| Revision as of 08:37, 27 January 2009 edit119.154.29.173 (talk) →Politics← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:30, 27 January 2009 edit undoSkatergal (talk | contribs)218 edits Gamesmasterg9, I am ready to discuss, what is with you? Are you a Sindhi? Do you have any knowledge of our roots? Why do you interfere?Next edit → | ||
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| {{This|the socio-ethnic group of South Asia|Sindhi}} | {{This|the socio-ethnic group of South Asia|Sindhi}} | ||
| {{Infobox Ethnic group | {{Infobox Ethnic group | ||
| |group= |
|group=Sindhis<br>سنڌي सिन्धी | ||
| |image= ], ], ] | |image= ], ], ] | ||
| |caption= ], ], ] | |caption= ], ], ] | ||
| |poptime=about 55 million | |poptime=about 55 million | ||
| |popplace={{flag|Pakistan}}: 43,842,000<ref></ref><br> | |popplace={{flag|Pakistan}}: 43,842,000<ref></ref><br> | ||
| {{flag|India}}: 4,890,000<ref></ref><br> | {{flag|India}}: 4,890,000<ref></ref><br> | ||
| |languages = ] | |languages = ], ], ] | ||
| |rels = ], ],] & ] | |rels = ], ] | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''Sindhis''' (]: سنڌي ) are a ] speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from ] |
'''Sindhis''' (]: سنڌي ) are a ] speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from ] now a province of ]. Today Sindhis that live in ] are predominantly ] but there are also smaller minorities of ]s and ]s. After the ] in ], majority of Sindhis who were ]s were forced to migrate to ] due to the ], although some ]s still managed to remain in ]. | ||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| ], ].]] | ], ].]] | ||
| ] |
].]] | ||
| The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh were believed to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages |
The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh were believed to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages related to ] of Ancient ] (now in present-day Pakistan) around ]. The ] went into decline; historians cannot agree on the cause of the decline, but some theories include invasion of ] tribes from Eastern Europe or the change in the course of the ]. | ||
| The ancient civilization of what came to be known as ] and ] both derive their modern location names from the ] as opposed to the language of the ] which remains undeciphered. | |||
| In ], ''Moen'' means "dead people", ''Jo'' means "of," and ''Daro'' means "mound," so it (Moen-Jo-Daro) means mound of the dead. Due to the geographical location of this city, it was prone to being flooded. One such calamity saw the entire city flooded and remained under water for a long time, buried under mountains of sand. A branch of the ] invaders called the ] are believed to have founded the ] that have existed between ] and ] river around ] and also influenced ]. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in the ]. | |||
| ⚫ | Muslim travelers, specifically the great ] scholar ] in his book ']', has declared that even before the advent of ] into ] (711 A.D.), ] was prevalent in Sindh. It was not only widely spoken but written too in different scripts. Al-Beruni has described many ] words leading to the conclusion that ] was widely spoken and poor in vocabulary in his times. | ||
| The ] went into decline for reasons that are not entirely known. Their decline coincided with the arrival of ] tribes from ]. The ] are believed to have founded the ] that have existed between ] and ] river around 1500 BC. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in the ]. | |||
| ⚫ | ] was often the final stop for ]ern and ]n empires such as the ], ], ], ] and ] this gave ] a distinct and unique culture even before the arrival of ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Muslim travelers, specifically the great ] scholar ] |
||
| ⚫ | The site of historical activity, Sindh was at the crossroads of civilization sitting at the edge of ]. Sindh was also one of the regions to become predominantly ] and was part of the earliest Islamic empires of the ]s and ]s. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and ]s flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic ] in ]. The ] ] missionaries played a pivotal role in converting the millions of native people to ]. Settled by ], ], and ], Sindh continued to evolve as a frontier state and by the time of ] colonial occupation was ruled by ] kings. | ||
| In 1947, ] and ] attained independence. Nearly 7 million ]s from India migrated to Pakistan while nearly equal number of ]s and ]s from ] migrated to ]. The ] refugees (known as ] from India settled in most urban areas of ]. Meanwhile the ] Sindhis settled in ] and later migrated to other parts of the world with sizable populations seen in ], ], ], ], ] and ] | |||
| ⚫ | ] was often the final stop for ], ], ], ] and ] |
||
| ==Aspirations of Sindhis before the Partition== | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| Sindhis are predominantly ] who believe in harmony and tolerance in the matter of ]. Before the ], the majority of Sindhis consistently voted against candidates supporting ]. Although the ] colonialists used their considerable power and influence to support the pro-Pakistan candidates in 1946, such candidates succeeded in obtaining only about 40% of the popular vote. | |||
| By gerrymandering the electorate, the colonialists managed the election of a majority in the Sindh Assembly which favored joining ]. The Sindhi vote for Pakistan was also facilitated by the now famous ']' passed by the ] -- this resolution promised "autonomy and sovereignty of constituent units" and "protection of religious minorities". Sindhis have strongly resented ], whose policies since inception have been the very anti-thesis of both these principles<ref></ref>. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | ==Partition and mass exodus of Hindu Sindhis== | ||
| In 1947 |
In 1947 when the ] left, ] was created by the ]. All of ] was allotted to ]. In 1947, ] had 25 per cent population that were Sindhi ]. According to the ] census, about '''23% of ] was populated by ] tribes''' and nearly '''one-third by partial descendants (or claimants) of ] conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly ], ], ] and ] (including the ]), thus making ] Sindhis the minority'''. Most of the ] Sindhis were city dwellers and were largely pre-occupied with trade and commerce. They were responsible for export of products made in ] and contributed significantly to the economy of Sindh. When Partition of India occurred Sindhi Hindus expected to remain in Sindh. Generally, there was good relation between ] Sindhis and ] Sindhis. When large waves of ] started to pour into ], violence erupted on the streets. The Hindu Sindhis were forced to flee Sindh leaving everything behind. ''Popati Hiranandani'' who was a Sindhi ] tells in her autobiography<ref></ref> "that the Police were merely onlookers when violence erupted and they did not protect the ] community." Many ] Sindhis wanted to return to their native Sindh, when the violence settled down, but this was not possible. Property belonging to the ] was given to the ]. The ] Sindhis faced many hardships in ] living in refugee camps, but the ] Sindhis worked themselves out of poverty earning the Sindhi community much admiration and respect. The ] Sindhis are now scattered through out the world and feel like stateless people and regard ] as their roots. | ||
| == |
==Current== | ||
| ]''']] | ]''']] | ||
| Since Partition native Sindhis have resented the influx of ] and ] immigrants to ]. In 1972 the ] Hulchal or ] movement was founded by Saeen ]. The motto of this movement to get liberation of ] and ethnic Sindhis from ]. ] was put under ] until his death on 25th April 1995<ref></ref>. Nonetheless, traditional Sindhi families remain prominent in Pakistani politics, especially the ] dynasty. In recent years Sindhi dissatisfaction has grown over issues such as the construction of large dams, perceived discrimination in ] and ] jobs, provincial autonomy and overall revenue shares. The assassination of ] has led to a renewal in separatist activity.<ref></ref> <ref></ref>] is the current Chairman of ]<ref></ref> or ]. Qureshi who lives in ], originally hails from a small city of ] district called ]. | |||
| ==Ethnicity== | |||
| ==Ethnic divisions== | |||
| Home to the ], a ] mentioned in the epic ], the name as suggests refers to the people living along the banks of the ], or ] known today. Infact the terms ] and ] are itself is derived from ], ] for the ] <ref> Sindhu is a river in Sanskrit, in Persian it becomes Hindu.</ref> This together with a popular suffix '']'', which is also derived from ] (''ostan''), meaning ''land''<ref></ref> gave birth to the word 'Hindustan', which was rendered as ''Hindusthan'' <ref></ref>. Sindhis are an ] language speaking people who have been modified by mainly ], ], ] and indigenous tribal populations over time. As a result of their geographic location and countless invasions and migration, the Sindhis display a wide variety of phenotypes. | |||
| ===Non Ethnic Sindhi occupants since 700 A.D=== | |||
| Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan language speaking people who have been modified by mainly Iranian, Turkic, Afghan and indigenous tribal populations over time. As a result of their geographic location and countless invasions and migration, the Sindhis display a wide variety of phenotypes. | |||
| ⚫ | As regards the composition of the Non Ethnic Sindhi population the two main stocks that inhabit ] are related to, and common, one with the ] and another with ]. The majority stock is that of ]s and ] who are the partial descendants of ], ] and ] who also constitute the majority of the population of the Punjab. During ] rule a number of ] ]s such as the Sials, ]s and Khawars came from the Punjab and settled in Sindh. They are called Sirai i.e., people from the north, and speak ], a group that overlaps and is sometimes considerable transitional between the Punjabis and Sindhis. | ||
| The two main ] tribes of Sind are: the ], descendants of the ] tha ruled ] during (1351 - 1521 A.D.); and the ], descendants of the ] who ruled Sindh during (750 - 1350 A.D.). Among other ]s are the ]s, ]s, Buriros, Lakha, Sahetas, ]s, Mohano, Dahars, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, ]s, Dakhan, ] etc. | |||
| ⚫ | As regards the composition of the Sindhi population the two main stocks that inhabit Sind are related to, and common, one with the Punjab and another with Balochistan. The majority stock is that of |
||
| ⚫ | The smaller stock is that of ] ]s settled in various parts of Sindh mostly during the last five hundred years or so. Since they were ] people and ruled over Sindh for some time before the arrival of the British, they acquired vast lands in the province with the result that a large number of present-day Sindhi landlords are of Baloch origin. According to the ] census, which was the last one held before independence, ] formed 23% of the total ] of ]. ] tribes are spread over Balochistan, Sindh and the south-western districts of the Punjab. This group is almost entirely Muslim. | ||
| The two main Rajput tribes of Sind are: the Samma, a branch of the Yadav Rajputs who inhabit the eastern and lower Sind and Bahawalpur; and the Sumra who, according to the 1907 edition of the Gazetteer are a branch of the Parwar Rajputs. Among others are the Bhuttos, Bhattis, Buriros, Lakha, Sahetas, Lohanas, Mohano, Dahars, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, Rathors, Dakhan, Langah etc. The Mohano tribe is spread over Makran, Sindh and southern Punjab. They are also identified with the 'Mallah' of the Punjab and both have in common a sub-section called Manjari. All of these Sindhi tribes are known under the common nomenclature of Sammat and includes both Muslim and Hindu Sindhis. | |||
| ⚫ | A third sub-stock of the Sindhi population comprises the partial descendants (or claimants) of ] conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly ], ], ] and ] (including the ]). They are a small minority settled in cities and towns and have largely blended with the other components of the population and yet maintain something of a sub-culture and are often referred to as ''Ashraf'' or the ''noble'' descendants of ] immigrants with a certain degree of prestige in society. Of this third element, ] ] have possibly contributed the most to the development of the modern Sindhi language and literature and to the advancement of its intellectual and cultural activities. | ||
| ⚫ | The smaller stock is that of Balochi |
||
| ⚫ | Another group of people who are largely overlooked in any discussions about groups and culture of Sindh are ] a name derived from the term ] formerly used to describe ] people of India. These people are generally believed to be the descendants of indigenous populations that were enslaved by various invading people. Many are still living under abject poverty and in slave like conditions in rural Sindh, because of the benign neglect and only nominal efforts by the government to improve the situation. Some are nominally Hindus where as others have converted to Islam and moved on as artisans and wage laborers. | ||
| ⚫ | A third sub-stock of the Sindhi population comprises the partial descendants (or claimants) of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals). They are a small minority settled in cities and towns and have largely blended with the other components of the population and yet maintain something of a sub-culture and are often referred to as Ashraf or the noble descendants of Muslim immigrants with a certain degree of prestige in society. Of this third element, Muslim Arabs have possibly contributed the most to the development of the modern Sindhi language and literature and to the advancement of its intellectual and cultural activities. | ||
| ⚫ | The last group of immigrants are the Urdu speaking ]s who occupied Sindh after the ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Another group of people who are largely overlooked in any discussions about groups and culture of Sindh are Haris a name derived from the term Harijan formerly used to describe Dalit people of India. These people are generally believed to be the descendants of indigenous populations that were enslaved by various invading people. Many are still living under abject poverty and in slave like conditions in rural Sindh, because of the benign neglect and only nominal efforts by the government to improve the situation. Some are nominally Hindus where as others have converted to Islam and moved on as artisans and wage laborers. | ||
| ===Islamic Influence=== | |||
| ⚫ | The last group of immigrants are the Urdu speaking |
||
| ] | |||
| With ]’s stable prosperity and its strategic geographical possession, it is not surprising that it was subject to successive onslaughts by foreign invaders. The ] persistently attempted to conquer the country but were unsuccessful until 712 A.D., when ] was annexed into the ] and became the ‘Arabian gateway’ into ] (later to become known as Babul Islam, the gate of Islam). After the conquest by the ], the people of Sindh were influenced by the new faith of ]. <ref>http://www.usindh.edu.pk/shaikh_ayaz_conf_07/sindh.html Historical perspective of Sindhis</ref><br /> | |||
| Islamic Sindhi culture is a combination of Islamic traditions and local traditions with variances that include an adherence to a Muslim diet, i.e. Halal. Sindhi culture also absorbed considerable Arab cultural influence as well as that of the Iranian Baloch who still comprise a significant minority that have assimilated well with the Sindhis. Sindh is home to the Hindus who have remained in Pakistan as well as other religious groups such as Parsis. Muslim Sindhis tend to follow the Sunni sect, but Shia Muslims are a substantial minority. | Islamic Sindhi culture is a combination of ] traditions and local traditions with variances that include an adherence to a ] diet, i.e. ]. ] also absorbed considerable ] cultural influence as well as that of the ] ] who still comprise a significant minority that have assimilated well with the Sindhis. Sindh is home to the ] who have remained in ] as well as other religious groups such as ]. Muslim Sindhis tend to follow the ] sect, but ] Muslims are a substantial minority. | ||
| ==Culture and society of Sindh== | ==Culture and society of Sindh== | ||
| Sindhi women in Pakistan are still very traditional overall, can be seen wearing ], while donning a ] on their heads; Men traditionally wear white and/or blue clothes and sometimes wear turbans or a traditional Sindhi cap on their heads. | |||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| ====Dress==== | |||
| Sindhi women in India however, can be seen wearing ], colourful tops with ], while the Western clothing have become common for men. | |||
| Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations. Some famous Sindhis include the ] family, who are a Sindhi political dynasty in Pakistan, and ] who was a writer of Sindhi poetry. | |||
| ====Names==== | |||
| ===Sindhi Surnames and their roots=== | |||
| Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations. | |||
| Unlike other ] of ], who have a ']', Sindhis often have a ']', which means roots. This is much of the reason why Hindu Sindhi surnames end in 'ani'- which means 'anshi', derived from the ] word 'ansh', which means 'descendence'. So if someone returned or came from ], his nukh would be 'jeorus', and his surname could be coined after the family head's name (subject to change every seven generations), eg: your family head 7 generations back had the name: 'Tolaram', then your surname would be TOL-ANI. Same goes for all the ani's in the world. May the person be from ], ], ], ], ], ] or wherever, as this 'ani' is only unique to Sindhi civilization. | |||
| Another variation does exist to this norm. Many surnames of northern ] eg: (]) and ] (ancient name: Sawarawkistan) end in 'ja', eg: Ahuja, Raheja, Hinduja etc. 'Ja' in Sindhi means 'of', so if a person belonged to the village of 'Junay', then their surname would be 'Juneja'. Now the Question arises, why is there a need to add 'ani' or 'ja' to Sindhi surnames? It's because, post ] invasion, many Sindhis had escaped. They were called 'Banjaras' in ], Sinti in distant ] lands, and 'Sintowee' in ] and ]. 'Gypsy' is a term used for them frequently. However, many Sintis awaited the end of ] rule, so that they could return back. Many did return back, but many were pushed westwards, and thus have never returned. Those who managed to return are called 'AARYAN', which is a term different to the sanskratic version 'ARYA'. | |||
| ⚫ | === |
||
| ====Cuisine==== | |||
| AARYAN in Sindhi means those who have come back. These tribes added 'ani'(southern sindh) and 'ja' (northern sindh) to their names. Already an Indo-Iranian race, the Sindhi Hindus, once becoming Sintis in distant lands acquiring a range of cultural habits of different cultures, and furthermore with many inter-cultural marriages, the fabric in the race of Sindhis varied tremendously. Different dialects in ] were born, and different dressing sense as well. The Aamil Sindhi for example were a cross-breed of Indo-Iranian Sindhis and Alexandrian ], and thus emphasized more on education. | |||
| Koki, kadhi, dal pakwan are popular Sindhi dishes. | |||
| ⚫ | ]''']] | ||
| ====Names==== | |||
| The ] and ] Sindhis, who returned back (Sintis) from ], ] and ], brought with them business skills and tactics. There are many more variations in the community, and it is quite difficult to identify who belongs where. Thus, 'nukhs' are the only way to identify one's roots. Furthermore, due to constant upheaval of Sindhis, and further ] and amalgamation with different migrant ], a lot has changed, and Sindhi music and dance post Islamization has not remained the same. In such a scenario the Sinti music of the Gypsies can be called the pure sindhi dance and music. Islamization of ] further brought about Sufism, which further enhanced the culture of ]. | |||
| Until today, Hindus of the diaspora Sindhi community practice elements of Sufism in their day to day life. ], the Sufi pioneer of Sindh, revered by both ] and ], has been much of the reason, why still today the ] minority of ] live in ]. In fact there is a joint temple and mosque at Oderolal (another name for ]), based on the emergence of ] ], who appeared from the Sindhu river, and saved the Sindhi ] from being persecuted. A lot of the culture of Sindhi Hindus has been eroded, and with the Diaspora of the community, furthermore the essence of the community has been lost. Once again they are gypsies in foreign lands, and can be called 'a community destined to be homeless'. | |||
| {{main|Sindhi naming conventions}} | |||
| == Economy == | |||
| ⚫ | ]''']] | ||
| ] has became the most industrialized and urbanized province of ]. The head offices of Pakistani companies and regional offices of the international companies are located in Sindh. The Sindhis have been in forefront in the economic development of the province. The new dams and canals have irrigated many thousands of acres of land that were barren. Sindh produces many agricultural products for exports. | |||
| The construction of multi-billion projects like the ], ], ], ] and ] provided hundred of thousands of jobs to the residents of Sindh. The city of ] remain the hub of transportation in ]. Karachi is the location of major airport, seaport, railway and land transportation in Pakistan employing hundred of thousands of people. | |||
| == Politics == | |||
| ⚫ | Pakistan's political scene is dominated by Sindhi politicians like ], ] and ]. | ||
| India's ] is a well known politician and a candidate for the prime minister of ]. | |||
| {{main|Jhulelal}} | |||
| ⚫ | Pre-partition National Sindhi heroes include: ], ], ], ]. | ||
| ] has deep roots in Sindhi culture with many prominent Sindhi Sufis ]s all over ]. The Sufu mystic poets ] and ] deeply influenced Sindhi Sufis. Notable among them are : ], ], ], ], Saeen ], ], etc. | |||
| ==Education== | |||
| Hindus of the diaspora Sindhi community also practice elements of Sufism in their day to day life. ], the Sufi pioneer of Sindh is revered by both ] and ]. | |||
| Education in Sindh is divided into five levels: ] (grades one through five); ] (grades six through eight); ] (grades nine and ten, leading to the ]); ] (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate); and ] programs leading to ] and ] degrees. | |||
| The ], ] and ] schools are established in all parts of ] providing, ], ] and ] medium schools. | |||
| ==Notable Sindhis== | |||
| === Politics === | |||
| The ]s and ] are established in major towns and cities of ]. They provide ], ] and ] / ] degree courses. The ] and ]s are also established in the major cities of Sindh. | |||
| ⚫ | Pakistan's political scene is dominated by Sindhi politicians like ] |
||
| ], ], ], ], ], ] who served as ], ] and ] and major political leaders of ]. While in the province of Sindh. the Sindhis have always dominated the government and its various departments. | |||
| There are many ] and ]s in ] providing state of the art education to Sindhi students. | |||
| ], a leader of the ] in India is also Sindhi. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Indian Hindu Sindhis== | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| In 1947, ] and ] attained independence. Nearly 7 million ]s from India migrated to Pakistan while nearly equal number of ]s and ]s from ] migrated to India. Today, ] Sindhis are predominantly found in ] and many later migrated to other parts of the world. Some Hindus still continue living in Sindh (]), and it is estimated that ] has 2.3 million ].<ref></ref> | |||
| Indian Sindhis today have re-invented themselves after the mass-scale uprooting and financial losses of Partition in 1947. On the ruins of Old Sindh has arisen a New Sindh, which truly has a Global presence today. Well known Sindhi Industrialists like the ], ] and Biyanis of ], show the Sindhi businessman embodies that adventurous spirit, that inner strength which has made today's Sindhi a true Citizen of the World. | |||
| ===Entertainment=== | |||
| They have build up the image of Indians abroad as a prosperous and dependable people. They are free from inhibitions of caste and creed. In Sindhi Temples you will find the images of Sri ] and Sri ] placed, side by side, with those of ] and ] and ]. The Sindhis are ] in their outlook. Someone said that today in ] it is difficult to meet an Indian: every one belongs to one province or the other. The Sindhis are the only Indians in ]. The Sindhis are an enterprising and industrious people - full of the spirit of faith and courage. They know the subtle psychology of influencing the customer. 'Sindhi merchants' rightly said an ], know how to "hypnotise the customers". | |||
| A number of Sindhis became prominent in ]. They include actors ], ], ]{{Fact|date=January 2009}}, ]{{Fact|date=January 2009}}, ], ], ] and ]; director ]{{Fact|date=January 2009}}, ], ], ] and ]; producers ], ] and ]; and musicians ]{{Fact|date=January 2009}} and ]. | |||
| ⚫ | ===Sindhis in Bollywood=== | ||
| Notable television actors ], ] and ] are also Sindhi. | |||
| The famous Sindhis in Bollywood include: ], ], ], ], ], ], ] , ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and comedian ]. | |||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 12:30, 27 January 2009
This article is about the socio-ethnic group of South Asia. For Sindhi, see Sindhis (disambiguation). Ethnic group , File:Pankaj gold medal.jpg,  L.K. Advani, Pankaj Advani, Karan Johar | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Pakistan: 43,842,000 India: 4,890,000 | |
| Languages | |
| Sindhi, Hindi, Urdu | |
| Religion | |
| Islam, Hinduism |
Sindhis (Sindhi: سنڌي ) are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh now a province of Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim but there are also smaller minorities of Hindus and Christians. After the Partition of India in 1947, majority of Sindhis who were Hindus were forced to migrate to India due to the Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan, although some Hindus still managed to remain in Sindh.
History
The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh were believed to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages related to Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient Sindh (now in present-day Pakistan) around 3000 BC. The Indus Valley Civilization went into decline; historians cannot agree on the cause of the decline, but some theories include invasion of Indo-Aryan tribes from Eastern Europe or the change in the course of the Indus River.
The ancient civilization of what came to be known as Mohenjodaro and Harappa both derive their modern location names from the Sindhi language as opposed to the language of the Indus Valley Civilization which remains undeciphered.
In Sindhi, Moen means "dead people", Jo means "of," and Daro means "mound," so it (Moen-Jo-Daro) means mound of the dead. Due to the geographical location of this city, it was prone to being flooded. One such calamity saw the entire city flooded and remained under water for a long time, buried under mountains of sand. A branch of the Aryan invaders called the Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BC and also influenced Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in the South Asia.
Muslim travelers, specifically the great Persian scholar Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī in his book 'Kitab-ul-Hind', has declared that even before the advent of Islam into Sindh (711 A.D.), Sindhi was prevalent in Sindh. It was not only widely spoken but written too in different scripts. Al-Beruni has described many Sindhi words leading to the conclusion that Sindhi was widely spoken and poor in vocabulary in his times.
Sindh was often the final stop for Middle Eastern and Central Asian empires such as the Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks and Pashtuns this gave Sindh a distinct and unique culture even before the arrival of Islam.
The site of historical activity, Sindh was at the crossroads of civilization sitting at the edge of South Asia. Sindh was also one of the regions to become predominantly Muslim and was part of the earliest Islamic empires of the Abbasids and Umayyids. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in Sindh. The Muslim Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting the millions of native people to Islam. Settled by Turks, Pashtuns, and Mughals, Sindh continued to evolve as a frontier state and by the time of British colonial occupation was ruled by Baloch kings.
In 1947, Pakistan and India attained independence. Nearly 7 million Muslims from India migrated to Pakistan while nearly equal number of Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan migrated to India. The Muslim refugees (known as Muhajirs from India settled in most urban areas of Sindh. Meanwhile the Hindu Sindhis settled in India and later migrated to other parts of the world with sizable populations seen in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Nigeria, Europe and the Americas
Aspirations of Sindhis before the Partition
Sindhis are predominantly Sufis who believe in harmony and tolerance in the matter of religion. Before the partition of India, the majority of Sindhis consistently voted against candidates supporting Pakistan. Although the British colonialists used their considerable power and influence to support the pro-Pakistan candidates in 1946, such candidates succeeded in obtaining only about 40% of the popular vote.
By gerrymandering the electorate, the colonialists managed the election of a majority in the Sindh Assembly which favored joining Pakistan. The Sindhi vote for Pakistan was also facilitated by the now famous 'Lahore Resolution' passed by the Muslim League -- this resolution promised "autonomy and sovereignty of constituent units" and "protection of religious minorities". Sindhis have strongly resented Pakistan, whose policies since inception have been the very anti-thesis of both these principles.
Partition and mass exodus of Hindu Sindhis
In 1947 when the British left, Pakistan was created by the Partitioning of India. All of Sindh was allotted to Pakistan. In 1947, Sindh had 25 per cent population that were Sindhi Hindus. According to the 1941 census, about 23% of Sindh was populated by Baloch tribes and nearly one-third by partial descendants (or claimants) of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals), thus making Hindu Sindhis the minority. Most of the Hindu Sindhis were city dwellers and were largely pre-occupied with trade and commerce. They were responsible for export of products made in Sindh and contributed significantly to the economy of Sindh. When Partition of India occurred Sindhi Hindus expected to remain in Sindh. Generally, there was good relation between Hindu Sindhis and Muslim Sindhis. When large waves of Mohajirs started to pour into Sindh, violence erupted on the streets. The Hindu Sindhis were forced to flee Sindh leaving everything behind. Popati Hiranandani who was a Sindhi Hindu tells in her autobiography "that the Police were merely onlookers when violence erupted and they did not protect the Hindu community." Many Hindu Sindhis wanted to return to their native Sindh, when the violence settled down, but this was not possible. Property belonging to the Hindus was given to the Mohajirs. The Hindu Sindhis faced many hardships in India living in refugee camps, but the Hindu Sindhis worked themselves out of poverty earning the Sindhi community much admiration and respect. The Hindu Sindhis are now scattered through out the world and feel like stateless people and regard Sindh as their roots.
Current
Since Partition native Sindhis have resented the influx of Pashtun and Punjabi immigrants to Sindh. In 1972 the Jeay Sindh Hulchal or Jeay Sindh movement was founded by Saeen G M Syed. The motto of this movement to get liberation of Sindh and ethnic Sindhis from Pakistan. G M Syed was put under house arrest until his death on 25th April 1995. Nonetheless, traditional Sindhi families remain prominent in Pakistani politics, especially the Bhutto dynasty. In recent years Sindhi dissatisfaction has grown over issues such as the construction of large dams, perceived discrimination in military and government jobs, provincial autonomy and overall revenue shares. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has led to a renewal in separatist activity. Bashir Khan Qureshi is the current Chairman of JSQM or Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz. Qureshi who lives in Karachi, originally hails from a small city of Larkana district called Rato Dero.
Ethnicity
Home to the Sindhu Kingdom, a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, the name as suggests refers to the people living along the banks of the Sindhu River, or Indus River known today. Infact the terms Hindu and Hindustan are itself is derived from Sindhu, Sanskrit for the Indus River This together with a popular suffix -ostān, which is also derived from Persian (ostan), meaning land gave birth to the word 'Hindustan', which was rendered as Hindusthan . Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan language speaking people who have been modified by mainly Iranian, Turkic, Afghan and indigenous tribal populations over time. As a result of their geographic location and countless invasions and migration, the Sindhis display a wide variety of phenotypes.
Non Ethnic Sindhi occupants since 700 A.D
As regards the composition of the Non Ethnic Sindhi population the two main stocks that inhabit Sind are related to, and common, one with the Punjab and another with Balochistan. The majority stock is that of Rajputs and Jats who are the partial descendants of Sakas, Kushans and Huns who also constitute the majority of the population of the Punjab. During Kalhora rule a number of Jat tribes such as the Sials, Joyas and Khawars came from the Punjab and settled in Sindh. They are called Sirai i.e., people from the north, and speak Siraiki, a group that overlaps and is sometimes considerable transitional between the Punjabis and Sindhis.
The two main Rajput tribes of Sind are: the Samma, descendants of the Samma Dynasty tha ruled Sindh during (1351 - 1521 A.D.); and the Sumra, descendants of the Sumra Dynasty who ruled Sindh during (750 - 1350 A.D.). Among other Sindhi Rajputs are the Bhuttos, Bhattis, Buriros, Lakha, Sahetas, Lohanas, Mohano, Dahars, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, Rathors, Dakhan, Langah etc.
The smaller stock is that of Balochi tribes settled in various parts of Sindh mostly during the last five hundred years or so. Since they were martial people and ruled over Sindh for some time before the arrival of the British, they acquired vast lands in the province with the result that a large number of present-day Sindhi landlords are of Baloch origin. According to the 1941 census, which was the last one held before independence, Balochis formed 23% of the total Muslim population of Sindh. Balochi tribes are spread over Balochistan, Sindh and the south-western districts of the Punjab. This group is almost entirely Muslim.
A third sub-stock of the Sindhi population comprises the partial descendants (or claimants) of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals). They are a small minority settled in cities and towns and have largely blended with the other components of the population and yet maintain something of a sub-culture and are often referred to as Ashraf or the noble descendants of Muslim immigrants with a certain degree of prestige in society. Of this third element, Muslim Arabs have possibly contributed the most to the development of the modern Sindhi language and literature and to the advancement of its intellectual and cultural activities.
Another group of people who are largely overlooked in any discussions about groups and culture of Sindh are Haris a name derived from the term Harijan formerly used to describe Dalit people of India. These people are generally believed to be the descendants of indigenous populations that were enslaved by various invading people. Many are still living under abject poverty and in slave like conditions in rural Sindh, because of the benign neglect and only nominal efforts by the government to improve the situation. Some are nominally Hindus where as others have converted to Islam and moved on as artisans and wage laborers.
The last group of immigrants are the Urdu speaking Muhajirs who occupied Sindh after the Partition of India.
Islamic Influence
With Sindh’s stable prosperity and its strategic geographical possession, it is not surprising that it was subject to successive onslaughts by foreign invaders. The Arabs persistently attempted to conquer the country but were unsuccessful until 712 A.D., when Sindh was annexed into the Arab empire and became the ‘Arabian gateway’ into India (later to become known as Babul Islam, the gate of Islam). After the conquest by the Arabs, the people of Sindh were influenced by the new faith of Islam.
Islamic Sindhi culture is a combination of Islamic traditions and local traditions with variances that include an adherence to a Muslim diet, i.e. Halal. Sindhi culture also absorbed considerable Arab cultural influence as well as that of the Iranian Baloch who still comprise a significant minority that have assimilated well with the Sindhis. Sindh is home to the Hindus who have remained in Pakistan as well as other religious groups such as Parsis. Muslim Sindhis tend to follow the Sunni sect, but Shia Muslims are a substantial minority.
Culture and society of Sindh
Sindhi women in Pakistan are still very traditional overall, can be seen wearing Shalwar Qameez, while donning a Chador on their heads; Men traditionally wear white and/or blue clothes and sometimes wear turbans or a traditional Sindhi cap on their heads.
Sindhi women in India however, can be seen wearing Shalwar Qameez, colourful tops with Jeans, while the Western clothing have become common for men.
Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations. Some famous Sindhis include the Bhutto family, who are a Sindhi political dynasty in Pakistan, and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai who was a writer of Sindhi poetry.
Sindhi Surnames and their roots
Unlike other Hindus of India, who have a 'gotra', Sindhis often have a 'nukh', which means roots. This is much of the reason why Hindu Sindhi surnames end in 'ani'- which means 'anshi', derived from the Sanskrit word 'ansh', which means 'descendence'. So if someone returned or came from Georgia, his nukh would be 'jeorus', and his surname could be coined after the family head's name (subject to change every seven generations), eg: your family head 7 generations back had the name: 'Tolaram', then your surname would be TOL-ANI. Same goes for all the ani's in the world. May the person be from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Anatolia, Armenia or wherever, as this 'ani' is only unique to Sindhi civilization.
Another variation does exist to this norm. Many surnames of northern Sindh eg: (Shikarpur) and Multan (ancient name: Sawarawkistan) end in 'ja', eg: Ahuja, Raheja, Hinduja etc. 'Ja' in Sindhi means 'of', so if a person belonged to the village of 'Junay', then their surname would be 'Juneja'. Now the Question arises, why is there a need to add 'ani' or 'ja' to Sindhi surnames? It's because, post Mahmud Ghaznavi invasion, many Sindhis had escaped. They were called 'Banjaras' in India, Sinti in distant European lands, and 'Sintowee' in Mongolia and China. 'Gypsy' is a term used for them frequently. However, many Sintis awaited the end of Ghaznavid rule, so that they could return back. Many did return back, but many were pushed westwards, and thus have never returned. Those who managed to return are called 'AARYAN', which is a term different to the sanskratic version 'ARYA'.
AARYAN in Sindhi means those who have come back. These tribes added 'ani'(southern sindh) and 'ja' (northern sindh) to their names. Already an Indo-Iranian race, the Sindhi Hindus, once becoming Sintis in distant lands acquiring a range of cultural habits of different cultures, and furthermore with many inter-cultural marriages, the fabric in the race of Sindhis varied tremendously. Different dialects in Sindh were born, and different dressing sense as well. The Aamil Sindhi for example were a cross-breed of Indo-Iranian Sindhis and Alexandrian Greeks, and thus emphasized more on education.
The Bhaibund and Shikarpuri Sindhis, who returned back (Sintis) from Armenia, Turkey and Egypt, brought with them business skills and tactics. There are many more variations in the community, and it is quite difficult to identify who belongs where. Thus, 'nukhs' are the only way to identify one's roots. Furthermore, due to constant upheaval of Sindhis, and further migration and amalgamation with different migrant tribes, a lot has changed, and Sindhi music and dance post Islamization has not remained the same. In such a scenario the Sinti music of the Gypsies can be called the pure sindhi dance and music. Islamization of Sindh further brought about Sufism, which further enhanced the culture of Sindh.
Until today, Hindus of the diaspora Sindhi community practice elements of Sufism in their day to day life. Jhulelal, the Sufi pioneer of Sindh, revered by both Hindus and Muslims, has been much of the reason, why still today the Hindu minority of Pakistan live in Sindh. In fact there is a joint temple and mosque at Oderolal (another name for Jhulelal), based on the emergence of Lord Jhulelal, who appeared from the Sindhu river, and saved the Sindhi Hindus from being persecuted. A lot of the culture of Sindhi Hindus has been eroded, and with the Diaspora of the community, furthermore the essence of the community has been lost. Once again they are gypsies in foreign lands, and can be called 'a community destined to be homeless'.
Economy
Sindh has became the most industrialized and urbanized province of Pakistan. The head offices of Pakistani companies and regional offices of the international companies are located in Sindh. The Sindhis have been in forefront in the economic development of the province. The new dams and canals have irrigated many thousands of acres of land that were barren. Sindh produces many agricultural products for exports.
The construction of multi-billion projects like the Port of Karachi, Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, Port Qasim, Karachi Shipyard and Pakistan Steel Mills provided hundred of thousands of jobs to the residents of Sindh. The city of Karachi remain the hub of transportation in Pakistan. Karachi is the location of major airport, seaport, railway and land transportation in Pakistan employing hundred of thousands of people.
Politics
Pakistan's political scene is dominated by Sindhi politicians like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Muhammad Mian Soomro and Asif Zardari.
India's Lal Krishna Advani is a well known politician and a candidate for the prime minister of India.
Pre-partition National Sindhi heroes include: Darya Khan Rind, Raja Dahir, Hoshu Sheedi, Hemu Kalani.
Education
Education in Sindh is divided into five levels: primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high (grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate); and university programs leading to graduate and advanced degrees.
The primary, middle and high schools are established in all parts of Sindh providing, Sindhi, Urdu and English medium schools.
The colleges and universities are established in major towns and cities of Sindh. They provide (BA), (BSc) and Bachelor of Commerce / BCom/BBA degree courses. The Medical colleges and Engineering colleges are also established in the major cities of Sindh.
There are many Postgraduate and Research institutes in Sindh providing state of the art education to Sindhi students.
Indian Hindu Sindhis
In 1947, Pakistan and India attained independence. Nearly 7 million Muslims from India migrated to Pakistan while nearly equal number of Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan migrated to India. Today, Hindu Sindhis are predominantly found in India and many later migrated to other parts of the world. Some Hindus still continue living in Sindh (Pakistani Hindus), and it is estimated that Sindh has 2.3 million Hindus.
Indian Sindhis today have re-invented themselves after the mass-scale uprooting and financial losses of Partition in 1947. On the ruins of Old Sindh has arisen a New Sindh, which truly has a Global presence today. Well known Sindhi Industrialists like the Hindujas, Hiranandanis and Biyanis of Future group, show the Sindhi businessman embodies that adventurous spirit, that inner strength which has made today's Sindhi a true Citizen of the World.
They have build up the image of Indians abroad as a prosperous and dependable people. They are free from inhibitions of caste and creed. In Sindhi Temples you will find the images of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna placed, side by side, with those of Shiva and Durga and Guru Nanak. The Sindhis are cosmopolitan in their outlook. Someone said that today in India it is difficult to meet an Indian: every one belongs to one province or the other. The Sindhis are the only Indians in India. The Sindhis are an enterprising and industrious people - full of the spirit of faith and courage. They know the subtle psychology of influencing the customer. 'Sindhi merchants' rightly said an Englishman, know how to "hypnotise the customers".
Sindhis in Bollywood
The famous Sindhis in Bollywood include: Akshay Kumar, Govinda Ahuja, Aftab Shivdasani, Karan Johar, Tarun Mansukhani, Ritesh Sidhwani, Rajkumar Hirani , Dalip Tahil, Shiny Ahuja, Jatin Lalwani, Ramesh Taurani, Nikhil Advani, Sadhna, Babita, Sangeeta Bijlani, Hiten Tejwani, Shilpa Saklani, Preeti Jhangiani, Kitu Gidwani, Hansika Motwani, Aarti Chhabria, Shahana Goswami, Ramesh Sippy, G. P. Sippy, Rohan Sippy, Ramsay Brothers, Govind Nihalani, Vishal Dadlani, Ehsaan Noorani and comedian Asrani.
See also
References
- Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan - Population by Mother Tongue
- Ethnologue report for India
- www.freesindh.org, A non-profit organisation funded by Sindhi-Americans solving problem faced by Sindhis living in Sindh
- Popati Hiranandani, one of the best-known Sindhi women writers, born in 1924 in Hyderabad, Sind
- G. M. Syed - A national leader of the Sindhi people who struggled for human rights, democracy, secularism and freedom of Sindh
- The Destabilization of Pakistan
- Bashir Qureshi appeals World to help liberate Sindh
- Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz
- Significance of Hindu and Hindu dharma (Hinduism) Sindhu is a river in Sanskrit, in Persian it becomes Hindu.
- Guardian Unlimited: What does -istan" mean as in Pakistan, Uzbekistan or Afghanistan?
- Britannica reference of Hindustan
- http://www.usindh.edu.pk/shaikh_ayaz_conf_07/sindh.html Historical perspective of Sindhis
- Hinduism in Pakistan
Related Websites
- Sindhi Sangat: promoting & preserving the Sindhi heritage, culture and language.
- Sindhi Jagat: All India Sindhi Consolidating Centre.