Re: Soc, YA, Pol, Her: Sammelan Makeup - Sindhi Culture

[Rohit Lekhraj Lalwani <Rohitlalwa@AOL.COM>]

I am sorry that you are feeling sad because none replied to your question
about war-like instincts of our people. I should feel sad too that none
replied to my question as to from where  i could buy a certain book - new or
second-hand. With so many messages to respond, one sometimes forgets.

To your question about war-instincts, you imply as if it is good for nations
to have such instincts. Where has war carried the nations which have
war-instincts. You really think that devastation of their homes, rape of
their women, orphaning of children, making young wives into widows etc etc.
- for these are the result of war.- is all worthwhile.
No sir, i am glad we have no such bloodthisty instinct. Don’t tell me of
material advantage of war or technical developments or inventions or higher
standard of living that follows a war. Those living by Sword perish by the
sword.

About your question about our knowledge of culture, the truth is that we
Sindhis lack the knowledge of our culture. This is true of Sindhis - be they
Hindus or Muslims. We have a lot of knowledge about American and foreign
culture. But of Sindhi culture we know next to nothig. Now that is a bad
thing, as ignorance of culture is not a bliss.

At Sindhi gatherings Sindhis talk big, and even quote some  well known poets;
and people listen with great wonder, but much of it is  a show. But the fact
is that Sindhis are not well read. Of course they are highly educated with
college degrees, and they are rich but for culture or books on culture they
don’t generally care.

There are many big names who  are organizers of Sindhi functions. They should
do what Bengali/ Gujrati/ Marathas/Tamils/ and many other communities do.
Their Organizers see to it that books on culture of that community are
distributed to all participants. How they do it is simple. When they charge
fees for joining functions, they take account of book distribution free, at
the end., from amounts collected as fees. When they don’t have fees for
joining function, they get some rich guy from their community to pay, and
each book is stamped with name of donor, for instance to say ‘“Distributed by
Gujerati Sewak Sabha with compliments of SETH NARSIBHAI MULJIBHAI, propreitor
GUJERAT SARI & FASHION EMPORIUM, M..G Road, Ahmedabad.’” My reaction to this
is: LONG LIVE SETH NARSIBHAI MULJIBHAI, and may his Emporium prosper.

A variant example of this was when some years back , I attended a function
organized by Sindhi Academy in New Delhi. At the entrance, at Reception Desk
they  had kept three bulky , hard cover books with poetry of Shah Abdul Latif
, Sachal and Sami , along with many  booklets on culture- all for Rs.200/
.This exception, I think, was really good.

Forget about big organizers of big functions, what do Sindhi parents do. It
will never occur to a Sindhi father/mother to give a book on culture to his
children or grown ups. Comic books, yes. Painting books, of course; novels of
love and romance too, yes.  But culture is a no, no. So different, in this
regard, is a Sindhi from non-Sindhi parent .

Yet it is too much to ask a Sindhi to give and have cultural knowledge.
Sindhi is one of the richest community. It is also most highly educated. Add
cultural knowledge - we will be on top of world and envy of all. But that is
asking for too much.
As to questions on Mr.Gajwani's answers, i think, too many questions may
confuse rather than clarify the issue.

Rohit

COPY to Thakur Alimchandani - in earlier posting you promised to give
availability source of Return of aryans. Please give it, if convenient.