Types and Classification of Folklores — A Sindhi Perspective by Jetho Lalwani

Sindh and Sindhi

V.S. Apte in his Sanskrit English Dictionary defines the word “Sindh” as follows:

“Sindh means a big river, sea, Indus river name, area around Indus River. The name of a river in Malva, Elephant and a variety of ‘Rag’ or ‘Melody’.”

Shri Jhamatmal Wasnani has written in “Sindhi Naon Vyakaran” –

“Sindhi is the language spoken in Sindh region and the word Sindh has three meanings: (1) The Sea, (2) The Indus River and (3) The region through which the Indus River flows.”

Shri Dwarkaprasad Rochiram Sharma in his “Sindh Jo Prachin Ithas” states–

“The limits of Sindh which are now, in the Vedic era or when the Arabs attacked Sindh, Sindh did not have the same appearance, but at the time, the limits of Sindh from the southern districts of Kashmir in the north to the borders of Kohistan and Kabul i.e. to the south east corner of Afghanistan, in the east, crossing Balochistan to the river Hillmand, i.e. Iran, Makran also comes in the western part of Sindh, In the south to the Arabian sea coast and in the east, the region between Rajputana and Bahavalpur State.”

From this, it can be said that Sindh means the region through which the river Indus flows, and the large area of land on the banks of the Indus River and the territory around it.

According to Mani Patwala – “Six million years ago, the first part of Sindh was settled in the ‘Luki’ area; later it submerged in the Kirthav Sea. After centuries, the land of Sindh emerged and the settlement was established in the area of ‘Manchhar’ Lake”. According to Avinash Chandradas – “In the Indian sub continent, Sapta Sindhu was the only area in which a living creature was born first.”

It is also true that in the literature of the world, Sindh is mentioned in the Riga Veda. After that, Sindh is mentioned in the ‘Zinda Avista” of the Zoroastrians. We should also keep in mind that the modern Sindh are in the Sindh is not mentioned in Rig Veda, but in it, the entire land along the banks of the Indus River has been called as Sindh. It is also clear that the area around Sindh was called “Sindh” and the remaining Ariyan population was called “Sapta Sindhu”.
Sapta means seven and Sindhu means rivers. This word is called in the name of “Hapta Hindu” in Zinda Avista, because Zoroastrians used to pronounce the letter “S” in Sanskrit with the pronunciation of the letter “H”. The Arabs have called Sapt Sindhu, “Saba Seen”, i.e. seven rivers. These seven rivers are as follows: (1) Sindhu, (2), Vibhashad (Beas) (3) Sutudri (Sutlej), (4) Vitasta (Jhelum), (5) Asikni (Chenab), (6) Purusni (Ravi) and (7) Saraswati.
As far as Sindhi is concerned, it is also the name of the Sindhi language, and the name of community too in Sindh which still lives in different parts of Sindh and India. There is also a fact that Sindh, which was once a province and is now a province too, has not always had the same limits – it has been changing from time to time.
According to Dr. Chhugani – “When the imperial forces of Akbar merged Sindh province with the Delhi Sultanate, the limits of Sindh were as follows:
25.40o and 28.30o Latitude – North
66.42o and 70.10o Latitude – East.”
Shri Lilaram Ruchandani states – “According to the “Chachnama” translated by Qualich Baig, in the rule of Raidynasty (Seventh Century), Sindh extended to Kashmir in the East, Makran in the West. On the other hand, it had a sea in the South and in the North, there were the hills of Kardan and Kenkan.”
Shah Latif has said –
“Jehas Kona Jahaan Mein,
Sindh, Surat, Hind Haana”
i.e. Surat was a part in the south of Sindh.
Anyhow, there will be no exaggeration to say that the limits of Sindh were at one time, much more extensive than the limits of today. The area of Sindh in Pakistan at this time is 54,123 sq. miles (nearly 86597 sq. k.ms.). In Acres, the area is 3 crore 48 lakhs acres. On the basis of geography, the area of Sindhi is divided into three parts as follows:
1. Sandy, 2. Plain and 3. Hilly.
Natural parts are as follows:
1. Siro, Wicholo, Laad, Thar and Kohistan.
The river Sindhu is also called as Mehran, Darya, Sindhus, Sindhos and Indes.
Traces of this oldest civilization can be gathered from Mohan Jo-Daro, Kardi, Loham, Wanjhot, Dhoronaro, Dijikot, Umri Jamkar, Mirpur Khas, Chimnua Jo Daro, Jhad Jo Khandhar, Brahmanabad Jo Khandhar, and Umria Jo Khandhar and in India from the mounds of Lothal in Gujarat and Dholavira in Kutch, etc.
In addition, the signs of Indus civilization are found in Desalpar, Pubmak, Lakhapar, Rangpar, Bhaga Talao, Nadinal, Rona, Kherasa, Sorkotda, Sakhabpur, wasai, Aamra, Kalyanpar, Idar, Kheda, Prabhas, Mamigaam, Talodh, Aatkot, Babar-kot etc. places of Kutch and Gujarat.
If we look at the residents of Sindh, it is known that the area Sindh and in the west of it was the area of the earliest cultured people “Pro-yagan”. Philologist Ghani has expressed such an idea. Some scholars are of the opinion that the Proto-Indo-European people lived in the desert of Arabia and Sindh.
There are many communities, e.g. Negroid, Australoid, Mangoloid etc. who lived in Sindh. Traces of these communities are still found in Sindhi and Sindhi language.
The Kauls, Munds, Santhals and Dravidas etc. have also lived in Sindh. Later Sindh remained the home of Aryans.
In the Sindhis, we find two sections – one Lohana and the other Aamil, of which Lohana Sindhis live in Kutch and Kathiawad even today who are called the descendants of Ram’s son Lav.
After the Greeks, Shaks came to India, some of whom have also ruled Sindh. Sindh was ruled by Rai dynasty, Chach Brahmin dynasty also. After Chach, his son Dahirsen ascended the throne who was the last Hindu king. In those very days i.e. in 712 A.D., the Arab general Muhammad Bin Qasim attacked Sindh. After Arabs, Sindh was ruled by the Soomras, and the Sammas who were actually Hindus, but later became Muslims. The Sammas were removed by the Arghuns after who Sindh was ruled by the Turkhans, and Mughals and then by the Britishers by 1843 A.D.
If we look at the tribes of Sindh, we find that some tribes were taken birth from professions or occupations, e.g. The Kori, Lohar, Dakhan, Waadho, Weenjhaar, Sonaro, Attaar, Odu etc.
It is also a fact that the birth of the caste comes from individual or individuals; later the neighbourhood is established. The neighbourhood is called Raaj by being enlarged, and after gaining the power, it takes the form of caste etc. In Sindh, Dodani, Adwani, Lalwani, Malani etc. or Abupota, Pirpota, Jadeja, Amreja, etc. hold importance due to religious honour. Similarly, there are many castes in Sindh, some of which came into existence with reference to the earth, who some have changed their religion, some are related to education and health of which caste the persons are called “Akhund” in Sindhi Society.
Among a few tribes, the Baloch, the Soomra, the Barda have a great importance in Sindh.
The Sindhis of Sindh are Muslims and Hindus. Parmar and Soomra were Hindu Rajputs in Sindh. The Sodhas came to Sindh from Radhanpur. In the medieval period, Khosa, Chandia, Balock also came. By the way, the Sindhis do not have classwise system, but some untouchable tribes like Bhils and Kolhis also lived from the earliest times. The Brahmins, Maheshwari, Menghwad and other Kasi communities came to Sindh from Marwar. They are identified by customs, dressing and language.
As far as Muslims are concerned, there are two sects in them called “Suni” and “Shia”. Especially in Thar, the population of Sunis is more. Similarly, there are various sects like Lohana, Brahmin, Rabari, Chaaran, Jat, Rajput, Sonara etc. As far as untouchables are concerned, the Meghwads, the Bhils from Marwar, the Kolhis from Gujarat have come to Sindh. And the Oda are from the ancient Dravidian clan, who carry soil on donkeys and build walls. They are also the real Marwadis whose Pir is Ramdev. Apart from this, Nomadic tribes like Gwaria, Kauchda, and Jogi etc. wandered and settled in Sindh.
Different tribes and communities living in Sindh, along with Sindhi, speak Balochi, Barochi, Sodhki, Dhatki, Saraiki, Brahvi, Odaki, English, Hindi, Gujarati and Urdu etc. languages.

As far as the Sindhi language is concerned, it is divided in following six branches from the view point of locality:

1.  Vicholi – This is the literary dialect of Sindhi language spoken in the central part of Sindh, the borders of which extend from the northern side of Kandyaro and Dadu to the lower Kotri Division.
2. Saraiki – Siraiki: Saraiki is spoken in upper Sindh ranging from Khairpur princely State, Sehwan and Dadu to the entire Larkana district.
3. Lari – Lar is the southern part of lower Sindh divided into two parts including Hyderabad district and the southern part of Karachi district that meets the sea at the side of Ketiport and Karachi. In these parts, Lari dialect is spoken.
4. Thareli – Naro Dhoro is the location of this dialect. This part of Mirpur Khas meets Hyderabad district.
5. Kutchhi – Kutch is a Sanskrit word meaning coast. There is a sea from all three sides of Kutch. Here, Kutchi dialect is spoken.
6. Lasi – The city names Lasbela is 120 miles away from Karachi. In the west of it is the outskirts of Balochistan. Lasi is named after it because of Lasbela. The Dialect spoken here is Lasi.

In particular, the language spoken in Sindh is Vicholi and that is the current Sindhi. The Sindhi dialect is spread Sindhi. It is saying that “Every two miles the water changes, every four miles, the speech.” This is also applicable to Sindhi. Let us know the principles of different accents and idioms of a dialect that have been credited by the experts of linguistic.
Principles of Different Accents and Idioms
Dr. Gulam Ali Alana has mentioned these principles as follows:

1. Be the language of rulers;
2. Same rule;
3. Political Conditions;
4. Social and religious touch;
5. Commercial trade and political relations;
6. Same geographical conditions;
7. Same customs;
8. Inter marriages;
9. Population migration.

Let us take a look at a few Sindhi accent areas in Kutch, Kathiawad, Gujarat Rajasthan which are now a part of India where after partition a lot of Sindhis live.

1. Sindhi dialect in Kutch
From the historical, geographical, social cultural, commercial and linguistic point of view, Kutch has been a part of Sindh since ancient times. Kutch has remained connected with Sindh due to religion, commerce, social affairs, weddings, fairs and festivals, coming and going of tribes, education and literature. Even today, in the Bani area of Kutch, ancient Sindhi tribes like Samma, Soomra, Jat, Sodha, Kolhi, Meghwad, etc. live.

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