Sindh Culture

Sindh is a beautiful province of Pakistan, with a wonderfully rich culture. The capital of Sindh, Karachi, is the largest and most populous city and provides an interesting and colourful combination of the old and the new. The narrow twisting lanes and alleys of the old city throb with the life alongside the wide metalled road and the elegant modern buildings. Within the city talented artists with age old skills produce handicrafts of exquisite beauty. One of the oldest civilisations of the world was of Moen-jo-daro which is in Sindh, making Sindh one of the most archaeologically and historically interesting provinces of Pakistan.

Arts and Crafts

Sindh arts and crafts have gone down the ages almost un-touched by modern influences. The skill of the Sindhi crafts-man continues to show the 5000 year old artistic tradition that has flourished ever since pre-historic times. There is enough archaeological evidence to show that they had highly developed craftsmanship, even in the early days of the Indus Valley civilisation, making the Sindhis of the past incredibly advanced for their time. Though chiefly an agricultural and pastoral province, Sindh is celebrated for its handicrafts especially:

• textiles especially 'Ajrak'
• pottery
• lacquered woodwork
• carpets
• fabrics with woven stripes or block printed designs

This long span of time that has passed has been dotted with fresh waves of invaders and settlers. This gave Sindh many exotic modes of art, which have now become traditional.

The prehistoric finds from different archaeological sites such as Mohen-jo-daro - engravings in various grave yards and architectural designs of different tombs provide ample evidence of Sindhis as art lovers. This artistic flair that the Sindhis posess can also be found in literary and musical traditions. Modern painting and calligraphy have also developed recently and many young Sindhis now take these as professions.

Ajrak Fabric

Ajraks are special to Sindh, they are colourful and distinctive and made in traditional motifs.

These colour fast fabrics are put to many uses. Its making is lengthy, complex and highly techinical. It is made in the following way:

• The cloth is washed in a solution of water and the crushed berries of 'lyre'
• It is then steamed and stamped with wooden blocks.
• The cloth is then dipped into dyes, three seperate times for depth in a solution of indigo boiled in a cauldron. This is dried and then again dipped.
• Finally washed it becomes the bright and pure Ajrak cloth, a name derived from 'Azrak' meaning blue in Arabic.

Sindhi jewellery

Ornaments used by Sindhis are a significant part of their culture, especially for Sindhi women. Sindhi Zewar (ornaments) are different and varied used by Sindhis for the head, ear, nose, neck, arm, hands, feet and so on.

• Aali - This is worn on the center of the forehead by girls and unwed young women and is usually made of silver. This is mostly worn by working class girls.
• Jhoomar - This is made of gold and is worn by women on the right hand side of the head. This consists of a hook, panryoon and luDans (small hanging balls).
• Tiklo - Tiklo is similar to Aali and Tiko but is made of gold and is worn by women to be wed. It is worn a little bit higher on the forehead almost at the front hairline.
• Munhan DaNi (Face Chain) - This is a chain used to hold Natha (nose ring) and is attached to the Tiklo or directly to the hair. Made of gold or silver.
• SaGiyoon - Made of silver and used to fold hair into a Chotee (plait).
• Choteea Phulu - Golden or silver flower hairband
• Bukalu - Hair buckle made of gold or silver.
• Clipu - Hair clip made of gold or silver.

Food

Sindhis have many characteristics that mark them, their language, their sense of community and of course their food. Although modern Sindhis now have a much more varied diet, they still have their old traditional dishes as well.

'Sindhi kadi' uses a great deal of tamarind which makes it sour. The base of the 'kadi' is 'besan' (gram flour') and tamarind. To this lots of vegetables are added - beans, yam (suran), brinjal, pumpkin, lady fingers and potato. It is supposed to be a complete meal in itself. It can also be served with plain rice.

'Sai bhaji' is a favourite of many households too. This is a mixture of green vegetables - spinach, garlic and green chilli. The result is a soft semi - liquid preparation that is normally served with rice.

SINDH KADI

1 drumstick 150 gm. potatoes
100 gm. lady's fingers 1 brinjal
150 gm. cauliflower 25 gm. tamarind
100 gm. gram flour 1 teaspoon cumin seed
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 5 green chillies
1 inch fine ginger Few sprigs coriander and curry leaves
1 tablespoon groundnut oil Salt to taste
450 ml. water (3 cups)

Preparation: Clean and cut all vegetables and wash. Soak tamarind and extract juice.

Method: Heat oil in cooker body. Add gram flour, cumin and fenugreek seeds and keep stirring till it is slightly reddish brown. Add 3 cups water all vegetables, slit ginger, chilies, tamarind juice, coriander, curry
eaves, salt. Close lid. Place cooker on maximum heat. Bring to full cooking pressure. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 8 min. Allow cooker to cool gradually and open. Serve hot with plain rice.

SAI BHAJI

Ingredients:
50 gm. Bengal gram 1 bunch spinach
I bunch chuka (khata bhaji) Few sprigs fenugreek leaves
coriander, and Suva 1 brinjal
Few French beans 1 small piece pumpkin
1 small piece cauliflower 1 potato
1 carrot 1 tomato
2 onions 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 8 green chillies
1 inch piece ginger 6 flakes garlic
1 tablespoon vanaspati Salt to taste
150 ml. water (1 cup)

Preparation: Clean and wash gram and all vegetables. Finely cut leafy vegetables Cut other vegetables and onions. Grind to a paste chillies, ginger, garlic.

Method: Heat ghee in cooker body, add onions and fry for 2 min. Add masala paste, turmeric, coriander, salt and all vegetables. Add Bengal gram. Add 1 cup water. Close lid. Place Cooker on maximum heat. Bring to full cooking pressure. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 min. Allow cooker to cool gradually and open. Mash gram and mix thoroughly with all vegetables to smooth consistency. Serve with plain rice.

Music

Sindh has been phenomenally rich in music. Music constitutes a very integral part of Sindh’s cultural heritage. Sindhi music continues to retain its original form and shape despite the innovation and influence of the Arabic, Persian and Indian music.

Folk music forms the larger bulk of Sindhi music. Sindhi folk music is typical of the life style of Sindhi folks and reflects its history and cultural roots.

These folk tunes continue to enrich the traditions and customs of the people of rural areas. Folk songs in Sindhi society are purposeful and often have the holiness of a ceremonial rite.

Folk song is the foundation on which Sindhi music is based. The classical as well as light music derives inspiration from folk songs. Great musicians and singers have composed their exquisite melodies out of folk songs.Folk music is common in every part of the world but it has some outstanding characteristics in the lower Indus valley. It not only reflects the culture and tradition of the people and express their emotions and sentiments but also contains beautiful description of hills, deserts, lakes, rivers, plains, forests, the Moon, the Sun, stars, clouds, rains, camels, swans and many other aspects of nature.

Before the advent of Islam in the subcontinent, folk music was mainly confined to religious songs and psalms. After the advent of Islam in the subcontinent, Muslim Sufi poets who dedicated their lives for the spread of Islamic teachings in every nook and corner, thought that folk songs were the best method for achievement of their ultimate object.