Culture of Sindh From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Culture of Sindh ( ) has its roots in the Indus Valley Civilizion. Sindh has been shaped by the geography of the largely desert region, the natural resources it had available and the continuous foreign influences. The Indus or Sindhu River that passes through the land, and the Arabian Sea (that defines its borders) also supported the seafaring traditions among the local people.[1] The local climate also reflects why the Sindhis have the language, folklore, traditions, customs and lifestyle that are so different from the neighbouring regions.[2] Sindhi culture is also practiced by theSindhi diaspora. History[edit] Main article: History of Sindh The roots of Sindhi culture and civilization go back to the distant past. Archaeological researches during 19th and 20th centuries showed the roots of social life, religion and culture of the people of the Sindh: their agricultural practices, traditional arts and crafts, customs and tradition and other parts of social life, going back to a ripe and mature Indus Valley Civilization of the third millennium BC. Recent researches have traced the Indus valley civilization to even earlier ancestry.[3] Archaeological discoveries[edit]

Mohen-Jo-Daro Archaeological discoveries sometimes help to unfold the certain latent aspects of a specific culture. The excavations of Mohen-Jo-Darohave unfolded the city life of a civilization of people with values, a distinct identity and culture. Therefore, the first definition of the Sindhi culture emanates from that over the 7000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization. This is the pre-Aryan period, about 3,000 years BC., when the urban civilization in Sindh was at its peak.

Ranikot Fort

In Sir Mortimer Wheeler's book, Civilization of the Indus Valley and Beyond, it is said that; "Civilization, in a minimum sense of the term, is the art of living in towns, with all that the condition implies in respect of social skills and disciplines." When people speak of Sindhi civilization, they have to concern themselves, mainly with the material and concrete side of human habitation of which Sindhi culture is the only essence called the superstructure.[original research?] The present day Sindh, along with the Northern part of the Indus Valley Civilization (around 3000 to 2500 BC) is located on its urban civilization. [4] Ranikot Fort is also a landmark of the Indus valley civilization. It is the world's largest fort, with walls extending to 20 km. It has been called a "second Wall of China", and it attracts many visitors. Literature[edit] Main article: Sindhi literature History[edit] Sindhi language is ancient and rich in literature. Its writers have contributed extensively in various forms of literature in both poetry and prose. Sindhi literature is very rich, and is one of the world's oldest literatures. The earliest reference to Sindhi literature is contained in the writings of Arab historians. It is established that Sindhi was the first Eastern language into the Quran, when it was translated in the 8th or 9th century. There is evidence of Sindhi poets reciting their verses before the Muslim Caliphs in Baghdad.[5] It is also recorded that treatises were written in Sindhi on astronomy, medicine and history during the 8th and 9th centuries.[6] Poetry[edit] Sindhi poetry is also prominent in Sindhi culture. Poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Sachal Sarmast is very famous amongst all of Pakistanis. Regional poets are Shaikh Ayaz, Ustaad Bhukhari, Ahmed Khan MAdhoosh, Adal Soomro,aakash ansari, Ayaz Gul, Abdul Ghaffar Tabasum, G.N.Qureshi, Rukhsana Preet, Waseem Soomro. Many Sindhi poets are doing their poetry work continuously. Music[edit]

Main article: Sindhi music Sindhi music has its own unique quality. It is performed in many different ways. Sufi music is performed at shrines, and other simple music is performed at studios and gatherings.[7] Sports[edit] There are many regional sports that are played in Sindh. Malakhiro is one of the famous sports of Sindh. Other sports include Wanjh wati,Kodi Kodi, Beelarhoo, Thipai Rand, Notinn and Biloor,cricket,football.

Cultural Character[edit] The ancient Sindhi civilization was the place, where the aesthetic utilization of leisure was freely indulged. There has been evidence, that the excavations of sites dating back to 3000 BC (all over Sindh) is also true, around 1200 years ago when Jaina Dakshiniya Chihna (778 AD) described the distinguished features of Sindhis in this way: "Elegant, with a lovely, soft and slow gait, they are fond of the art of Gandharvas (that is, songs, music and dancing) and full affection towards their country." Sindhi Cultural Day (Ekta Day)[edit]

Karachi:Teen Talwar wrapped in Ajrak in connection with Sindhi Cultural day Sindhis celebrate Sindh Cultural day world wide every year on December 8, by wearing Ajrak & Sindhi Topi. On that occasion, the musical programmes and rallies are held in many cities to mark the day with zeal.Major hallmarks of cities and towns are decorated with Sindhi Ajrak to highlight the cultural values of Sindh. The people across Sindh exchange gifts of Ajrak and Topi at various ceremonies.Even, the children and women are dressed up in Ajrak, assembling at the grand gathering, where famous Sindhi singers sing Sindhi songs, which depicts love and progress of Sindh. The musical performances of the artists compel the participants to dance on Sindhi tunes and Jeay Sindh Jeay-Sindh Wara Jean. All Political, social and religious organisations of Sindh, besides the Sindh culture department and administrations of various schools, colleges and universities, organize variety of events including seminars, debates, folk music programmes, drama and theatrics performances, tableau and literary sittings to mark this annual festivity. Sindhi culture, history and heritage are highlighted at the events. Ekta (Unity) day is observed to display solidarity among the Sindhi-speaking masses, the event is celebrated not only in Karachi, but throughout Sindh. The provinces culture and unity day was celebrated for the first time on December 6, 2009 (as the Sindhi Topi Day) as a backlash to the comments of anchorman Dr Shahid Masood who had criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for wearing a Sindhi cap on his foreign tours. People across the Sindh province condemned Masoods comments via SMS, which ultimately resulted in the announcement of celebrating the Sindhi Topi Day. Moreover, the KTN Group had started issuing a call for observing a unity day, and a large number of people responded to the call and started celebrating the culture and the unity days.Ever since, Sindhi media groups have started to celebrate the day as Sindhi Cultural Day or 'Ekta day'.The Sindhi language TV channels including KTN, Sindh TV, Awaz TVand Mehran TV broadcast special programmes on the culture of Sindh , besides these media outlets separately arrange the mega musical events, which also attract large audience to celebrate the Culture Day every year. The Sindhi language TV channels and Political

Parties of Sindh, first time celebrated Sindhi Cultural Day (Ekta Day), together on December 8th, 2013. Sindhi Culture Posted by: HistoryPak Sindh is one of the four provinces in Pakistan located at the Southern border. The province of Sindh has been named after the famous River Indus. In Sanskrit, the province was dubbed Sindhu meaning an ocean. Around 3000 B.C, Dravidian cultures urbanized and gave rise to the Indus Valley Civilization. According to the Historians, Indus Valley Civilization declined due to the natural disasters such as floods but the invasions of Indo- Arians caused the sudden collapse of it. In the recent history, Sindh was conquered by the British in 1843. Sindh province remained the part of British India until 1947 when it was made one of the provinces of Pakistan. Language Sindhi language evolved over a period of 2400 years. The language of the people of Sindh, after coming in contact with the Aryan, became Indo-Aryan (Prakrit). Sindhi language, therefore, has a solid base of Prakrit as well as Sanskrit, the language of India, with vocabulary from Arabic, Persian, and some Dravidian descendants from Mediterranean sub-continent. Initially, Sindhi had close contacts with Arabic- speaking Muslims. Therefore the language adopted many of the Arabic words. Sindhi language is an ancient language spoken in Pakistan and many other parts of the world. It is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by approximately 41 million people in Pakistan, and 12 million people in India; it is the second most spoken language of Pakistan, mostly spoken in the Sindh province. It is a recognized official language in Pakistan, and also an official language in India. Government of Pakistan issues National Identity Cards to its citizens only in two languages; Sindhi and Urdu. Sindhi language is also greatly influenced by Sanskrit and about 70% of the words in Sindhi are of Sanskrit origin. Sindhi is a very rich language with a vast vocabulary; this has made it a favorite of many writers and so a lot of literature and poetry has been written in Sindhi. It has been the inspiration for Sindhi art, music, literature, culture and the way of life. The language can be written using the Devanagri or Arabic script Festivals The people of Sind love their religion and the two festivals of Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm. Different domestic festivals are arranged by the local people to provide people with new things they buy on Eids occasion. On different occasions, the Folk dance of Bhagat is also performed by professionals to entertain the visiting people. Hence, a Sindhi Cultural Festival is a compound of folk dances, music and cheap entertainment for local people. Lifestyle People of Sindh are more inclined towards an agricultural based lifestyle. The fertile Indus Plains provide a valuable source of income for the local people who practice farming on these lands. Inland fishing is also practiced along the Indus River in Upper Sind providing further opportunities for local people. Itinerant way of lifestyle is

commonly seen in the desertic regions of Thar where people move from place to place in search for drinking water sources along with their animals. Arts and Music Sindhi society is dominated by great Sufis, the mystics and the martyrs. It has always been the land of peace, love, romance, and great cultural and artistic values. There were the great theologians of the Naqsh bandi order in Thatta who translated the fundamentals of the religion of Islam into their mother tongue. There were the great Sufi (mystic) poets like Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai who was the cherisher of truth and spent all his life in its propagation, pursuit and quest. Bhitai was also an excellent musician. He invented a new type of musical instrument, Tambura (drone instrument), which till today, is a primary source of music in rural Sindh. The beauty of Shahs verses is enhanced by his blending of traditional Indian rag with the Sindhi folk songs and music. Cultural character The ancient Sindhi civilization was the place, where the aesthetic utilization of leisure was freely indulged. There has been evidence, that the excavations of sites dating back to 3000 B.C. (all over Sindh) is also true, around 1200 years ago when Jaina Dakshiniya Chihna (778 A.D.) described the distinguished features of Sindhis in this way: Elegant, with a lovely, soft and slow gait, they are fond of the art of harvas (that is, songs, music and dancing) and full affection towards their country. Sindhis celebrate Sindh Cultural day worldwide on 6th December by wearing Ajrak & Sindhi Topi on that time. SINDH CULTURE The culture of Sindh has its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization. Sindh has been shaped by the geography of the largely desert region, the natural resources it had available and the continuous foreign influences. The Indus or Sindhu River that passes through the land, and the Arabian Sea (that defines its borders) also supported the sea-faring traditions among the local people.[1] The local climate also reflects why the Sindhis have the language, folklore, traditions, customs and lifestyle that are so different from the neighbouring regions. The roots of Sindhi culture and civilization go back to the distant past. Archaeological researches during 19th and 20th centuries showed the roots of social life, religion and culture of the people of the Sindh: their agricultural practices, traditional arts and crafts, customs and tradition and other parts of social life, going back to a ripe and mature Indus valley civilization of the third millennium B.C. Recent researches have traced the Indus valley civilization to even earlier ancestry SlNDHI SOCIETY is an integral part of the great Indian society. And Sindhi culture is an integral part of the great Indian culture. And yet, because of local factors, it has a flavour of its own. The people are eclectic: not very profound, but very practical. As a wit put it: ``The Sindhi rule of the thumb is to do whatever is convenient and profitable.'' Their varied experience over the ages has given them a certain flexibility that makes for survival, even if not for glory. Added to the profundities of their ancestral faith, they have faced waves of foreigners and they themselves have travelled far and wide for trade. This has made them easy citizens of the world. All fanaticism becomes foreign to

their nature. As H.T. Lambrick, ICS, has observed: ``There is something in the air of Sindh which blurs the frontiers of ordinarily opposed creeds.'' Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) was established in 1992 under the companies Act, 1975. A board of directors was constituted for providing guidelines and making policy decisions for promotion of tourism in Sindh. Though the archaeological sites are with federal Government, but tourists expect from STDC for facilities of transport, logding boarding proper guidance and information. During last two months long term as well as short terms plan have been prepared and action on some of them has already been taken. The Board of Directors of STDC has been re-constituted with Chief Minister as Chairman and Minister Culture as Vice Chairperson. The Scheme of Up gradation residential facilities at keenjhar, sehwan and Larkana have been got approved at a cost of Rs. 160 million. The work will start in year 2008-09. Construction of additional block of 12 huts at keenjhar lake has been speeded up. It would be completed by December, 2008. Presently 12 Libraries, One Museum , One Art Council, One Studio, One Cultural Center are functioning under the Department. During last two months detail discussions have been held with concerned officers on spot visit have been made and requirement of various instructions have been examined and assessed. Keeping in view the resources and time frame available in current financial year, short time schemes have been launched and long term schemes have been planned. Result oriented targets have been fixed and on their achievement, visible changes are emerging.
CULTURE AND LITERATURE Sindh is a repository of varied cultural values and has remained the seat of civilization and meeting point of diverse cultures from times immemorial. After Independence on August 14, 1947 with the influx of Muslims from India, its culture has progressively assumed a new complexion. Sindhs cultural life has been shaped, to a large extent, by its comparative isolation in the past from the rest of the subcontinent. A long stretch of desert to its east and a mountainous terrain to the west served as barriers, while the Arabian Sea in the south and the Indus in the north prevented easy access. As a result, the people of Sindh developed their own exclusive artistic tradition. Their arts and craft, music and literature, games and sports have retained their original flavor. Sindh is rich in exquisite pottery, variegated glazed tiles, lacquer-work, leather and straw products, needlework, quilts, embroidery, hand print making and textile design. According to renowned European historian H.T. Sorelay, Sindhis had not only contributed to literature but also to astronomy, medicine, philosophy, dialectics and similar subjects. Melas (fairs) and malakharas (wrestling festivals) are popular. Falconry, horse and camel breeding and racing are characteristic pastimes. Sindhi fishermen float earthen pots to catch the palla fish in the Indus, bullock cart racing and cockfighting are also typical of the province. Genuine love for fellow beings, large heartedness and hospitality constitute the very spirit of Sindhi culture and it is the association of the cultural elements that elevate it and keep aloft its banner among the contemporary cultures of South-Asia. Having lived for centuries under the changing sway of various dynasties i.e. the Arabs, Mughals, Arghuns, Turkhans and Soomras, Sammahs, Kalhoras and Talpurs, Sindhi culture is a fusion of multiple culture patterns. These splendor and enrichment are reflected in Sindhi art and architecture, habits and customs. The old tombs and buildings in Thatta, Sehwan, Hyderabad, Sukkur and the

excavations at Bhambore, Brahmanabad and Debal bear ample evidence in support of the above statement. These places fostered in their environment, some of the best cultural values which were handed down to the inhabitants of the adjoining areas. Today, these values form the very foundation of Sindhi culture. The Sindhi language has pure Sanskrit basis and is closely related to the ancient Prakrit. Its alphabet contains fifty-two letters. The Rev. Mr.G. Shirt of Hyderabad, one of the first Sindhi scholars, considered that the language is probably, so far as its grammatical construction is concerned, the purest daughter of Sanskrit. It has small sprinkling of Dravidian words, and has in later times received large accessions to its vocabulary from Arabic and Persian. After the advent of Islam, a number of Sindhi scholars not only wrote books in Arabic on various aspects of Islam, but also composed poetry of a high order in that language. During the rule of Soomras and Sammas, Sindhis produced excellent poetry, and amongst the earliest and best-known poets we find the name of Syed Ali and Qazi Qadan both of Thatta and their younger contemporary, Shah Abdul Karim of Bulrhi, the great-grandfather of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. Qazi Qadan (870-985 A.H.) introduced Philosophy into Sindhi poetry. He has in his poetry laid great emphasis on purity of mind and the study of the self. In one of his verses he says, "Even if you master thoroughly the great Arabic works Qudoori and Kafia you will only be like an ant sitting within a well in a limited environment knowing nothing of the world outside". Then comes Shah Abdul Karim of Bulrhi. In 98 couplets he has explained the intricacies of human philosophy. In one of his couplets, he says "The best way of Living in the world is to give your heart to the beloved and be bodily connected with fellow human beings". Shah Latif and his contemporaries, Shah Inayat, Muhammad Moeen Thattvi lsso Mian and Misri Shah, were also pioneers in the field of the well-known Sindhi Kafi Lyric. Others who contributed to kafi were Qasim, Hyder Shah, Fazil Shah, Pir Mohammad Ashraf, Assooran and Qaleech Beg. Misri Shah is considered to be the undisputed monarch in the domain of Kafi. The term Kafi was originally taken from Shah Abdul Latif's waie, which correspond to Ghazal. Sachal Sarmast added glory to Kafi in his lyrics. POETRY After the advent of Islam, a number of Sindhi scholars not only wrote books in Arabic on various aspects of Islam, but also composed poetry of high order in that languages. It is presumed that these scholars also wrote in their own language. During the rule of Sumras and Sammas, Sindhis produces excellent poetry, and amongst the earliest and best-known poets, we find the name of Syed Ali and Qazi Qadan both of Thatta and their younger contemporary, Shah Abdul Karim of Bulrhi, the great-grand father of Shah Abul Latif Bhitai. Long before the British rule, under the influence of Persian poetry, the Sindhi poets borrowed many ideas from Persian poets. There were, however, some poets such as Mohammad Qasim, Murtaza Thattavi, Gul Mohammad Gul, Syed Gada, Hafiz Hamid, Mir Abdul Hussain Sangi, Zaman Shash and others who, in spite of having adopted Persian forms, derived their inspiration from the classical Sindhi poets. Theirs works have, therefore been popular among the masses, as well as people of more sophisticated tastes. Others, who continued to compose in indigenous styles, using the Sindhi language in its purest from, include Misree Shah, Mahdi Shah, and Hafiz Shah. Sahibdion Shah, Wali Mohammad Leghari and Hammal Faqir.

Qazi Qadan (870-985 A.H.) of Sehwan was the Sindhi poet who introduced philosophy and mysticism into Sindhi poetry. He has in his poetry laid prate emphasis on purity of mind and the study of self. In one of his verses he says: " Even if you master thoroughly the great Arabic works Qudoor and Qafa you will only be like an ant sitting within a well in a limited environment, knowing nothing of the world outside. Kafi the Shah and his contemporaries, Shah Inayat, Muhammad Moeen Thattvi, Isso Mian and Misri Shah, were also pioneers in the field of the well-known Sindhi Kafi Lyric. Others who contribute to Kafi were Qasim, Hyder Shah, Fazil Shah, Pir Mohammad Ashraf, Assooram and Qaleech Beg. Misri Shah is considered to the undisputed monarch in the domain of Kafi. The term Kafi was originally taken from Shah Abdul Latif's waie, which corresponds to ghazal. Sachal added glory to kafi in his lyrics. After Khalifo Gul Mohammad a host Sindhi poets contributed to the development of the ghazal. The following poets deserve special mention: Qasim Shamsuddin Bulbul, Mir Abdul Hussain Saangi, Bewas Lekhraj Kishanchand Aziz, Zia Fani, Farid, Fakir Abdul Rahim of Groroh and Hafiz Mohammad Hayat. Humour Shamsuddin Bulbul was the first poet to introduce humor in Sindhi poetry. He can very well be compared to Akbar Allahabadi. In this field Mohammad Hashim Mukhlis and more particularly Mirza Qaleech Beg, the father of modern Sindhi poetry and prose have left an indelible mark. The latters humor is much more polished and constructive. " Saudai Khan" is a modest collection of his poetry dealing wit the experiences of life and the ravages of time. The book is in two volumes, and each column consists of homage paid to his ancestors and guide. He composed only 14 ghazals in Urdu. SHAH ABDUL LATIF BHITAI Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (1689-1752) perfected Sindhi poetry both in from and in content and is reckoned as the peerless master of Sindhi verses. The most salient feature of his poetry is Sufism, which he had presented with dexterity in his famous work, Shah Jo Risalo. The main characteristics of Shah Leif's poetry is that it is a remarkable record of God intoxicated mans longing to rise above his level of life in order to meet his Maker". He had a command to express and interpret the joys and sorrows, hopes and aspirations of the people of Sindh. Shah Latif's poetry depicts nature and its manifestations in a most vivid and vivacious manner. He had composed beautiful verses on the river Indus, the shining surface of lakes and the barren ranges of hills. He had also versified on the behavior of the sea and the boats and boatsmen living on the shore of the sea. He was the most prolific writer and poet of his age. His poetry is deeply rooted in the soil of Sindh, yet it has a universal appeal. So great is the impact of his immortal work on Sindhi literature that one hears its distinct echo in all the poetry produced by later generations. From the time of shah Latif to the British conquest of Sindh, there were a large number of Sindhi poets, such as Mohammad Zaman of Luwar, Abdul Grohari, Sachal Sarmast, Bedil, Bekas, Sami, Pir Ali Gohar Asghar (Pir Pagaro), Roohal Faqir, Pir Asghar Ali, Pir Ghulam Shah Rashidi and Sabit Ali Shah Sabit, whose works a still to be found. During the days of the Sumras, the Sammas and later on during the Kalhora and the Talpur period, Sindh was the court languag. SACHAL SARMAST

Sachal Sarmast (Abdul Wahab) is another Sufi poet of distinction who composed verses on philosophy and Sufism. He was at home in a number of languages and composed poetical pieces in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki or Multani, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Persian. His poetry is replete with Divine Love. It is on Monotheism, the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon him). He also composed poems of high order in Urdu and Persian. The great Sufi poets-Attar, Jami and Roomi influenced him. Hiis Sindhi poetry encompasses a wide range of subjects and possesses its own individuality. He perfected a great deal of old style i.e. Abyat and Dohas greatly in vogue before hi, While Shah Latif enhanced the standard of Sindhi to the highest level of excellence in style, diction and subject matter, Sachal Sarmast took the lead in raising the standard and level of kafi, ghazal and marsia in /Sindhi poetry. Unlike Shah Latif, whose compositions are woven around local and folk themes, Sachal has touched on all Great Sufi saints, fountains of knowledge and learning, besides the most popular folktales of the Indus valley. The images, similes, metaphors and allegories employed by Sachal give him a prominent place in Sindhi literature after Shah Latif. It was in the British period that really good prose began to be produced. Syed Miran Mohammad Shah-I of Tikhar, Diwan Kewal Ram, Ghulam Hussain and Akhund Latifullah are among the early prose writers. But Shamsul Ulema Mirza Qaleech Beg can rightly be called the father of modern Sindhi prose. He is said to have written or translated from other languages about 400 books of poetry, novel short stories, essays etc. "Diwan-e-Qaleech" is a collection in alphabetical order of his poetry in Sindhi. In contains about 433 verses. Another work of importance is his translation of Rubaiyat-e-Omar Khayyam in which he has followed the same meter as employed in the original Persian work. This translation has filled an important gap in Sindhi literature. Music the patronage of music in Sindh started wit the advent of Muslims. In 72AD; when the famous Arab General Muhammad Bin Qasim was engaged in his conquest of Sindh, the Sammas of Central Sindh gave him a rousing reception. Headed by musicians, playing the Dhol-and-Shahnai, "Orchestra", and skilled dancers giving their performances, they came to greet Muhammad Bin Qasim, who echoed the whole show. The grandeur of the musical performance and the big crowd impressed a lieutenant of Muhammad to such an extent that he suggested to the General that their army should pray to God that such a powerful tribe had been subjugated so easily. Muhammad who had a good sense of humor". The Dholand-Shahnai performance whish has been the traditional " Orchestra" of Sindh, before and since 8th century AD. Is most popular throughout the province even today. Interest in the classical Hindustani as well as the indigenous music in Sindh reached its height in 16th century during the reign of the Turkhan rulers, Mirza Jani Beg and his son Mirza Ghazi Beg. Both the father and the son were great patrons of poets like the famous Talib Amuli and others, and of numerous musicians who invented new musical forms, naghams, and a variety of tunes. Both the rulers were accomplished musicians themselves. Their capital Thatta was the rendezvous.

Feudalism keeps Sindh backward

Feudalism has been gradually eliminated in a number of countries but somehow it still exists very strongly in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh, although not in its original sense.

Now we don't find feudals who maintain private armies or collect taxes, but what we definitely find is large landholdings, bonded labour as well as total allegiance of peasants in return for economic support and personal protection. As a result there is a very strong control of 'feudals' and 'waderas' in all parts of Sindh who have a direct influence on the economic life of the poor and also enjoy control over 'thanas' and the 'official machinery' in the province. Due to the colossal power base of the 'feudal' no one can dare to raise his voice against the 'landlord' for fear of being economically crippled or facing the wrath of terror which can be unleashed at anytime. This fear is so strong and peasants so terrified that they seem to have accepted the domination, which goes totally against the basic human rights. The situation also creates hurdles in the democratic process in the province as the freedom of vote is suppressed. From the point of view of the 'feudal' the concept is very simple. Keep the people backward and uneducated, economically dependent, rule them through 'thanas' and the 'official machinery' and consolidate your power over the area. The problem of lack of education is very acute and has its far-reaching effects on the over-all situation. Half of the children of the school-going age do not attend schools. Most of the schools constructed are without teachers and students, and are more commonly used as 'autaqs' of 'waderas'. Why is this so? Is it because the feudal does not want the children educated? To a large extent the answer is yes. Education has an inverse relationship with feudalism. The feudal wants total supremacy. He cannot tolerate impudence or a poor peasant or his children standing up and saying 'No' to him. Mass education will lead to economic independence for the poor and they will become more eligible for jobs and 'waderas' do not want this to happen. Feudals also keep peasants economically under their thumb. The poverty level in the interior of Sindh is alarmingly low. As per a recent ADB report, the poverty ratios in Sindh and Baluchistan are twice as high as in other provinces of Pakistan. Sindh's rural population comprises small or subsistence-level farmers, landless sharecroppers, agricultural labourers and livestock herders. The problem of poverty in the province is compounded by low rainfall, poor quality water, saline land and lack of water supply because of the poor quality of canal irrigation system. The facility of micro credit to deserving people is also non-existent. As a result the poor peasant is forced to work for the feudal at practically non-existent remuneration. The feudal undertakes to fulfil his basic requirements of food and shelter in return for total allegiance (including that of his family) to him. This means the peasant has to give his life for the feudal if need be.

In case, the peasant also has some subsistence land holding, he cultivates his land side by side. For his farming requirement he borrows funds, in cash or kind from the feudal. Even if the crop fails, the loans have to be returned. This means compounding his debt towards the feudal. This eternal, vicious circle continues with the poor never getting out of the loop. At times, if micro credit is available, the feudal goes to the extent of borrowing funds from the financial institutions in the name of the peasant, thereby further compounding his economic problems and miseries. A major tool used by the feudal against the peasants is the misuse of the 'thana' and the 'official machinery'. Due to lack of education and non-awareness of their rights, peasants of Sindh have no clue about the way the judicial and the police system 'should' work. (Although they know by experience how it actually works). Their basic problem is getting respite from the day to day petty issues like a fight or quarrel, theft of livestock, burglary etc. If they go directly to the 'Thana' their problem is not solved, rather it is compounded and they get booked in some crime or on some false pretext,as corruption is common. On the other hand if they go through the feudal, a case which otherwise could not be registered, gets registered. The power of the feudal is so immense that a person can be illegally confined in lock-up; false cases registered against him or in an extreme situation, face the consequence of a fake encounter. The feudal also ensures that officers of his choice are posted in his area which he easily manoeuvres through his power base. Through this illegal control the peasant is totally kept under the thumb. Of course feudalism is not the only reason for the backwardness in the province but is one of the many ills imposed on people. Without going into the severity of the issue, one thing is evident; feudalism is a curse and needs to be tackled sincerely. The poor need to improve on the poverty ladder, and to achieve this goal, the government and the people need to work together. Are land reforms the only solution, probably not? One thing is certain, serious thought needs to be given to spreading education in the province, improving the economic well-being, promoting cooperatives, improving the water supply and increasing the yield per acre, making people aware of their rights so that the dependence on the feudal is greatly reduced. A positive change in the attitude, mind-sets and culture is required. The key issues that have to be tackled are reducing dependence of the rural poor on the feudal, more so in the area of protection and economics. The influence of the feudal in the government machinery has to be curtailed and dissemination of justice by the judicial system without any interference from the powerful is a must. The poor people have to be made aware of their rights and how these can be enforced independently. The educated people, professionals and the NGOs have to come forward and play their due role.

An organisation, on the lines of CPLC in Karachi, which can guide the rural people about their legal and political rights, is a possible solution. The 'Thana' and the 'Government Machinery' need to be totally independent from any undue influence. On the economics side alternate sources of livelihood need to be explored. Leadership, direction and provision of soft micro credit must be provided to entrepreneurs who can start their own small businesses. Once these are accessible, sky is the limit for growth. There are vast opportunities available for backward and forward integration in agriculture. These two issues of protection and economics need to be tackled on priority basis, increase in the literacy rate is sure to follow. Do we have feudals in the urban areas also? The answer probably would be Yes. Although they may not derive their power base from massive land holdings, but same is achieved through other means. The purpose is common - keep the people subservient to them by using all means - and further strengthen your individual power base. The concept of feudalism needs to be curbed on a priority basis in order to achieve progress and prosperity in our beloved country.

Does feudalism exist in Sindh?

THIS is apropos of the letter Does feudalism exist in Sindh? by Dr Muzaffar A. Isani in which he put some reservations about the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) approach towards the land agenda. He also put a big question mark on the existence of feudalism in Sindh. Arguments can be made both on observations and factual grounds. According to the Economic Survey 2011-12, about 63 per cent Pakistani population resides in rural areas, while 65.85 per cent of the labour force exists in rural areas. The employed labour force is 58.68 million, out of which 45 per cent is engaged in agriculture, 13.8 per cent in mining and manufacturing, 6.94 per cent in construction, 0.47 per cent in electricity and gas distribution, 5.1 per cent in transport, 14.8 per cent in trade and 13.75 per cent in other services. It shows that the rural area is bigger than the urban area in terms of population and labour absorption (disguised unemployment or overemployment is a point of debate). Those who argue that Pakistan is not a feudal society usually rely on agricultural census data, but across Pakistan the land ownership and land control are two different phenomena. Whatever is reported does not reflect the exact conditions. How water control of upstream landlords is used as a tool against small landholders? Coming to the social and political setup of the agricultural sector, the feudal lords and their allies constitute only five per cent of our agricultural households and own 64 per cent of our farmland. The remaining 95 per cent are only their political vote bank. According to a PILER study, a median landlord in Sindh owns 28 acres whereas nearly 80 per cent of share tenants are landless farmers. Big landlords often employ kamdars to manage their tenants.

Even after three waves of land reforms, 3,529 zamindars have 513,114 holdings of more than 100 acres in the irrigated areas, and 332,273 holdings exceeding 100 acres in areas which are not irrigated. Some 794,774 khatedars have 5,464,771 land holdings of less than 12 acres in irrigated areas. In areas which are not irrigated, 144,098 are reported to have 16,28,826 holdings of less than 24 acres. Feudalism, in the form of large landholders, has social, political and often local legal and religious power. Rural setup does not rely on the police/judiciary, and the jirga/panchayat system prevails, decisions are made by feudal being head of the jirga, and innocent people are killed to only equal the score in conflict settlements. District management officials are appointed directly on the recommendation of tribal chiefs, instead on merit and according to legal procedures. Landlords still maintain private armies and prisons. Agriculture has been the main location of debt bondage. Bonded labour in agriculture is over 1.7 million. The majority of them are landless tillers (haris) in Sindh. Moreover, infrastructure is designed to cater the needs of influential people. Some villages are like a trap. There is a single way to enter and exit with narrow connected lanes that do not allow anybody to run away. Large land holders across Pakistan are in national and provincial assemblies controlling both property and people. Democracy provides landlords the opportunity to practice feudal values in a broader field. Hence, not surprisingly, landlords have been in the forefront of the movement for democracy in Pakistan. Waheeda Shah is a slap by the feudal democracy on the face of the people of Pakistan.