Remembering Lajja Aunty

We are in the fifth week of a nationwide Lockdown in India to prevent the spread of deadly Corona Virus. The last few weeks have turned life upside down for most of us ( not just in India but across the world) . All economic activity has almost come to a standstill and in a developing country like ours, making ends meet is proving to be a challenge for vast majority of the population. The Sindhi migrant refugees are also finding it difficult to sustain themselves during these times when there are limited/no opportunities to earn a daily living. Most of these lower middle class families left Sindh to escape religious persecution. Recently, I was pleased to see a Sindhi Association  in Delhi initiating a fund collection to supply food grains and daily essentials to around 40 such migrant families staying in Jahangirpuri in North East Delhi.These families need  support and patronage from all of us to establish themselves here. As Daddy always says " Asaan hik be ji maddad n kanda seen te ker kando! ( If we ( Sindhis) don't help each other then who will).  I am glad to note that over the past couple of years, there has been a perceptible positive change in the attitude of general public towards Pakistani refugees. If you come across a refugee family , please do extend your support to them during this hour of need. 

This week also saw the unfortunate demise of Kum. Lajja Bhatia, a distinguished Sindhi singer who spent her lifetime serving the Sindhi community primarily in/around Delhi. For many decades, she was the resident singer at all events of Sindhu Samaj, Delhi diligently conducting the Aarti and singing Lal Saeen Palav each Friday and on important festive occasions. A committed student of legendary Motihar Brothers ( Dada Kan and Dewan), she often accompanied them on musical tours both in India as well as abroad. Dada Bhaneja fondly remembers that in most of Dada Dewan's duet songs, she was the lead female singer. She was also a part of the "trio" in the two USA/Canada  musical tours that Motihar  Brothers held. She passed away on 19th  April,2020 due to an illness, few months short of her seventieth birthday.

(Late) Kum. Lajja Bhatia

Mummy was saddened to hear about Aunty Lajja's death. She remembered the first interaction with her which was in early 1990s when aunty had come to our home to enquire about the challenges involved with managing a Kidney failure patient on Dialysis. Upon hearing from a neighbor that my grandfather had undergone (prior to his demise) Dialysis for Kidney Failure at Batra Hospital , she decided to speak with daddy/mummy as her father had also been advised of the same. Dialysis in late 80s/early 90s in India was a difficult procedure due to lack of enabling healthcare infrastructure. 

I last saw aunty a year and a half ago when she spent some time chatting with mummy on a sunny winter afternoon at our home while visiting the Ahuja family who stay right opposite us.

Lajja aunty was a true karmayogi who dedicated her life to serve the community. In order to preserve our cultural heritage and roots, everyone needs to play their part and Lajja aunty played this role to perfection. We owe it to individuals like her in helping us connect with our heritage and for keeping Sindhi boli alive through music and literature. I pray to Lal Saeen to rest he soul in peace.

I am sharing a couple of  photographs from the Ottawa Tour in 1985. The musical evening was organised by Ottawa Sindhi Association and Dada Balwant Bhaneja has been kind enough (as always) to permit me to share these with all of us. 

(L-R) Shyam Khubchandani*, Kan Motihar*, Lajja Bhatia*, Sugumal Bhaneja*, Dewan Motihar*

(L-R) Hari Raheja, Kan Motihar*, Dewan Motihar* and Lajja Bhatia*

This tribute will be incomplete without me sharing a link to Aunty Lajja's rendition of the classic        " Dama Dam Mast Kalander" at Jhule Lal Chaliha Evening at Sindhu Samaj in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nurvMbvFIc4

Jai Jhuelal 

PS: Smt. Rita Tulsaney, has written a wonderful tribute for her beloved friend (Late) Lajja Bhatia on facebook. The interested reader may want to read the same as well. The link is as follows:-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3691501960921149&set=a.457133027691408&type=3&theater

* : Deceased

COVID and Sindhi Language Day

To say that these are just difficult times will be an understatement. The last two months have posed what is perhaps the deadliest risk faced by mankind in over a century - a threat that has put our very existence into question. What started as a region specific issue has quickly spiraled into a global issue and today COVID threatens each of one us irrespective of our nationality, religion, creed, color, sex etc. Sadly, there does not seem to be any easy way out of this and it is likely we are in for a long battle against the viral disease. Here in India, we are currently under a 21 day complete lockdown which is likely to be extended by a couple of weeks as well.As on date , 199 deaths have been reported in India which whilst not a high number compared to what is being faced elsewhere in the world, does mean that lives of these 199 families have been scarred permanently by the virus. Not to mention, millions of others who have been affected directly or indirectly by the virus. In between all this, India registered the first death of health care worker yesterday , Dr Shatrughan Panjwani, a General Physician of Sindhi origin in Indore who is likely to have contracted the disease while treating patients. 

During these tough times ,what can one do but to pray to the almighty to bless us and for these tough times to end soon. I am reminded of a few baits (verses) of  Shah Abdul Latif 's which include prayers to almighty to cure the sick. I first heard these on Coke Studio Pakistan a few years ago performed by brilliant Saeen Saif Samejo who I think is one of the finest Sindhi singers around. I provide a link to his Song " Mandh Waai" at the end of the post."Daya Kar Dayaalu" as the popular Sindhi saying goes.  

wo Ala
mandho peeande moon
saajano sahi suneaato
pi piyaalo ishqa jo
sabhki samjhyo soon
saajano sahi suneaato
toon habeebo
toon tabeebo
toon ei darda ji dawa
janiba muhinje jeea men aazara ja anwa
sahiba ḍhe shifa meeyaan mareezane khe
allaaha abdul llateefo chae
bhiṭ jo ghoṭo llateefo chae
toon ei aaheen toon
saajano sahi suneaato
ji lateef
o lateef
challa sindhaṛi wasae llateef
bhalo miyaan allaaha

Oh God!
Drinking the wine of gnosis
I perceived the Beloved
Imbibing the doctrines of Love by drinking from Love’s cup
I fathomed entirety
The Beloved I perceived
You are the Friend
You are the Physician
Only You are the remedy for pain
Dearest! in my being are thousands of afflictions
O Lord, pray heal the sick and afflicted
O God! “Abd ul-Latif” says
Latif, the darling bridegroom of Bhit Shah, says
There is none but You
The Beloved I perceived
O good Latif
O Latif
May the land of Sindh remain prosperous, Latif
Good Master Allah

( English Translation copied from Coke Studio Pakistan, Season 4). 

On a separate note, today is also Sindhi Language Day . It was on 10th April,1967 that Sindhi Language was given constitutional status and was included in Eight Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Regular readers of the blog will be aware about DD Sindhi Channel that was started last year by India's public broadcaster, Doordarshan, after years of struggle by Didi Asha Chand of Sindhi Sangat whose petition was represented by Jethmalani family ( First by (Late) Dada Ram Jethmalani and then by his son, Dada Mahesh Jethmalani). The entire petition was based on the Sindhi language having been given Constitutional status in 1967 and hence the state was duty bound to protect the language and ensure its survival given that the language is on the brink of extinction.  

I end with a link to Saeen Saif's brilliant rendition of "Maandh Wai". I hope you like it as much as I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srM3sc7XvcQ

May Lal Saeen bless us all and the World Heals soon !