Culture is defined as all ways of life including arts, beliefs, and foundations that are transferred from generation to generation. It includes protocols of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, traditions, food, and more. We call our culture Saqqafat.
Sindhi culture is rich and one of the oldest cultures in the world that originated around 5000 years ago or even before that. It is renowned as the land of Sufis, peace, romance, and great cultural values.
Research has proved that it began from Mohenjo-Daro, some researchers even consider before that. Mohenjo-Daro was represented as a symbol of peace, love, development, kindness, business, humanity, and civilized living.
The sewerage system in Mohenjo-Daro was much developed, was built with proper planning. Many things were found during the research that indicates that it was a very advanced region.
Sindhi food is delicious food. It is tasty and healthy simultaneously. Some seasonal foods are eaten in winter or in summer only.
Some most eaten foods in Sindh are Sindhi pulao, which is a rice dish that is frequently eaten in marriage ceremonies, condolences ceremonies, cooked in the homes generally as well, or other special occasions, you will also find that in restaurants as well.
Green vegetables are also often eaten in Sindh. Spinach with rice flatbread is eaten most during the winter season. Fish cooked in local spices is delicious food. Sindhi people also eat butter and buttery products most, because they perform high potential tasks like maintaining their crops, giving water to their crops, managing their cattle that’s why they eat high-calorie food to remain energetic throughout the day.
Lassi is a yogurt-based drink drunk in Sindh during summer mostly, it is very healthy and nutritious.
Sindhi clothing is beautiful. Sindhi females wear traditional embroidered clothes, while Sindhi men usually wear Kurta and Pajama.
There is other cultural stuff not only used in Sindh but also exported all over the world. Sindhi Ajrak is a shawl with blue and red floral patterns. Women wear Ajrak made clothes as well. Sindhi Topi (cap) is also a most used cultural item. The quilt is another Sindhi traditional material, it is hand-stitched by Sindhi local women.
To add more, SAQQAFAT provides variety of handmade cultural products which are original and very affordable.
There are various Sindhi traditions depending on the kind of event. People give cultural stuff to each other. Women wear Ajrak made clothes in marriages and other events. In marriages, singers sing Sindhi songs which show love and progress.
Sindhi culture day, also known as “Ekta day”, is the festival celebrated by Sindhi people living in Sindh and all over the world each year on the first Sunday of December.
This is celebrated to indicate its peaceful identity and attract the world towards its wealthy inheritance. It was first celebrated on 06 December 2009. It is celebrated nationally and internationally.
People wear traditional Sindhi dresses and cultural stuff and organize rallies throughout the province, country, and all over the world where they live. Cities are decorated with Ajraks and other cultural stuff. In schools and colleges, events are organized to guide students about rich Sindhi culture and history.
People go to the river Indus with their families to enjoy the moments of this special day. Sindhi food like Sindhi Pulao, fish, and rice flatbread is cooked in homes to make their moments beautiful with their families.
It is the land of Sufis, love, romance, and peace. Sindh is lucky that Sufis like Shah Abdul Latif bhittai, Lal Shabaz Qalandar, Sachal Sarmast, Abdullah Shah Ghazi, and many more belong to this area. Shah Abdul Latif has been the great Sufi poet known as the king of poets. Sufis have always preached peace, humanity, and tolerance, hence it became the land of Sufis and peace.
There are many love and fantasy stories of Sindh, but most well known are Suhni and Mehar (سھڻي ميھار), Laila and Majnun (ليلا مجنون), Sassui and Punhun (سسئي پنهون) and many more. Shah Abdul Latif also talked about these love stories in his book known as Shah Jo Risalo. In his poetry, these women are known as soormies of the Shah.
Sindh has always been the land of peace, humanity, and interfaith unity.
The Sindhi language is also as old as the Sindhi culture is. It is the official language of Sindh province. It is one of the oldest languages of the world still alive.
According to the 2017 census in Pakistan, it is spoken by around 32 million people which is 14.57% of the total population of the country. In India, 2.5 million people speak the Sindhi language. There are 52 letters in the Sindhi language.
The hospitality of the Sindhi people is famous all over the world. They respect their guests with honor and respect. Here tourism is not commercialized yet, because people consider their guests as a blessing. They don’t let their guests spend a single penny.
Sindhi culture is of great significance. Steps are needed to be taken at the government level to preserve Sindhi culture. We are lucky to belong to such a rich heritage.
We must take our part in maintaining our culture. We should continue to follow the traditions we are famous for.
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