Luddy Hay Jamalo

The title is a famous song and ‘luddi’ is the famous dance of Sindh.  Sindhi is the native and a very sweet language of Sindh.

Ok, as today we celebrated “Sindh Cultural Day” or Sindhi Topi/Ajrak Day, I recall my memory about Sindh.  I was born in this province, in the city of Karachi.  Karachi is the capital city of Sindh.  Sindh is also called Valley of Mehran or Indus Valley because of River Indus and has a history of one of the ancient civilizations.  I’ve read that Ibn-Batuta and Alexander came here.  Mohammad bin Qasim at the age of 17, the nephew of Hajjaj bin Yousuf entered Sindh through Deebal, defeated Raja Dahir (the ruler) and liberated the Arab hostages.  In a very short period of time, he won the hearts of the inhabitants and preached Islam.  He lived for only 20 years but is remembered for generations for his great victory.

Sachal Sur Mast and Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai are the two famous poets.  Lal Shah Baz Qalandar and Abdullah Shah Ghazi are the most famous saints burried in Sindh.  I visited Abdullah Shah Ghazi (after more than twenty years in 2005) and Lal Shah Baz Qalandar in 2006 on the ninth of Muharram (after I think 34/35 years).  The same era means my childhood, we visited Makli (has the famous cemetery) and another shrine in Thatta.  People claim to love them and respect them but never bother to keep their shrines clean.  I visited Khairpur when I was 10.  I love ‘sindri aam/ kind of mangoes’ and “Larkana kay amrood/guavas from Larkana”.

Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was born in Sindh, in the city of Karachi.  For that reason, Karachi is also called the “City of Quaid”.  The city is situated near Arabian Sea.  Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and his daughter Benazir Bhutto were born in a village near Larkana, Sindh.

Leaders of Sindh joined Muslim League in 1938 and presented the Pakistan resolution in the Sindh Assembly.  The Sindh assembly was the first British Indian legislature to pass the resolution in favour of Pakistan.

 

Sindh Province of Pakistan

Sindh Province of Pakistan

Colourful image of life in Sindh

Sindhi Topi (cap), Ajrak (shawl), Pankha (fan)