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Sindhi Community : Impacts of Partition of India

Analytic views of Premanshu Manghirmalani

Premanshu ManghirmalaniSindhi civilisation is among the most ancient civilisation. Mohan- Jo - Daro, the base of modern civilisation is the typical and most significant monument of sindhi culture and life style. It is fact that any thing written related to the history of Sindhis can be treated as incomplete without the mention of "Sachal" "Swami" "Shah" and "Bhagat Kanwar Ram", but as this article is limited to the most recent times i.e. the era after 1947, hence we will not discuss that prestigious & glorious past of Sindhi community.
1947 has not only divided one Nation and Life style into two countries namely India and Pakistan, but also made the sindhi community base less. Sindhi Civilisation, Culture, Customs & Traditions are on the verge of dying. In the year 1947 Sindhis were forced to leave "Sindh" - the land of saints and sufies, the land of Lal Uderolal - Jhulelal. Along with other Hindus, Sindhis were also forced to migrate to India.

At the time of partition of country, in India native Sindhis were very less in number and without any state like the other Hindu communities. Neither our leaders at that time nor the government of Inia bothered about accommodating sindhi migrants at a single particular place and instead of allotting a particular state to Sindhis, Government authorities used military bariks and undeveloped areas for the purpose, hence we Sindhis not only become state less but also a scattered community. The natural result of this phenomena is that in the whole country only one city, Ulhasnagar [Sindhunagar] near the Mumbai, has majority population of sindhi community.
A community without the State or Nation is just as a tree without roots. Roots are most essential for keeping the tree green, a tree without roots is sure to die with time. The same is happening with sindhi community, slowly and gradually our meaningful rich traditions, customs and Sindhi folk arts are vanishing from our life. Our present generation might seldom recognize :

 Bhagat [ Fusion of sindhi Folk Music, Dance & Singing]
Sindhi BhagatA session of devotional songs and music with the dance, performed by at least two persons [1] Singer & Musician [Narrator] [2] Dancer & Singer or only Dancer [Performer]. Many times the conversation between them help to develop the story or to carry forward the story.
Usually a Bhagat group is composed of 4 to 7 seven persons. Bhagat Kanwar Ram's [ Who started this way of God Worship] group was consists of 11 persons, including 4 musicians[ 2 Sarangi Player, 1 Tabala Player & 1 Dholak Player]. Bhagat Sahib himself along with others tie-up Ghungharoo on ankle and start the bhagat it is said that a normal session of his bhagat lost for at least 4 to 6 hours.
 In India Prof. Ram Panjwani was most famous Bhagat. He has given new dimensions to sindhi folk music of Bhagat by using "Matki" earthen pot. In the very recent past Shri Dilipkumar & Shri Gordhandas of Balak Mandali Katani have started the mini concept of Bhagat though presently they have turned them self into story narrator and singer.

Sindhi : Lada  Music Party

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This might be the cold refreshing flow of wind for desert of sindhi folk arts in India that young sindhi singers like Mohit Lalwani [Indian Idol fame] are not only taking interest in this ancient sindhi folk art - Bhagat, but also are ready to present performance.

Chhej [Sindhi Folk Dance]
The traditional group dance of Sindhis, which is not a integral part of our present social life and community functions. Chhej is type of group dance it was some what similar like the Garba dance of Gujrat , the main and distinctive difference is that in chej one dancer, can dance with all other dancers and that too in different positions like seating or laying on the ground.

Sindhi Lada [Wedding Songs & Musical Celebration]
Our traditional way of announcing the start of functions related to marriage, still exists in quite a places but are losing popularity against rock & DJ parties. God has gifted sindhi community with tremendous talent and intelligence, we have to utilize all this to use the roots of other trees and keep our community enriched with our meaningful customs and traditions.