. At last but not least we can use dries date instead of using fresh dates which is very good to eat in winter season.