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Also See :

• Sindhi
• Lord Jhulelal, avatar of Lord Vishnu
• Cheti Chand Tyohaar
• Partition of India

There are two segments of Sindhi people:

• When we talk about Sindhis, by origin Sindhis are actually a sub-cast of Hindus that are the followers of Jhulelal, the avatar born to protect Sindhis according to the divine message as depicted in Bhagvad Gita .

"Whenever sins increase beyond a limit and religion itself is endangered,then I shall come in the form of an Avatar (incarnation) to mitigate the sufferings of my worshippers." - Bhagvad Gita.

Hindu-Sindhis have origins from the Sindh province which is part of present day Pakistan. Most of these Hindu-Sindhis that were followers of Jhulelal emigrated to India when British India was partitioned in 1947.

• The citizen of Sindh province of Pakistan. Most of these Sindhis from Sindh province of Pakistan are predominantly Muslim.

Sindhi Language

Sindhi is an Indo-Aryan tongue with an eclectic history not unlike the Sindhis themselves.

Origin Of Sindhis

Sindhis get their identity from their Lord, their saviour Lord Jhulelal. He was an Incarnation who descended to help Hindus in Sindh, to preserve their culture and heritage against the oppressive onsalughts of the Muslim Kings.

The frightened people assembled on the banks of Sindhu, near Thatta and sought divine help. "Akashwani" ( a holy heavenly delaration from the skies ) assured them of the birth of Lord Vishnu in a human form as their protector. A son was born in the house of Ratanrai and mother Devki in Nasarpur on Friday evening, New Moon of Month Chaitra 1007 AD and was named Uderolal or Amarlal.

As a child, he played "Bal Leelas" and the news of his Divine powers and miracles soon spread throughout Sind. Badshah Murkhshah (the Muslim King at that time) sent his minister and emissaries to verify the truth of the miraculours powers of the child. They soon returned convinced of the mighty powers of Lord Uderolal. However, the arrogant King wanted the child to be brought before him with the ulterior motive of being captured and killed.

Lord Uderolal's meeting with the King proved to be a demonstration of his miraculous power. The King's soldiers attacked Him and, though He was alone, He outwitted them. The King fell on his feet and promised to stop harassing and torturing Hindus. Thus, Lord Uderolal is the triumphant symbol of righteousness, fearlessness and divine benediction.

He moved throughout Sind and preached a message of courage. He often traveled on a palla-fish and is therefore portrayed sitting on a fish. In 1020 AD Lord Uderolal left the earthly scene, disappearing into the waters of the same Sindhu from which he had emerged.

Cheti Chand is the new moon or the first day of Chett which is the first month of the lunar- based Sindhi calendar year. It is the only distinctive auspicious day for Sindhis and is a sectional public holiday for Sindhis all over India. Chetti Chand is the first new moon after the solar spring equinox and falls some time in April. This year, in 1997, it was on Tuesday, April 8.

Cheti chand is celebrated by Sindhi Hindus not only as their New Year day but also as the birthday of Lord Saaeen Uderolal, popularly known as Lord Jhule Lal or simply Lal Saaeen.

Even as a child, he performed many miracles. These reached the ear of the ruler who became his devotee and gave up his non-sectarian ways. Lal Saaeen is revered as a water god by the predominantly trading class Sindhi Hindus who then traveled abroad by boats. His vehicle (like Garuda for Shiva) was Sindhi Palo (fresh water fish in lower Indus river) - also one of the most favourite dishes of our ancestors in Sindh.

Typical cultural celebrations in the evening include Bahrano - a kind of folk dance (with ghunghroos) where the dancers (joined by the audience) also sing Lord Jhule Lal songs. The prayers include Akho which means lighting Diyas (earthenware lamps) and setting them afloat in rivers or water. The prasad (food offering) includes Dhodho (nan from jowar or buckwheat) and mint chutney. This may be followed by a pot luck vegetarian dinner.

History Of Sindh

The ancient civilization of what came to be known as Harappa and Mohenjodaro both derive their modern location names from the Sindhi Language as opposed to the hypothetical Elamo-Dravidian language of the Indus Valley Civilization which remains undeciphered. In Sindhi language, Mohan-jo-daro literally translates to Dead-of-Mound or the "mound of the dead."

The Sindhi language was brought to the region by Indo-European invaders millenia ago and a distinct culture emerged in the region. Over time, Sindh developed a multi-cultural society composed of Buddhists, Hindus, and other smaller religious and cultural groups. Sindh was often the final stop for invaders from the west such as the Persians, Greeks, and Arabs and this gave Sindh a distinct and unique culture even before Islamic invasions. The site of a great deal of historical activity, Sindh was at the crossroads of civilization sitting at the edge of South Asia. Sindh was also one of the few Indic regions to become predominantly Muslim and was part of the earliest Islamic empires of the Abbasids and Umayyids. Overrun by Turks, Afghans, and Mughals, Sindh continued to evolve as a frontier state and by the time of British involvement was ruled by Baluchi kings. In 1947, a majority of Sindhis, that included residents of Sindh including all Hindus and Muslims voted to join the new state of Pakistan.

Culture and society

Sindhis are a Northern Indian people who have been modified by mainly Iranian peoples and Turkic invaders over time. As a result of their geographic location and countless invasions and migration, the Sindhis display a wide variety of phenotypes.

Sindhi culture is a combination of Islamic traditions and Northwest Indian customs and civilizations with variances that include an adherance to a Muslim diet including a penchant to eat meat that most Indians tend to avoid. Religious tolerance was the norm in Sindh prior to partition as both Muslim and Hindu Sindhis found common ground through Sufism and veneration of Sufi saints remains common for both groups. 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 vast majority of 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.

Sindhi women are still very traditional overall, but many wear very colorful clothes, while donning a 'chadore' on their heads; men traditionally wear white and/or blue clothes and sometimes wear turbans or a traditional Sindhi cap on their heads. This, however, has changed in cities where some more devout women can be seen wearing the hijab, while the shalwar kameez and Western clothing have become common for men.

Sindhis usually flourish in business particularly that of cloth and textiles. Many also work in agriculture and manufacturing jobs. Literacy remains lows but is improving for Sindhis.

Muslim Sindhis tend to have Islamic names, but with sometimes with localized variations, while most Hindu Sindhis are identifiable by the "ani" at the end their last names like Daswani, Dudani, Motwani, Lalwani, Pardasani,Totani,Ambwani,Changrani,Gursani,Adwani,Raisinghani and others. Some famous Sindhis include the Bhutto family, who are a Sindhi political dynasty in Pakistan, and Shah Abdul Latif who was a writer of Sindhi poetry.

• Sindh
• Indian society
• Pakistani society