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| '''Sindhis''' (]: سنڌي ) are a ] speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from ] now a province of ]. |
'''Sindhis''' (]: سنڌي ) are a ] speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from ], now a province of ]. Sindhis living in ] are predominantly ] but there is a significant number of ]s Sindhis, and a small minority of ]s. Most Hindu Sindhis migrated to ] in 1948, following creation of the Islamic state of Pakistan in 1947. These Hindu Sindhis are presently a small but visible minority in ]. There are also small populations of Sindhis in ], ], ],], ] and the ] | ||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| ===Ancient History=== | |||
| {{main|Indus Valley Civilisation}} | |||
| ], ].]] | ], ].]] | ||
| ].]] | ] civilisation.]] | ||
| 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 of the ] around 3000 BC. The ancient civilization centered around the towns whose modern names are ] and ] (both derived from the ] - the language of the ] remains undeciphered). | ||
| 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 ]. | |||
| 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 ]. | |||
| ⚫ | Muslim travelers, specifically the great ] scholar ] in his book ' |
||
| ⚫ | Muslim travelers, specifically the great ] scholar ] (Al-Beruni) in his book ''Kitab-ul-Hind'', has declared that even before the advent of ] into ] (711 A.D.), the ] was prevalent in Sindh. It was not only widely spoken but written in different scripts. Al-Beruni has described many Sindhi words and reached the conclusion that the language, though widely spoken, had a limited vocabulary at that time.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} | ||
| ⚫ | ] was often the final stop for |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | ] was often the final stop for ], ], ], ] and ] travellers.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} This gave ] a distinct and unique culture even before the arrival of ]. | ||
| 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 ] | |||
| ⚫ | Because of its location at the Western edge of ], Sindh was one of the earliest regions in the ] to be influenced by ]. It was part of the Islamic empires of the ]s and ]s. Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and ]s flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to the Islamic ] in ]. ] missionaries played a pivotal role in converting millions of native Sindhis to ].{{Fact|date=January 2009}} Settled by ], ], and ], Sindh continued to evolve as a frontier state and by the time of ] colonial occupation was ruled by ] kings. | ||
| ==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 |
||
| ⚫ | ===Partition and mass exodus of Hindu Sindhis=== | ||
| ==Current== | |||
| ⚫ | In 1947, with the departure of the ] from India, the state of ] was created out of the Muslim-majority provinces of ]. All of Sindh was allotted to ]. According to the 1941 census, 25% of the population of the province of Sindh was ], about 23% was made up of Sindhi ] tribes and nearly one-third was made up of descendants of ] conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly naturalized ], ], ] and ] (including the ]), who had assimilated with native Sindhis.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} Most of the ] Sindhis were city dwellers and were largely occupied with trade and commerce. They were responsible for export of products made in ] and contributed significantly to the economy of Sindh.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} A number of Sindhi Hindus opted to remain in Sindh even after Partition, because there was no history of conflict between ] and ] Sindhis.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} However, when waves of ] refugees from India (known as ]) started to pour into ], violence erupted on the streets.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} Many Hindu Sindhis were forced to flee Sindh leaving everything behind.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} ], a Sindhi ] writes in her autobiography<ref></ref> that the local police were complicit in the anti-Hindu violence.{{Fact|date=January 2009}}. After the mass exodus of Hindus, their property was taken over by Mohajirs, making it impossible for them to return.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} These Hindus were settled in refugee camps in India, and went on to assimilate into the local population, mainly in ]. The city of ] in ], ] presently houses a large number of Hindu Sindhis.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} | ||
| ===Sindhi separatist movements=== | |||
| ]''']] | ]''']] | ||
| The influx of ] and ] immigrants to ] and other parts of Sindh caused a great deal of resentment among the local Sindhi population{{fact}}. In 1972 the ] movement was founded by ]<ref></ref>. The aim of this movement was the liberation of ] and ethnic Sindhis from ]. ] was placed under ] until his death on 25th April 1995<ref></ref>. In spite of this, 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 military and government jobs, provincial autonomy and overall revenue shares. The assassination of ] has led to a renewal in separatist activity.<ref></ref>. | |||
| ==Ethnicity== | ==Ethnicity== | ||
| 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. | |||
| {{Unreferencedsection}} | |||
| ===Non Ethnic Sindhi occupants since 700 A.D=== | |||
| 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. | 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{{fact}}. 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. | 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. | ||
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| 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. | 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 |
==Culture== | ||
| ⚫ | 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. |
||
| {{unreferencedsection}} | |||
| 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. | |||
| ⚫ | 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. | ||
| ===Sindhi Surnames and their roots=== | |||
| ⚫ | 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. | ||
| ⚫ | Sindhi women in India however, can be seen wearing ], colourful tops with ], while the Western clothing have become common for men. | ||
| ⚫ | 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'. | ||
| ===Sindhi names=== | |||
| ⚫ | 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. | ||
| {{main|Sindhi naming conventions}} | |||
| ⚫ | ]''']] | ||
| ⚫ | 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 ]. |
||
| Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations. | |||
| ⚫ | 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 |
||
| ⚫ | 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. | ||
| == 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. | |||
| ⚫ | 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'. | ||
| 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. | |||
| ⚫ | 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. | ||
| ⚫ | == Politics == | ||
| Pakistan's political scene is dominated by Sindhi politicians like ], ] and ]. | |||
| ⚫ | 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 ]. | ||
| India's ] is a well known politician and a candidate for the prime minister of ]. | |||
| ===Sufism=== | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| {{unreferencedsection}} | |||
| ⚫ | ]''']] | ||
| ==Education== | |||
| ⚫ | 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{{fact}}. | ||
| 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. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Notable Sindhis== | ||
| The ], ] and ] schools are established in all parts of ] providing, ], ] and ] medium schools. | |||
| ⚫ | === Politics === | ||
| Pakistan's political scene is dominated by Sindhi politicians like ], ], ], ], ], ], ] who served as ], ] and ]. In the province of Sindh, Sindhis have been dominant in the government and its various departments. | |||
| 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. | |||
| ], a leader of the ] in India is also Sindhi. | |||
| There are many ] and ]s in ] providing state of the art education to Sindhi students. | |||
| ⚫ | Before partition, important Sindhi politicians included ], ], ] and ]. | ||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| 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> | |||
| ===Entertainment=== | |||
| 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. | |||
| 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 ]. | |||
| 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". | |||
| Notable television actors ], ] and ] are also Sindhi. | |||
| ===Sindhis in Bollywood=== | |||
| The famous Sindhis in Bollywood include: ], ], ], ], ], ], ] , ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and comedian ]. | |||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
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| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 03:43, 29 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. Sindhis living in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim but there is a significant number of Hindus Sindhis, and a small minority of Christians. Most Hindu Sindhis migrated to India in 1948, following creation of the Islamic state of Pakistan in 1947. These Hindu Sindhis are presently a small but visible minority in India. There are also small populations of Sindhis in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,Nigeria, Europe and the Americas
History
Ancient History
Main article: Indus Valley Civilisation
The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh were believed to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages of the Indus Valley Civilization around 3000 BC. The ancient civilization centered around the towns whose modern names are Mohenjodaro and Harappa (both derived from the Sindhi language - the language of the Indus Valley Civilization remains undeciphered).
The Indus Valley Civilization went into decline for reasons that are not entirely known. Their decline coincided with the arrival of Aryan tribes from Central Asia. The Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BC. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in the South Asia.
Muslim travelers, specifically the great Persian scholar Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī (Al-Beruni) in his book Kitab-ul-Hind, has declared that even before the advent of Islam into Sindh (711 A.D.), the Sindhi was prevalent in Sindh. It was not only widely spoken but written in different scripts. Al-Beruni has described many Sindhi words and reached the conclusion that the language, though widely spoken, had a limited vocabulary at that time.
Sindh was often the final stop for Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks and Pashtuns travellers. This gave Sindh a distinct and unique culture even before the arrival of Islam.
Because of its location at the Western edge of South Asia, Sindh was one of the earliest regions in the Indian subcontinent to be influenced by Islam. It was part of the Islamic empires of the Abbasids and Umayyids. Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in Sindh. Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting millions of native Sindhis 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.
Partition and mass exodus of Hindu Sindhis
In 1947, with the departure of the British from India, the state of Pakistan was created out of the Muslim-majority provinces of British India. All of Sindh was allotted to Pakistan. According to the 1941 census, 25% of the population of the province of Sindh was Hindu, about 23% was made up of Sindhi Baloch tribes and nearly one-third was made up of descendants of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly naturalized Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals), who had assimilated with native Sindhis. Most of the Hindu Sindhis were city dwellers and were largely occupied with trade and commerce. They were responsible for export of products made in Sindh and contributed significantly to the economy of Sindh. A number of Sindhi Hindus opted to remain in Sindh even after Partition, because there was no history of conflict between Hindu and Muslim Sindhis. However, when waves of Muslim refugees from India (known as Muhajirs) started to pour into Sindh, violence erupted on the streets. Many Hindu Sindhis were forced to flee Sindh leaving everything behind. Popati Hiranandani, a Sindhi Hindu writes in her autobiography that the local police were complicit in the anti-Hindu violence.. After the mass exodus of Hindus, their property was taken over by Mohajirs, making it impossible for them to return. These Hindus were settled in refugee camps in India, and went on to assimilate into the local population, mainly in Western India. The city of Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra, India presently houses a large number of Hindu Sindhis.
Sindhi separatist movements
The influx of Pashtun and Punjabi immigrants to Karachi and other parts of Sindh caused a great deal of resentment among the local Sindhi population. In 1972 the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz movement was founded by G M Syed. The aim of this movement was the liberation of Sindh and ethnic Sindhis from Pakistan. G M Syed was placed under house arrest until his death on 25th April 1995. In spite of this, 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..
Ethnicity
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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
Dress
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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.
Sindhi names
Main article: Sindhi naming conventionsMuslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations.
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.
Sufism
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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.
Notable Sindhis
Politics
Pakistan's political scene is dominated by Sindhi politicians like Sain G M Syeed, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Muhammad Khan Junejo, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Asif Zardari, Muhammad Mian Soomro who served as President, Prime Minister and Senate chairman. In the province of Sindh, Sindhis have been dominant in the government and its various departments.
Lal Krishna Advani, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India is also Sindhi.
Before partition, important Sindhi politicians included Darya Khan Rind, Raja Dahir, Hoshu Sheedi and Hemu Kalani.
Entertainment
A number of Sindhis became prominent in Bollywood. They include actors Aftab Shivdasani, Dalip Tahil, Sadhna, Babita, Sangeeta Bijlani, Hansika Motwani, Preeti Jhangiani and Asrani; director Karan Johar, Tarun Mansukhani, Rajkumar Hirani, Nikhil Advani and Govind Nihalani; producers Ritesh Sidhwani, Jatin Lalwani and Ramesh Taurani; and musicians Ehsaan Noorani and Vishal Dadlani.
Notable television actors Hiten Tejwani, Shilpa Saklani and Kitu Gidwani are also Sindhi.
See also
References
- Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan - Population by Mother Tongue
- Ethnologue report for India
- Popati Hiranandani, one of the best-known Sindhi women writers, born in 1924 in Hyderabad, Sind
- Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz
- 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
- http://www.usindh.edu.pk/shaikh_ayaz_conf_07/sindh.html Historical perspective of Sindhis
Related Websites
- Sindhi Sangat: promoting & preserving the Sindhi heritage, culture and language.
- Sindhi Jagat: All India Sindhi Consolidating Centre.