The Sindh Story

"The Sindh Story" is a fascinating book. Written by legendary (Late) Dada Kewalram Ratanmal Malkani, the book offers a comprehensive insight into history of Sindh and Sindhiyat. It was first written in 1984 and I understand that it was completely sold out in a month's time. The legendary poet from Sindh, (Late) Saeen Sheikh Ayaz  had remarked “It is a book which should find a place in every Sindhi home.” I place special emphasis on Sindhi which I interpret to include both Hindu as well as Muslim Sindhis thereby establishing the book’s success in providing factual details about Sindh’s history without allowing for religious biases to malign judgment. I understand that the book was subsequently translated in Sindhi as well and was well received in Sindh, Pakistan too. 

I first came to know about “The Sindh Story” while reading Dada Bhaneja’s book. (Refer my earlier posts / Troubled Pilgrimage: Passage to Pakistan). The book was recommended to Dada by his (now) deceased father who was impressed with the book's content and suggested that Dada reads it too.

Dada Malkani’s dedication of the book to Allah Bux Soomro and Bhagat Kanwar Ram is yet another testimony to the “secular” Sindhi spirit. As I have mentioned in my posts previously, the prevalence of Sufi-ism in Sindh meant that religious affiliations were not the focal determinant of individual interactions. As Baba Farid's quote from the Granth Sahib says: “I am like the needle which sews people, I am not the scissor which cuts them apart.” This line aptly summarizes the “true” Sindhi spirit.

The preface to the second edition (printed in 1997) mentions about an interesting visit of (Late) Sh.G.M. Syed to Delhi in 1987 and his interaction with the Sindhi community. Sh. Syed’s names evokes a mixed response as he was originally involved with  supporting the creation of  Independent Islamic “Pakistan” but then subsequently was also one of the founding fathers of Sindhi Nationalism/creation of a separate Sindhi state as he believed that ideologically Islamic Pakistan and Sufi Sindh could not co-exist.  Of particular interest to me is his visit to Sindhu Samaj in Old Rajendra Nagar. Living just 30 meters away from Sindhu Samaj, I am slightly disappointed that I have come to know about this important event only now. I visit Sindhu Samaj every now and then but have not heard/seen anything relating to this remarkable event. 

I found the book to be a fascinating and an insightful read esp. in today’s time when Sindhiyat continues to witness a declining trend. I have rarely met anyone from my generation who takes pride in speaking about our culture and heritage. Growing up in a Sindhi family, I had heard about our history in bits and pieces in family conversations but the book provides an excellent structured introduction to our history. I do think it is an extraordinary attempt in helping the current and future generations know more about our “shared” heritage through Dada Malkani’s well researched writing. 

 For the interested reader, the book is available free of cost on the link mentioned below:-

https://web.archive.org/web/20120206025513/http://www.freesindh.org/sindhstory/Cover.html

I end with this melodious Sindhi Bhajan “Daya Kar Dayalu” by Dada Ghanshyam Vaswani. Written by Kojhi Fakeer ji, this rendition is sure to strike a chord with each one of us. I very much enjoy Dada Vaswani’s singing, hope you like it too

https://www.facebook.com/ghanshamvaswani/videos/vb.1543467915/10213064696242415/?type=3

Jiye Sindhiyat!

PS: The post has been updated on 29.10.2018 to correct a factual error pointed out by Dada Bhaneja. Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted. 

Kaka Khemchand

My extended family (paternal side) started a Whatsapp group around a year ago which is named after my great grandfather ("Kaka Khemchand"). There are around 35 members in the group - a few of whom I have never personally met but have only heard about. The idea was to try and bring together elder relatives and their respective family members under a common group so that at-least we are aware about our extended families; many of whom have not been in touch with each other for decades. My Chacha (Father's Younger Brother) has been instrumental in starting the group as well as contacting relatives who are now based in various cities in India as well as overseas. He has also put up Kaka's solitary photograph in our records as the profile picture. Looking at him, I see so much similarity between him and my father! 

I have heard my father and uncles speak about "Kaka" occasionally at the family gatherings. There was once a talk about how my grandfather was contemplating to buy another plot of land  but was discouraged by Kaka who said - "Assan Khe t vaapis hee vanjhano aahe t hite cho zameen vathoon"( We have to go back (to Sindh) , why should we buy land over here). In another anecdote, I am told about how Kaka used to praise the British rule when it came to maintaining day to day law and order. It seems that Kaka never fully understood partition and its impact thinking it to be merely a transient state of affairs and that once things settle down ; he would go back to his own land.*

The other "Kaka" story that I have grown up listening is how he would wait with a laltain ("lantern") for hours waiting for my grandfather to come back from work  as the access road was dark and surrounded by jungle on both sides. Incidents of wild animals straying into the residential areas were not uncommon in those days and like all parents, Kaka used to be worried about his son's well-being. Kaka would have been in his late forties/early fifties when the partition happened and died sometime in late 1960's during winter months (“Siyaare je diyan mein" is how my uncle told me).

I am amazed when thinking about the direction our lives can take without us having any control over it. Would Kaka have ever thought as a young man about him having to leave his own land and move to Delhi ; a distant land thousands of kilometers away in such tough circumstances? I am sure he would have been saddened to leave his homeland (Kandiaro/Dist. Nawabshah, Sindh) ,the familiar neighborhood , his identity as an oil trader and move to a refugee plot in Old Rajinder Nagar where his religion (of all things) became the dominant identity. 

I hope Kaka is proud of what us as a family have achieved over the last seven decades. During the current period of Shradh, I pray to Lal Sain to bless him (and all of us). "Daya Kar Dayalu" is a popular Sindhi saying.

I end with this wonderful song "Sartyoon" (means friends in Sindhi) that truly captures the spirit of Sindh! This song has been produced by Lahooti Music which is run by the wonderful Saif Samejo in Hyderabad/Jamshoro, Sindh. This has been sung by fellow Sindhis Bhagat Bhoora Lal and Shamu Bai both of whom belong to rural Sindh.I like this song not just for the music/singing which of-course is marvelous but also because the simplicity of the singers ! Lovely, isn't it?

https://youtu.be/47J5TQUuEgA

Jiye Sindhiyat

* : Al - Jazeera English (news channel) in 2017  broadcasted a film : Going Back to Pakistan ; a film about 92 years old Sh. Krishan Kumar Khanna's visit to his hometown of Lahore. The emotions in the film will resonate with almost everyone with a refugee background. The video is a very fascinating watch. Do watch it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjZXrMmWDTo