A profile of Pir Pagara
January 12, 2012
Karachi: The last politician of his generation and a spiritual leader of Sindh, Shah Mardan Shah Sikandar, better known as Pir Sahib Pagara, died in a London hospital late on Tuesday night. He was 83.
His death has shaken not only his followers but the entire province. Pir Sahib was born on Nov 22, 1928 to the great rebel Pir Sabghatullah Shah Rashdi, who was the chief of Hur Jamaat and was responsible for initiating an insurgency against the British rulers.
Pagara’s father was hung in the Central Jail, Hyderabad on March 20, 1943. During this period his family’s residences in Pir Jo Goth, Khaipur and Garang Banglo in Sanghar were also targeted.
Pir Shah Mardan Shah Sikandar and his brother Pir Nadir Shah were sent into exile for education, first to Aligarh (1944 to June 1946), and then to England from June 1946 to December 1951 as prisoners of the state.
He returned to Pakistan in 1952, and the spiritual capital of the province was restored on February 4, 1952 after a suspension of activities for 9 years and 12 days. During the traditional dastarbandi ceremony, all 16 khalifas, or chowkis, presented their turbans to the Pir, which symbolises their acceptance of his position.
The renowned Sindhi scholar, the late Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, conducted the historical proceedings of the restoration of the capital. Ustad Nizamani, the head of the Nara Research and Publishing Organization, which has taken up the mission to rewrite the history of Hurs, said that with the death of Pir Pagara, it seems uncertain as to who will take his place and keep his followers united.
Pir Sahib had said that his successor should be chosen from amongst his four sons. Pagara had been known in political circles as a ëking makerí, as a number of people who had his political blessings eventually came into power.
Out of these, the most notable is Mohammad Khan Junejo, who served as the prime minister of Pakistan. A number of Sindhi intellectuals welcomed a speech made by Pagara a few years back, in which he promoted female education. In this respect, Pagara’s outlook was poles apart from traditional spiritual leaders and feudal lords. This is probably the reason why Pir Sahib still has a large number of followers in Indian Kuchh and Gujrat.
His death has shaken not only his followers but the entire province. Pir Sahib was born on Nov 22, 1928 to the great rebel Pir Sabghatullah Shah Rashdi, who was the chief of Hur Jamaat and was responsible for initiating an insurgency against the British rulers.
Pagara’s father was hung in the Central Jail, Hyderabad on March 20, 1943. During this period his family’s residences in Pir Jo Goth, Khaipur and Garang Banglo in Sanghar were also targeted.
Pir Shah Mardan Shah Sikandar and his brother Pir Nadir Shah were sent into exile for education, first to Aligarh (1944 to June 1946), and then to England from June 1946 to December 1951 as prisoners of the state.
He returned to Pakistan in 1952, and the spiritual capital of the province was restored on February 4, 1952 after a suspension of activities for 9 years and 12 days. During the traditional dastarbandi ceremony, all 16 khalifas, or chowkis, presented their turbans to the Pir, which symbolises their acceptance of his position.
The renowned Sindhi scholar, the late Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, conducted the historical proceedings of the restoration of the capital. Ustad Nizamani, the head of the Nara Research and Publishing Organization, which has taken up the mission to rewrite the history of Hurs, said that with the death of Pir Pagara, it seems uncertain as to who will take his place and keep his followers united.
Pir Sahib had said that his successor should be chosen from amongst his four sons. Pagara had been known in political circles as a ëking makerí, as a number of people who had his political blessings eventually came into power.
Out of these, the most notable is Mohammad Khan Junejo, who served as the prime minister of Pakistan. A number of Sindhi intellectuals welcomed a speech made by Pagara a few years back, in which he promoted female education. In this respect, Pagara’s outlook was poles apart from traditional spiritual leaders and feudal lords. This is probably the reason why Pir Sahib still has a large number of followers in Indian Kuchh and Gujrat.
