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ixty-year-old Chinesar Kunbhar, a Muslim potter from the small village of Newchhore, Umerkot, waits every year for a familiar knock on his door. It is a distinct knock, one he can recognise right away. Such is the bond between Chinesar and Vijay Soni, his old friend.
Vijay, a Hindu by faith, comes every year to tell him one simple thing:“Chinesar Bhaya, Diyari aayepae.” [Brother Chinesar, Diwali is coming]. That is when the magic begins.
As soon as he hears the date, Chinesar sets to work his expert hands shaping soft clay into hundreds of diyas [tiny lamps] that will soon glow in almost all Hindu households in Umerkot. The rhythmic spin of the potter’s wheel, the spit and crackle of the kiln and the faint scent of wet earth fill the air as he moulds not just lamps, but tangible souvenirs that imbibe the essence of interfaith harmony that Sindh is known for.
For decades, Chinesar has kept up with the ritual of crafting clay lamps and bringing light and joy into the lives of his Hindu neighbours. “These diyas bring brightness to their homes and peace to my heart,” he smiles, brushing clay dust off his palms.
A few streets away, Sandeep Motiram Khatri, a Hindu shopkeeper, spends nights perfecting special sweets for Eid, sending boxes of halwa and mix-mithai to his Muslim friends. “It’s our way of sharing joy and bringing sweetness into their lives,” Sandeep says. “Festivals are more special when the joy is shared.”
This exchange of light and sweetness, between the hands of a potter and a sweet-maker, is a portrait of Sindh’s timeless syncretism where faiths meet and traditions blend into one another like colours in a rangoli.
“Festivals connect us,” says Sarang Ram, a development practitioner from Umerkot. “Every Diwali or Holi, people who live away from their hometowns; students, professionals and their families return home. Suddenly the courtyards come alive. We share greetings, homemade sweets, laughter and stories until midnight. These festivals are more than rituals; they are reunions of the hearts.”
Sarang adds with gratitude, “We are thankful to the government for recognising our traditions, announcing holidays and advance salary payments for employees from the Hindu community. This shows that Sindh continues its legacy of secularism and inclusion. Every individual matters, and that is the real beauty of Pakistan’s diversity.”
Sarang Ram hosts a Diwali gathering at his otaq [chamber]. The guests include his close Muslim friends Advocate Ali Nawaz Jakhro, Asad Haleepoto, Hanif Nohrio, Dr Raza Samejo and many others who joined to share the joy of the festival of lights. Over laughter, sweets and warm greetings, they reminisce about their childhood. “Since our early days, we have shared sawaiyan with our neighbours and waited eagerly for their festivals, be it Diwali or Holi. We celebrate them all with love, respect and excitement,” they say with pride.
In Umerkot, such gestures are not rare. Here, Hindus often host iftar gatherings during Ramazan for their Muslim friends and Muslims take part in Diwali and Holi celebrations with the same enthusiasm. In spite of differences in faith, the people of Umerkot share a common culture, language and traditions especially when it comes to festivals and marriage ceremonies. This is the secret ingredient; it binds them together as one community.
This bond of mutual respect and affection is what keeps Umerkot glowing not just with the clay lamps of Diwali, but with the timeless spirit of harmony and coexistence.
As the sun sets behind the golden sands of Umerkot, thousands of lamps begin to flicker across courtyards, temples and rooftops. Each diya a testament that, in Sindh, light knows no religion.
This year, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Junior visited the centuries old Shiv Mandir in Umerkot on the eve of Diwali. Accompanied by Lal Malhi and others, he joined devotees in their celebration, even playing the sacred shankh before sharing greetings with the crowd gathered in the temple courtyard glowing with twinkling clay lamps.
Meanwhile, Amarano Family Club is quietly rekindling the spirit of unity and interfaith harmony. Two years ago, some families, both Hindu and Muslim, came together with a vision to build a space where diversity is celebrated. The families connect across faiths and the younger generation grows up embracing tolerance and togetherness.
What began as a small initiative has now blossomed into a vibrant community. This Diwali, the club organised a mega celebration that brought together over 30 families from different religions, professions and walks of life. Everyone gathered under one roof, sharing joy, laughter and light.
The organiser, Sohail Kunbhar, shared his reflections with visible pride and emotion “A year and a half ago, we celebrated Eid together. Today, as we celebrate Diwali, I am seeing something deeply moving. My mother and wife, who have never participated in such events before, are also lighting diyas and sharing mithai with our Hindu friends. Many of them have built new friendships beyond faith; mothers, wives, daughters meeting each other, sharing their moments of happiness.”
For Sohail and others, the Amarano Family Club is more than a social circle it is a counter-narrative to intolerance and extremism. “One begins to feel superior only when they lack perspective or connection with people from different backgrounds,” he added. “Every religion teaches peace and light, indeed, knows no religion.”
Through small yet powerful gestures, the families of Umerkot are proving that harmony is not an idea; it is a practice, one that begins at home and shines brightest when shared.
Bharat Bansi Malhi, a young change-agent shared, “Tonight, our home is jam packed with my friends, my father’s friends and their families, all here to celebrate Diwali with us,” he said with a smile. “This is nothing new either. Every year, our Muslim friends join us with the same warmth and joy. This is Umerkot, Sindh. Sindh’s true identity is secularism. Historically, it has been a place where hearts meet before faiths do.”
His words echo the timeless (and time-tested) truth that, in Umerkot, harmony is not a slogan; it is a lived reality passed from one generation to the next. In the glow of every diya lit together, Sindh’s centuries-old spirit of coexistence continues to persist, reminding the world that the light of Sindh burns the brightest when shared.
The writer is a multimedia journalist based inHyderabad, Sindh. His X handle: MathraniSanjai. He can be reached atsmmathrani1gmail.com