Sindhi: Difference between revisions

ਜਾਣਹੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਨ ਪੂਛਹੁ ਜਾਤੀ ਆਗੈ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਹੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 349, ਸਤਰ 13, Nanak) Sikhism does not endorse caste based distinctions in society that lead to unequal opportunities for some people. In fact, Sikhism completely rejects class or race based distinctions between humans, that leads us to make an inequitable society. Such distinctions have surfaced only due to ill interests of certain section of people, who, on the pretext of making a society more manageable through these classifications, eventually paved the way to an unequal grouping within the human race. This article is just for information purpose and to share how people from different castes came into the Sikh fold. So, please treat this article as a source of general information about this issue and kindly do not amend this article to highlight this important underlying Sikh principle. If you have any comments, please discuss them appropriately here

Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan language speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating in Sindh which is part of present day Pakistan. Sindhis that live in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim, while many Sindhi Hindus imigrated to India when British India was divided in 1947.

The Sindhis were greatly influenced by Guru Nanak's teachings as he did pass through Sindh and expound his beautifully simple philosophy to the Sindhis of that area. The Sindhis were so deeply influenced by the Master's teachings that it was not uncommon for the Sindhis to make their first son a Sikh. Even today the Sindhis worship Guru Nanak with the same fervor that they accord to, Shri Krishna, Shri Ram, Shivji or/ and Ma Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati. The Geeta and The Guru Granth Sahib both enjoy an exalted status in Sindhi homes. Come let us pay homage to this Giant personality. Bhai Chella Ram Sindhi

Some Sikh intellectuals --- for example, Khushwant Singh --- have a feeling that Sindhis have become less Sikh after Partition. They have -and they have not. The Sindhi response to Akali tantrums in the Punjab is certainly negative. But even then, in Bombay, Pune and elsewhere, Sindhis are very prominent in celebrating Guru Nanak Jayanti. They have set up several Sindhi gurdwaras, including ``Nij Thanw on Pusa Road in New Delhi. But it is also true that Sikhism no longer occupies a near-monopolistic position in Sindhi religious perception. For one thing, even before Partition, while reading Gurbani and visiting gurdwaras, the Sindhis always read other Hindu scriptures and bowed to all gods and pilgrimaged to all shrines. They were ``Shishyas (disciples) that is ``Sikhs of the guru; with few exceptions, they were not Amritdharis (Khalsas or Sardarjis).

In addition, after Partition, the Sindhis have felt the need for identity. They have, therefore, revived the old Sindhi patron- saint of Jhoolay Lal. Today the portraits of Guru Nanak and Jhoolay Lal are found side by side in Sindhi temples and homes.

Also, the Sindhis like to adapt to the local scene. They like to be always ``sugar-in-milk with the locals. In the north, they apply ``Sindhur in the `Maang' (part of the wife's hair). In Bombay, Sindhi Husbands have taken to giving their wives Mangalsutras a Hindu custom that even some Muslims of Hyderabad have adopted, something unknown to them in Sindh. Likewise they have taken to Ganesh festivals with gusto.

The Sindhi child in Maharashtra will sing ``Dhan Guru Nanak Jag Tariyo (Glory unto Guru Nanak who saved the world); but he will also chant: ``Ganpati Bapa Moriya, Purcha Varshi Laukariya (Oh lord Ganesha, come soon next year). It is at once natural and desirable; it is typical Hindu.

See Also

• Mandir Guru Nanak of Sindhi