Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan language speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating in Sindh which is part of present day Pakistan. Sindhis that live in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim, while many Sindhi Hindus emigrated to India when British India was divided in 1947. The Sindhi language is an Indo-Aryan tongue with an eclectic history not unlike the Sindhis themselves.
The Sindhi people are admired for their great sense of community and hospitality. Their culture is regarded as one of the most varied and unique in Pakistan. With their colourful handicrafts and rich cultural heritage they are to be admired for their originality. 
Dress
Sindhis are the most colourfully and variously dressed people in Pakistan with men in the centre of the province favouring turbans in shocking pink. Others wear embroidered caps set aglitter by tiny mirrors, colourful long tailed shirts worn over lungis (men's sarongs) and traditional embroidered slipper with long pointed upturned toes. Women of the desert dress in red skirts cut long and flowing and in bright tie dyed shawls. Women usually wear a 'chadder' (multi purpose cloth) on their head. Flowers are often embroidered on women's clothes as well.
The general trend is to wear comfortable and fashioned clothes which do not hinder in work. More and More Sindhi ladies have opted for Salwar-Kurta and sarees in preference to traditional dress. Irrespective of age and marital status, the preference is for salwar-kurtas of various styles like the dhoti salwar, the patiala salwar, harem salwar, jaipur-bandhini dresses, mirror work and embroideries.
For weddings more girls are opting for CHANIYA CHOLI whereas older Sindhi ladies, opt for coloured rustle and shocking pink. Where as today ladies prefer various shades of pink, maroon and red.
The art of mehndi (or mehandi) is a long-standing tradition. Today, it is still used in religious and ritualistic ceremonies in pakistan, but has also gained appreciation in other countries as a beautiful art to be appreciated at any time.
Henna powder itself is green in color, but the stain it leaves behind is an orange-red color. There are many suppliers now that offer henna in a variety of colors. Today, henna has been done in many forms including more contemporary designs. Henna is a beautiful form of art and culture.
Famous Sindhis
Bhit Shah, the resting place of the Sindhi national poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, is about 50km from Hyderabad, near the old town of Hala. A place of pilgrimage for all the Sindhi's, rich and poor, Bhit Shah is the centre of cultural activities, eternal source of spiritual enlightenment and national inspiration.
Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (1689-1752 AD), born to the Syed family, descendants of the prophet Mohammed, (Peace be upon him). During the Kalhora period, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai became the symbol of knowledge and national struggle, resisting the imposition of Persian language in Sindh.
Shah Abdul Latif spent his life meditating and travelling the remote corners of Sindh mixing with the ordinary people and recorded his experiences and observations in his poetry.
Shah-jo-Risalo, the collection of Shah Abdul Latif's poetry, is revered as a holy book and is recited by the common man and intellectuals alike. A record of history and folklore of Sindh, it has kept the characters of Marvee, Nuri, Sasui, Moomal and others, alive in the minds of the people.
Culture and society of Sindh
Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan language speaking people who have been modified by mainly Iranian, Turkic, Afghan and indigenous tribal populations over time. As a result of their geographic location and countless invasions and migration, the Sindhis display a wide variety of phenotypes.
As regards the composition of the Sindhi population the two main stocks that inhabit Sind are related to, and common, one with the Punjab and another with Balochistan. The majority stock is that of Rajputs and Jats who are the partial descendants of Sakas (Indo-Scythians, Kushans and Huns who also constitute the majority of the population of the Punjab. The title Huna, i.e. Huns, remains in use by some clans and is possibly a reference to this partial ancestral lineage. During Kalhora,tribes such as the Phariro live in Ali Muhammad Phariro,Khanwahan, NushaheroFeroze KandiaroPhariro rule a number of Jat tribes such as the Sials, Joyas and Khawars came from the Punjab and settled in Sindh. They are called Sirai i.e., people from the north, and speak Siraiki, a group that overlaps and is sometimes considerable transitional between the Punjabis and Sindhis.
The two main Rajput tribes of Sind are: the Samma, a branch of the Yadav Rajputs who inhabit the eastern and lower Sind and Bahawalpur; and the Sumra who, according to the 1907 edition of the Gazetteer are a branch of the Parwar Rajputs. Among others are the Mahar/Mahers, Bhuttos, Ghanghros, Bhattis, Buriros, Lakkha, Sahetas, Lohanas, Mohano, Dahar, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, Rathors, Dakhan, Langah etc. The Mohano tribe is spread over Makran, Sind and southern Punjab. They are also identified with the 'Mallah' of the Punjab and both have in common a sub-section called Manjari. All of these Sindhi tribes are known under the common nomenclature of Sammat and includes both Muslim and Hindu Sindhis. there are kartia tribe also living in larkana shikarpur and dadu district it is the sub cost of junejo The smaller stock is that of Balochi tribes settled in various parts of Sind mostly during the last five hundred years or so. Since they were martial people and ruled over Sindh for some time before the arrival of the British, they acquired vast lands in the province with the result that a large number of present-day Sindhi landlords are of Baloch origin. According to the 1941 census, which was the last one held before independence, Balochis formed 23% of the total Muslim population of Sindh. Among the Balochi tribes inhabiting Sind are the Rind, Mengal, Domki, Gabol, Leghari, Lashari, Chandio, Bizenjo, Jatoi, Buledi, Khosa, Jamali, Umrani, Bugti, Marri, Mazari, Talpur, Brohi, Zehri, Korai, Bozdar, Zardari, and Magsi. These tribes are spread over Balochistan, Sindh and the south-western districts of the Punjab. This group is almost entirely Muslim.
A third sub-stock of the Sindhi population comprises the partial descendants (or claimants) of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals). They are a small minority settled in cities and towns and have largely blended with the other components of the population and yet maintain something of a sub-culture and are often referred to as Ashraf or the noble descendants of Muslim immigrants with a certain degree of prestige in society. Of this third element, Muslim Arabs have possibly contributed the most to the development of the modern Sindhi language and literature and to the advancement of its intellectual and cultural activities.
Another group of people who are largely overlooked in any discussions about groups and culture of Sindh are Haris a name derived from the term Harijan formerly used to describe Dalit people of India. These people are generally believed to be the descendants of indigenous populations that were enslaved by various invading people. Many are still living under abject poverty and in slave like conditions in rural Sindh, in spite of many efforts by the government to improve the situation. Some are nominally Hindus where as others have converted to Islam and moved on as artisans and wage laborers. They form up to 24% of Muslim population and up to 60% of population of districts of Umerkot, Thatta, Badin, Dadu etc.
The last group of immigrants are the Urdu speaking Muhajirs who may form up to 40% of population of Sindh.
Many famous Sindhis who born in Sindh and claimed International Recognition in their fields can be found at Famous Sindhis.
The Islamic Sindhi culture is a combination of Islamic traditions and local traditions with variances that include an adherence to a Muslim diet, i.e. Halal. 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 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 in Pakistan are still very traditional overall, but many wear very colorful clothes, while donning a chador on their heads; men traditionally wear white and/or blue Shalwar Kameez and sometimes wear turbans or a traditional Sindhi cap on their heads with Sindhi Ajruk. 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. Sari used to be popular amongst the ladies of the elite like the Bhutto but has now lost favor to shalwar Kameez.
Sindhi women raised in India, however, are very liberated. In fact, in the Indo-Sindhi tradition, women normally propose to the man for marriage.
Sindhis usually flourish in business particularly that of cloth and textiles. Many also work in agriculture and manufacturing jobs. Literacy remains low but is improving for Sindhis. Less than 50% of Sindhis are illiterate, in Pakistan.
Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations, while most Hindu Sindhis are identifiable by the "ani" at the end their last names like Malkani, Advani, Vaswani, Ramchandani, etc. However, many Sindhi tribes' (even those with Balouchi orientation) names end with "ani" regardless whether they are Muslim or Hindu. Examples include the Umrani, Chutani, Dalkhani, Raisani, Advani, Gowindani, Sanjrani, Nazamani, Mirani, Admani among others. Some famous Sindhis include the Bhutto family, who are a Sindhi political dynasty in Pakistan, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai who was a writer of Sindhi poetry, the billionaires Hinduja brothers of India & L.K.Advani who was the deputy Prime Minister of India & is an important political figure in the country.
