Dastaar Bandi : New Jamote chief takes on tribe’s responsibilities

Pir Saheb Pagaro performed his father’s ceremony as well.

HYDERABAD:

Syed Mohammed Ali Shah Jamote took on the responsibilities of heading his biraderi or clan at a simple yet impressive dastaar bandi ceremony at his residence, Shah Alam Shah ji Wasi, in Matiari on Sunday. The event was made doubly special by virtue of the fact that Pir Saheb Pagaro, the spiritual leader of the Hurs, had performed the same ceremony for his father Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Jamote years ago.

Upon former senator Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Jamote’s death, the mantle of responsibility passed on to Syed Mohammed Ali Shah, who has held the post of Matiari’s nazim. The dastaar bandi (literaly ‘turban tying’) can be loosely described as a ceremony in which a turban is wound around the heir’s head with each elder taking a turn to make a loop. At least 40 men participated in the tying.

Pir Pagaro was the first one to do the honours on Sunday. When asked about the significance, follower Khan Muhammad Mahar of Mirpurkhas, who was present at the event, told The Express Tribune that not only was Pir Saheb Pagaro one of the senior most leaders, but almost every biraderi had his followers or devotees (Sindhi, Baloch, etc.)

The event was also attended by Pir Saheb Pagaro’s son, a member from the Makhdoom Amin Fahim family, GM Syed’s son Syed Ameer, Pir Aftab Shah Jilani, Sardar Manzoor Panhwar and Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Jam Madad Ali, among others. Members of the Mahar tribe, the Lakiaron and many of Mohammed Ali Shah Jamote’s personal friends were also present. One guest who stood out was the new Jamote leader’s hunting partner and close friend, a Zimbabwean British national who was identified as ‘Patrick Mavroze’.

Mohammad Ali Shah Jamote’s cousin, Amir Ali Shah Jamote, told The Express Tribune that the ceremony was an “event of our baraderi and people from the family in Matiari were there along with some of his close friends.”

with additional input by Z Ali

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th,  2011.