People celebrate cultural identity

Thousands wearing Sindhi attire take to streets dancing to folk tunes

HYDERABAD/KARACHI:

The colours of Sindhi culture diffused across the nook and corner of the province as the people celebrated the annual Sindh Culture Day on Sunday for a 15th consecutive year.

Men and women, young and old, flocked to the roads and streets in thousands of big and small rallies wearing the cultural dress code emblems, Sindhi caps and Ajaraks, and singing and dancing to the tune of fervent songs expressing love, pride and commitment with Sindh.

The people decorated their cars, jeeps, motorbikes, tractor trolleys and public transport vehicles with Ajaraks as thickly-thronged rallies roamed around from one area of a city to another, stopping by intersections and important buildings, mainly press clubs. The activities started in the morning and continued through the night.

The public and private sector organizations also did not lag behind the people celebrating on the roads. Many political and nationalist parties also organized events to mark the day.

Karachi

Sindh Culture Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm, marking the vibrant festivities across the Karachi on Sunday. The focal point of the celebration was an event held outside the Karachi Press Club, where a Sindhi musical show took the centre stage.

The programme featured cultural songs and vibrant tableaus that eloquently showcased the rich heritage of Sindhi culture. A diverse crowd, including men, children, elders, and women, attended the event, clad in traditional Sindhi attire.

The participants donned Sindhi caps and Ajrak, reflecting their deep connection to their cultural roots. The ambiance of the cultural day was filled with infectious enthusiasm.

Renowned artists like Waheed Hakdro, Jigar Jalal, Irfan Samu Marvel Group, and other accomplished singers graced the occasion with their performances, delighting the audience. The rhythmic beats of Sindhi cultural songs inspired people to express their joy through dance.

In addition to the festivities at the KPC, rallies and processions reverberated throughout the city, underscoring the widespread celebration of Sindhi Culture Day. Leaders from various organisations and political parties participating in these events expressed their joy on this special day, emphasising the importance of showcasing Sindh’s rich cultural heritage.

Read All set to celebrate Sindh Culture Day today

They highlighted that Sindh, known for conveying values of peace, love, and brotherhood, will continue to promote these ideals. The leaders pledged to spread the message of peace and collaborate for the overall development of the province.

Hyderabad

In Hyderabad stages were set outside the press club and Sindh Museum where singers and musicians enthralled the audience with zealous songs and musical renditions.

“It has become customary for us to celebrate this day and to reiterate our pride over our culture, history and Sindh’s geography,” said Mehak Mughal, a female university student participating in a rally in Qasimabad, Hyderabad. “It’s like fun, festival and cultural renaissance at the same time,” commented Momin Lashari, who was moving with a rally near Gul Center.

A flood of people took to the streets in Nawabshah where all the rallies headed to the press club for the celebration. The roads in the commercial centers remained choked as enthusiasts moving in slow-paced rallies occupied them for most part of the day.

The celebrating people converged at the camp set up outside Mirpurkhas press club. Former MPAs, commissioner Mirpurkhas Faisal Ahmed Uqaili and Deputy Commissioner Rasheed Ahmed Soomro also joined the event. “We feel proud that we belong to a 5,000 years old civilization,” said PPP’s former MPA Hari Ram Kishori Lal.

Larkana

In Larkana, Jinnah Bagh intersection remained the center of all activity. A camp was set up at the intersection to welcome all rallies and to play music. The Mayor Larkan Anwar Ali, Chairman District Council Aijan Ali Laghari and other officials also attended the camp and expressed their views.

A group of snake charmers, under the banner of Jogi Jaago Ittehad, performed in Sukkur. A cattle show featuring horses, oxen and donkeys clad in traditional wears, was organized In Tharu Shah town of Noshehro Feroze district. Thousands of people attended the event in which one after another animals marched through the audience.

The people taking part in a rally in Mithi, Tharparkar district, carried swords and performed ‘dandia’, Rajput community’s traditional dance, as they walked from Rana Kotri to Municipal Corporation Chowk. The speakers at the rally said Thar’s culture, which has its own colour, is an integral and ancient part of Sindh’s culture. They said like other Sindhis in the province they celebrate the day like an Eid.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2023.