Re: Her, Soc: Sindhi

[Altaf Memon <BHITTAI@aol.com>]

Saeen Nand:

        What is a Sindhi?

        Your question is simple yet profound. One could simply say that
Sindhi is a person who is from Sindh, has origins in Sindh, or who speaks
Sindhi. However, this meaning is devoid of historical, cultural, political
and social values or characteristics.

        Dr. Satesh Rohira, Director, Indian Institute of Sindhology, in one
of our meetings had stated to me a definition of "Sindhyat." To paraphrase
his definition, a Sindhi can be defined by peculiar lifestyle which makes
Sindhi distinct from others. The essential condition is not to be born in
Sindh or know the Sindhi language, but to feel oneself Sindhi, recognize
oneself as Sindhi, and being recognized by others as Sindhi. In other words,
being Sindhi is the emotion which makes a person feel that he/she is Sindhi
and also enables others to recognize him/her as Sindhi.

        Another way of finding an appropriate definition of "Sindhi" would be
to look at the lives and times of Sindhis in our history. You would find that
like every other nation, in different stages of our history, Sindhis have
also gone through many triumphs and tribulations that have shaped basic
characteristics of Sindhi personality and psyche. The Sindhi experience spans
over tens of thousands of years. From Moen-jo-Daro to this day, these
experiences have crystallized certain thoughts, values and lifestyles that
can be genuinely called Sindhi. These are rooted and reflected in our
language, our land, and our people; which are the cornerstones of our
identification as Sindhi.

        If anything that is the hallmark of Sindhi identity is perhaps our
Sindhi Sufi-Vedantic tradition of peace, tolerance, and wishing everyone well
("Sabha jo Bhalo"). Recently, I was reading a book: "Shah joon Aakharnyoon"
or "Stories of Shah," written by one of the greatest Sindhi writers,
Suragwasi Jethmal Parsram Gulrajani. The preface of the book is written by
Prof. Murlidhar Jetley, a great Sindhi scholar himself. Writing about
Jethmal, Prof. Jetley says that Dada Jethmal used to say that we Sindhis
should retain our basic Sufi thought. His view was that the Sindhis through
their poets and saints have found out the secret of life and that was -- "The
Truth is above all religions" and that "there is a basic unity behind all
obvious diversity." He used to say that Sindhis have to give this message to
the world and the mankind. He used to recite the following Bait of Saeen
Roohal Faqir (a great Sindhi Sufi poet):

" Hiku Hindu Biya Musilman, tiyoon widhaoon wayru,
 andhani oonDHahi na lahay, tini khay saCHu CHawando kayru,
 Roohala raaha priyani jay, GHiRee DiTHosoon GheyRu,
 ta Rabu miRaneen mein hikRo, tanhin mein PHandu na PHeru."

My attempt at translation:

One Hindus, other Muslims, and this enmity in their midst,
How can you tell them the truth? Blind can't see the light!
Roohal saw the path, when he observed the Beloved's sight
'"The Sustainer" is the same in all, with no turn or twist.

        The late Saeen G. M. Syed,  in his book, "Sindhooa Gee SaNJaahi" or
"Appreciation of Sindhu" says that after thousands of years of experience,
traditions, education, and training there are certain distinct ways of Sindhi
lifestyle and traditions and these are: 1) National pride and self knowledge,
2) Patriotism, 3) Tolerance, 4) Live and let live, and 5) Lesson of love.
Syed then goes on to say that these traditions have established national
characteristics of Sindhis and they are: 1) To take "Saama" and give one's
life for it (Note: "Saama" is an act of protecting women folks and minor
children of a person who is being hounded by enemies); 2) Fight unto death
for the right cause; 3) See the beloved in everything; 4) Strive for the
freedom of "Watan" and conscience; 5) To protect one's dignity and self
respect.

        Finally, our national poet, Murshid Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai has
portrayed a picture of ideal Sindhis that is worth looking at. Some of the
attributes that he seems to suggest for Sindhis are as follows:

1) Always wish well for Sindh - "Saeen, sadaeen kareen mathay Sindhu sukaru"
or " Oh Sayer! may you always keep upon Sindh prosperity"

2) Always love your people (i.e. Sindhis) - "Desee seRNa kajani, pardesi
kihaRa pireen" or " Be friends to fellow countrymen, what friends would
foreigners be?"

3) Believe in your people (i.e. Sindhis) - "jeha jay teha, moon Maaroo
maNJiya" or      " I accept my people whatever condition they are in"

4) Freedom - "munhinjee aasa ihaa. kaDaheen keraaeendein kota khay" or " All
I pray for is to break down the walls and be free"

5) End exploitation - "Dukariya Deha maan moozee shaala marani" or "May all
hoarders and misers die in my country"

6) Never betray your people - "Eeya na Maaruni reeta jeean sayRNa mataaeeni
soona tay" or " It is not our tradition to sell out our people for few golden
pieces"

7) Work hard - "tateeya THadeeya kaahi, kanihein wayla wihaRNa gee" or " No
time to sit, keep working be it hot or cold"

8) True to the nation - "taheen wera kiyomi wachanu weRheechani saan" or  "I
promised to my nation the moment I was created"

9) Sacrifice - "uaeen hoonda moee para BuDeea ja BeeRNa THiya" or " She would
have died anyways, but her status was doubled when she drowned"

10) Tolerance - " Priyaan sanday paara gee miRaee miTHaaee" or " Everything
is sweat that comes from the beloved"

11) Self recognition - "naaey neRNa nihaari ta to mein dero Dosta jo" or
"find the beloved within yourself"

12) Courage - "jini khay sika SahaRa gee, say GHeRa na puCHHani GHaata" or
  " those in love with the beloved on the other side will not ask where to
get in the water"

13) Support the downtrodden- "aCHo soorani wariyoon karyoon soora paCHaara"
or  " Come on! you with pain, let us talk about it"

13) Unity - "waGara kayo vatani priti na CHHinani paaRNa mein" or " They live
together and never break up their love"

13) End poverty - " watanu wasaaeyju ta SanGHaarani suKHu THiyay" or " Bring
rains to my land so my people are prosperous"

14) Oppose tyranny - "Maaree mareen shaala daBa waNJanaee DHaBiyoon" or " Oh
marauder! may you die and let all your equipment of death go away"

15) Equality - "aaoon sawaRein sumahaan keenan, moon waru GHaray wilaha" or "
How can I sleep under warm covers when my beloved sleeps out in the open"

In the end, I present a Bait of Shah about his people - the Sindhis

"Mathani tuBaka tuBakiRa, CHikandiRa aCHani,
KHuRiyoon KHiha BHukliyoon, paGHaru siri payrani,
Eeyu waRu weeRheeCHani, moon loDanee laKHiya"

 My attempt at translation:

Spots on the forehead, all wet coming;
Heels full of dirt, head to toe sweating;
>From their walking, my people I knew

Jeay Latif

Altaf Memon

______________________________________
Altaf A. Memon, Ph.D.
Professor and Director
Environmental Management Program
University of Maryland UC
College Park, Maryland
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