COVID Musings

After having successfully evaded COVID  for the last two years, the virus eventually got the better of me and I contracted COVID earlier this month. Inspite having had all three vaccine doses, the disease has not been an easy one to manage and I was quite ill for the first few days. Thankfully no hospitalization was required and I have now fully recovered. Reflecting back, I think it was just a matter of time before I became infected. For the last few months my compliance with COVID Prevention protocols especially wearing masks had been poor.  

When a disease like COVID strikes, it forces you to slow down the pace of your day to day activities. I am reminded of a conversation with my dad's close friend, Ashok uncle, who just like my father is an experienced practicing General Physician. Many years ago, whilst having lunch with us, uncle remarked that fevers generally are body's way of indicating that we should slow down. Viral fevers by nature are self limiting and only require proper rest and hydration to recover. The same is exactly true for COVID as well. Until and unless one completely disconnects with the outside world, it is difficult to make recovery. For the first day or so , I did try to keep my office work ongoing but quickly realized that recovery is unlikely to begin till I learn to respect the body and take full rest. So for the next few days, I did not attend to any office work which also broke my own self created myth that I was indispensable to the organization's functioning &  my intervention was necessary for tasks to be completed. The office continued to function well without me and tasks eventually did get done. 

Being in isolation also gives one time for self reflection and observation. I can't stop wondering how much life has changed in the last two years. Our entire approach to social interactions has now taken a new form. Personal meetings have now been taken over by virtual connects over MS Teams and Zoom. Social gatherings  are now a fraction of what they used to be. Prior to COVID , Sindhu Samaj used to be a packed house during social gatherings especially 40 day Jhuelal Chaliha period. Compare it to this time ( the first post COVID), the hall is only half filled. Many fellow members have succumbed to COVID during the past two years. My dear bhau, Ram, who used to run a Tikki/Bread Pakora stall near our home hasn't returned till now. Regular readers will remember my earlier blog post about him ( https://sindhi-chokro.blogspot.com/2020/03/ada-ram.html ) . How much I miss his Sindhi style tikkis!

August 14 is now celebrated in India has Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, first declared by Prime Minister Modi in 2021 to commemorate the victims and sufferings of people during partition of India. Every time I think about why partition impacted some families more than others, level of literacy/ formal education often seems to emerge as a differentiating factor. I have seen this within my own family as well where my grandfather who was a graduate and was able to secure a steady government job, withstood the difficult times much better than some of our extended family relatives who suddenly had to let go of their businesses in Sindh and start from scratch in India. 

I am reminded of the family that  used to stay in the opposite lane to ours. As a kid, I was always fascinated by their house as it was one of the last few semi pukka houses. There was Uncle Sunder, his wife and two daughters, his unmarried elder brother Mr. Manga Ram and an unmarried sister. My earliest memories of Uncle Manga who would have been around 70 years old at that time was him smoking bidi sitting on a charpoy in the winter sun and holding me in his arms and saying " Muhinjo pyaaro putr aahin na" in Sindhi ( This would translate into something like " You are my loving son" in English). Uncle Sunder had retired as a peon from the Income Tax department and the family wasn't economically well off. Making ends meet was difficult for them but still Uncle Sunder voluntarily took up the responsibility of  sweeping Sindhu Samaj's premises each morning. I vividly remember playing Stapu ( game) in our courtyard with Sunder uncle's younger daughter " Baby Didi" who would have been 15 years or so elder to me at that time. Both the daughters also barely finished their schooling. After the death of Mr. Manga Ram, his sister and Mr. Sunder sometime in late 1990s/early 2000s, their other educated brother who wasn't staying with the family  sold off the building to a property dealer. It is rumored that because of lack of education, the girls and their mother did not receive their rightful share in the transaction. To me, this tragic story always reminds of why having formal education is so important. If nothing else, it helps you understand your own rights and to avoid being dependent on someone else. In addition, Uncle Sunder also reminds me that for serving the community one doesn't always have to make financial contribution. Everyone in their own little way can contribute to the community's welfare. 

It wasn't without a reason that Bhagat Kanwar wrote "Dadhi Aahe Dinggi Duniya Durangi , Bina Dhareenya Pahinje,Konehko Mayetu Pehinjo" in his famous Naale Alakh Je kalaam. 

I end with this link to a contemporary rendition of Naale Alakh Je  featuring the famous Sindhi  Band Sketches ( Saif Samejo) with talented singers Muskan Kotwani, Jatin Udasi and Akbar Khamiso Khan. I hope you like it too. 

Naale Alakh Je - The Sketches ft. Muskan Kotwani, Jatin Udasi, Akber Khamiso Khan | LahootiMeloDE 

Jai Jhulelal! 

 

Trip to Jodhpur

 Last month Monica and I went to Jodhpur for a short vacation during Holi weekend. Jodhpur is also referred to as the "Blue City" as the exterior paint of most houses is Blue and therefore when seen from the hill top, the entire city appears to be blue. It is around 600 kilometers from Delhi and the flight typically takes around an hour and fifteen minutes to reach. It is best known for the majestic Mehrangarh fort and Umaid Bhawan Palace.  Jodhpur Airport is probably one of the smallest airports in India. I am also told that it is one of the earliest airfields in India with history dating back to 1920s. 

While we were planning this vacation, I mentioned to Monica about how Jodhpur sees a fairly high influx of lower middle class Hindu Sindhi refugees from the desert region of Sindh ( Thar). Every now and then one does tend to write in the newspapers about these refugees and as we were going there, I was keen to meet them. Monica was supportive of my plans. 

Once in Jodhpur, I made enquiries both at the hotel as well as from our cab driver about where these families are based. Whilst most of them were aware about "people from Pakistan" ( as the migrants are referred to by the locals) , sadly none of those whom I enquired from were aware about the exact location. As always, Google came to my rescue and after few minutes of searching on the internet, I made enquiries about Anganwad Basti. Thankfully, our cab driver, Sampatraj Parjapat, was aware about Anganwad village and hence all seemed to be on track. 

We left our hotel for Anganwad Basti at around 4.30 in the afternoon. Whilst it was hot and sunny and not the best time to be outdoors, I still decided to leave then as with Monica accompanying me , I wanted to be back before sunset. I was told Anganwad village is on the outskirts of Jodhpur and from where we were , it would roughly take around 45 minutes to reach. What I was expecting to be an easy ride turned out to be a long and difficult one as no one knew where exactly the Basti was. Both Sampatraj and me were relying on the usually spot on Google maps to take us to the exact location  but it unfortunately failed miserably this time. After taking directions from locals a few time and driving on "kuccha" roads , we finally reached the Basti. During this entire journey I was constantly contemplating if it was safe to carry on with the trip or should I return back.  To be in the middle of nowhere with a driver whom one had barely met a day ago seemed worrying. I still decided to continue. 

At the entrance of Basti, there was an old man smoking " bidi".  As soon as he saw us, he inquisitively came forward to enquire about what we were looking for. As I did not know anyone, I asked him in Sindhi if I could meet " Mukhi" ( Sarpanch) . The man asked me to follow him and we went inside the Basti to Mr. Teekam Thakur's house. I introduced my self and Monica to Saeen Teekam as fellow Sindhis who had come to meet them. Saeen Teekam immediately took us inside his hut and the warmth and affection with which he and his mother greeted us was extraordinary. In no time, around 20 people gathered after hearing that a Sindhi couple had come to meet them. All my worries vanished and the next half an hour was pure bliss. Saeen Teekam told us that most families here are  originally Kolis who were settled between Mirpur Khas and Umerkot region in Pakistan . Most villagers here speak Sindhi, Gujrati and now Hindi and migrated around 7-8 years back. There are around 1000 people staying in the basti. Most men usually work as daily labourers and a couple of NGOs run sewing classes for women. There is no electricity in the village so everything plunges into darkness post 6.30/7 o clock. Till recently, everyone had to walk for around 800 metres to take out water from the well but thanks to a good samaritan, the water piplelines have recently been laid so water is now available within Basti itself. Teekam was happy that the kids after a long hiatus had finally secured admission in a local government school. 

Saeen Teekam ( Middle) with his mother (right) and a friend 

I had never expected that we will receive such warmth and affection from everyone in the village. Teekam also took us to see the replica of Mata Hinglaj Bhawani's ( Kuldevi of Sindhi Community) replica that they have created in the village. Upon my asking Teekam about whether he had visited Mata's temple in Lasbela, Balochistan , Tikam proudly replied that he had been there twice. I was also ecstatic to see that a number of villagers still read Bhagwad Gita in Arabic Sindhi. It reminded me of my maternal grandfather, (Late) Shri L.P. Khemani who too used to read Bhagwad Gita in Sindhi. 

Mandir in Saeen Teekam's hut 

Me at Saeen Tikam's home with the kids 

Mata Hinglaj Bhawani's Mandir 

Saeen Tikam with fellow villagers 

What was originally planned as a leisure trip turned into an emotional journey. Living in a metro city like Delhi, it is difficult to imagine  the level and the amount of hardship that these migrant families have to bear. The zeal and the positive energy with which they face such challenging circumstances truly reflects the Sindhiyat and Sindhi spirit of not giving up and to fight and triumph against all odds. I can only pray to Lal Saeen that tough times for Saeen Tikam and the entire village end soon.  

I also take this opportinity to wish all community members a Happy Cheti Chand and New Year. May Jhule Lal continue to bless and guide us all. 

PS: All photo credits to my wife Dr. Monica Budhwani 

Chokro turns Four !

Tum hi sab kuch jaanat pritam,
Teri ichha puran ho
Sukh mein Dukh mein mere pritam,
teri ichha puran ho!

( Thou knowest all, Beloved,
   Let Thy Will always be done!
   In joy and sorrow, Beloved,
   May Thy Will always be done!)

   

                           - The Seven Commandments of Bhagavad Gita by (Dada) J.P.Vaswani

Today is yet another momentous day in Sindhi Chokro's journey as we complete four years of existence. What a journey it has been! I still vividly remember that visit to Sindhu Samaj with mummy to fill up the matrimonial service form for a cousin who was looking for a match. The form ( amongst other things ) had the question " Place of Origin in Sindh" which we filled up as " Sahiti". This simple question sparked my interest in knowing more about my roots and since then there has been no looking back. The limitation of not being able to read and write in Arabic Sindhi has meant that a majority of literature , history and culture is inaccessible to most of us. This is when I first thought about starting the blog. The idea was to present to the readers my day to day experiences of growing up in a Sindhi family and neighborhood along with writing about contemporary issues facing the community  in a language which is understood by most of us.  

Over the past years, during my interactions with Sindhis from different walks of life, I have realized that as a community we are reluctant ( and dare I say embarrassed) to talk about our cultural identity. In India at-least, I often hear  " we are same as Punjabis" as a convenient means to cut short a conversation about our identity. This startles me as if there is one community who have established themselves from scratch like a phoenix from the ashes in Independent India  it is us Sindhis. Without any physical land/ state having been allocated to us, totaling a few million in numbers with no government based reservation/affirmative action support among other things , we have still been able to establish ourselves as one of the most successful communities in India. This remarkable story of having survived all odds with sheer grit and determination whilst should have been a part of mainstream narrative unfortunately does not even generally find a mention on the sides. Years of having being physically scattered and being busy in making ends meet though have led us to establish ourselves economically, it seems to have taken away that feeling of oneness and brotherhood that keeps a community together. Our language and culture have in the process probably suffered  an irrecoverable damage. As Dada Vaswani very aptly mentions in one of his satsangs " Asaan sindhiyun mein budhi aa, badhi kaane" ( We Sindhis have intelligence but lack togetherness). 

However, reversing this tide is not that difficult. We are now an economically well off community and hence unlike the partition times are in a better position to assist our brethren. But this task cannot be accomplished by the services of few. Each and every one of us will have to contribute if Sindhi boli and culture is to be preserved. 

I am grateful to my dear readers for your continued support. If this blog encourages few of you to discuss about Sindhi identity and culture as an occasional dinner time conversation with your families, I think Sindhi Chokro will have achieved its purpose.

I end with this recent clip of an impromptu rendition of " Haan maan Sindhi aayan" song sung by young Sindhi singers who are ably carrying on the mantle of preserving and promoting Sindhi identity. Videos such as these give me hope that perhaps all is not lost and with some determination and a little effort from our end, maybe we can keep Sindhiyat alive!

https://fb.watch/aDCFl1HWlF/

Jai Jhulelal

Mayfair Gardens and L V Prasad Eye Institute

The other day Monica mentioned that she has been seeing a fair number of Sindhi patients coming in for consultation and treatment at the eye clinic she works at. She shared that most of these patients seemed to be financially well off and wondered if the nearby areas had a substantial Sindhi population. I mentioned that Delhi does indeed have a sizable Sindhi population. At the time of the partition , whilst most refugees settled in/around Lajpat Nagar, Ramesh Nagar and Rajendra Nagar, the affluent ones ( mainly Amils and Bhaibandhs from Karachi)  subsequently settled in South Delhi as well in /around Safdarjung Enclave, Greater  Kailash and Haus Khas areas. In fact, one of the lesser known affluent Sindhi colonies in Delhi is the exclusive Mayfair Gardens in Hauz Khas. I first heard about Mayfair Gardens a few years ago when my aunt mentioned about the wonderful Guru Purab celebrations that take place at the gurudwara there. Dada K. R. Malkani's "Sindh Story" also makes a mention about a lunch hosted by Mr. Nari Thadani at his Mayfair home  in honor of G.M. Syed during the latter's visit to Delhi in 1987.  It  is an exclusive residential colony in the heart of Delhi with majority Sindhi population. In-fact it is amongst the costliest residential places in Delhi where a 3 bedroom apartment can easily cost upwards of USD 1 Million. Monica was surprised to hear all this. 

Talking about Sindhi identity, Monica's also mentioned that her ophthalmological training took place at institutions where Sindhi families have been the major benefactors. She completed her ophthalmological training from Mithu Tulsi Chanrai Campus, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Bhubaneshwar  which is funded by Chanrai family. She also spent considerable time at Arjun Waney Eye Centre , a satellite centre located in the small city of Berhampur in Orissa.

Shri Mithu Tulsi Chanrai Campus at LVPEI, Bhubaneshwar
Photo Courtesy: Internet

Arjun Waney Eye Centre in Berhampur, Orissa 
Photo Courtesy : Monica Budhwani / WhatsApp Group

Chanrai family with their origins in Sindh are one of the wealthiest families operating trading business(es) across India, Singapore and Africa. The business was originally set up as a textile trading corporation by Late Jhamatmal and Late Thakurdas Chanrai in 1860. The business has flourished since then and today the family is well known across the world. This centre for excellence was established by Dada Jagdish Mithu Chanrai in loving memory of his father to help eradicate blindness and transformational change of people with visual impairment. 

Dada Arjun is also a prominent businessman based in London. Regular readers of the blog will remember my earlier post about him and the famous Zuma restaurant in London which he owns. Sindhi Chokro : Dada Arjun Waney (sindhi-chokro.blogspot.com). He also runs a philanthropic trust which has a major focus on treating preventable blindness. The trust is named after his mother, Smt. Savitri Waney. 

I was happy to hear from Monica about these two prominent benefactors who are investing considerable time and resources to help eradicate preventable blindness from rural India. Both the founders and their trusts deserve an applause from all of us for their selfless service which is so very embedded in our Sindhi DNA. My best wishes to both of them. 

I end with this link to a brand new version of Sindhi folk song " Jiye Sindh Jiye" recreated and sung by dear Mohit Lalwani along with Jatin Vaswani. As he mentions in the footnote "Jiye Sindh Jiye' is a song wishing well for the people of Sindh, all around the world. It talks about the timeless glory of Sindh and the people of Sindh." I like "Ada" Mohit's singing and hope you enjoy this version too. 

Jiye Sindh Jiye | MOhit lalwani | Sindhi Folk - YouTube

I also take this opportunity to wish all of you a happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2022. I pray to Lal Saeen to shower his mercy and blessings on all of us. 

Jai Jhulelal

Amritsar Diaries

Earlier this month Monica, Tina and I decided to visit Amritsar. With the country starting to recover from COVID epidemic and cases being at an all time low coupled with the long weekend break as Dussehra this year was on a Friday, we decided to do a three day trip to Amritsar. Mummy was also keen that as a newly married couple, Monica and I visit Harmandir Sahib to seek Gurubaba's blessings. 

We decided to visit Harmandir Sahib early on Saturday morning. Whilst the original plan was to reach the gurudwara at around 0400/0430 hrs to watch Palki Sahib being taken back to the Shri Harmandir Sahib, we unfortunately ( but expectedly)  got late and reached the temple premises at around 0615 hrs.  Every day in the evening ( I think at around 10 o clock) the holy book , Guru Granth Sahib, is carried in the Palki Sahib to Shri Akal Takht Sahib Ji for symbolic night's sleep and then each morning the next day  at around 4 AM , Guru Granth Sahib ji is taken in the Palki sahib back to Harmandir Sahib. There is a huge line of devotees each morning to witness Palki Sahib being brought back to Harmandir Sahib. Since it was the long weekend, the rush seemed to have doubled. In fact the receptionist at Hotel Taj where we were staying mentioned that they were fully sold out for the next few days. 

Whilst we were in the queue to enter the main hall where Guru Sahib is kept, right next to us was another Sindhi family from Alwar in Rajasthan. The parents had come with their two young daughters to seek Guru baba's blessings and the mother was speaking with her husband in chaste Sindhi. Meeting a fellow Sindhi family at 7 in the morning with their 8 year old younger daughter , Pari , mentioning about  Seyal Phula /Maani being her favorite breakfast dish was an absolute joy !  

(L-R) : Tina, me & Monica 

In the evening, we visited the recently opened Partition Museum, a 5-7 minute walk from Golden Temple. It is run by the The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust in association with Department of Culture, Government of Punjab. It is the world's first museum focusing on 1947 partition and aims to tell the stories of the millions impacted during partition, through oral histories, refugee artefacts, archival photographs, original documents and art works.  I had heard about the museum when about an year or so ago, I read about the museum running a special series on the impact of partition on Sindhi diaspora. The famous Bollywood actor ( and fellow Sindhi)  Dilip Tahir was one of the panelists at the museum. It was heartening to see an entire section in the museum dedicated to Sindh and Sindhi stories  stories of partition. Unfortunately photography is prohibited inside the museum premises. All three of us found the visit enriching as it gave us an insight into the aspects of partition that we were previously unaware of. The section contains generous donations in forms of artefacts, photographs etc. from various Sindhi families. I strongly recommend a visit to the museum to everyone who is visiting Amritsar. The link to Partition Museum's website is as follows:-

https://www.partitionmuseum.org/

Partition Museum Entrance 

( L-R) Tina, Me and Monica at Partition Museum 

I end with this link to Kajal Chandiramani's melodious rendition of Sija Ubir Na Toon Shal Raat Huje. What lovely singing!. Hope you like it too. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hAMKL5Nn2k

Jai Jhulelal 

Dada (Dr.) Kartar Lalvani

I first read about Dada Kartar Lalvani when I was watching Sindhi Sarvech programme a few years back. For someone who was just starting to explore his Sindhi identity, the video was quite fascinating - an elderly Sikh gentleman speaking in chaste Sindhi with a fellow Hindu Sindhi. The story of Dada Sahib's journey over the last six decades has been a fascinating one - about how partition forced them to give up their comfortable life in Karachi to the daily struggles of being a migrant family in Bombay to pursuing higher education in UK/Germany to being the first Indian to  start a Pharmaceutical company in United Kingdom! 

My interest in knowing more about the Sindhi Sikh community started post watching this interview. Regular readers of the blog will recall an earlier post on the close relationship between Hinduism and Sikhism in Sindh and how plurality is embedded in Sindhis. The closeness is also evident from the fact  that a lot of families (Hindu Sindhis) still perform the Gurudwara ceremony of “Anand Karaj” to solemnize weddings. 

Dada Sahib was born in 1931 in Karachi to a Sikh family. He emigrated to UK in late fifty's and completed his PhD from University of Bonn in Germany in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. He returned back to England to start "Vitabiotics" in 1971 - a pharmaceutical company that is currently the largest vitamin company in UK with revenues of over GBP 300 Million.Dada Sahib has also been awarded Order of British Empire for his exceptional services. The company is now run by his able son, Tej Lalvani who is a regular judge at the business incubator show Dragon Den, UK. 

Lalvani family is an illustrious one with Dada sahib's brothers - Gul and Partap Lalvani being the founders of  the global telecommunications company Binatone - named after their sister Bina Ramani ( Lalvani).  

Dada Sahib's fascinating journey is a true testimony to the entreprenuial Sindhi spirit - of surviving and succeeding against all odds. For many of us who are currently navigating challenging circumstances, Dada Sahib's story should serve as an excellent example to never give in and continue to face the circumstances with sheer grit, determination and hard work. I am sure good days are just round the corner. 

Dr. Kartar Lalvani ( Picture Credit: Daily Mail/Internet)

I end with the link to Dada Sahib's Sindhi Sarvech interview. For those of us who have not heard about Sindhi Sarvech program before, this is a series of recorded interview hosted by Dada Ram Jawaharani with notable Hindu Sindh personalities. I belive the series was shot around 15 years back. All episodes are around 25-30 minutes long and are available on youtube ( Sahyog Foundation). I find these to be an excellent medium to understand and explore Sindhi heritage. I strongly recommend watching the series to anyone interested in knowing more about our roots. 

Sahyog Foundation presents 'Sindhi Sarvech' ~ Dr. KARTAR LALWANI, interview by Dr. Ram Jawhrani - YouTube

Sindhi Festivals

 The last week was an eventful one. The Hindu Sindhi community celebrated this festivals of Teejri and Thadri followed by Shree Krishna Janamashtami yesterday. After a gap of around 2 years, there was finally some activity at the neighbourhood Sindhu Samaj albeit at a much lesser scale. As many of you would be aware, Teejri is a festival celebrated by women by fasting for the entire day to pray for the long lives of their husbands. In the evening, there is a community prayer which includes Teejri Mata ki Katha recited by Maharaj Shashikant at Sindhu Samaj. The women finally break their fasts after offering prayers to the moon ( Chandr as they say in colloquial Sindhi). Following Teejri and a day before Janamashtami is Thadri or Vadi Thadri as they say. On this day,  we eat food that is cooked a day earlier to please Devi Jog Maya / Sheetla Mata. In my own home, as is the case with most other Sindhi homes, the preparation begins a day earlier with mummy cooking Meetha Lolas, Besani / Namkeen Lolas etc a day earlier for next day consumption . We try to refrain from switching on the gas burner on this day. I personally enjoy eating Meetha / Mitha Lolas so keenly look forward to Thadri each year. In fact, i one of the previous years , i remember having rescheduled my UK trip to ensure I landed back on Thadri day to eat Lolas. 

Thadri Food at Teckchandani Household
(L-R) Chothas, Meetha Lolas, Butter, Raita and Besani/Namkeen Lolas

It is good to see the numbered Sindhi community getting together to celebrate these festivals. Community participation is the key if Sindhiyat is to thrive in the coming decades. My younger sister , Tina tells me about how Maharaj Shashikant was encouraing everyone who went to offer prayers to speak in Sindhi at their homes to preserve and retain our cultural heritage. 

I end with an insightful Sindhi Satsang by Sarvabhauma Prabhu ( Dr. Shishpal Sharma) on the auspicious occassion of Janamashtami. Dada Sahib is a fellow Hindu Sindhi from Pakistan who shifted to India in early 90s and is currently involved with ISKCON movement. He is a qualified medical doctor (MBBS) and belongs to a distinguished family who have been serving  Radha Krishna temple for the last eight generation in Mithi, Sindh, Pakistan. He is presently based in Vrindavan, India  and frequently travels across the world to preach Krishna Consciousness.  I hope you find the Pravachan to be of interest. 

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Jai Jhulelal.