Sindhi Culture Day completes first decade of celebrations with great gusto

KARACHI: Thousands of people donning traditional dresses poured onto the streets of Karachi on Sunday as they participated in dozens of rallies organised by different political parties and groups to celebrate the 2019 Sindhi Culture Day.

Since 2009, Sindhi Culture Day has been annually celebrated on the first Sunday of December under the title of "Aekta Day" which means unity. The objective of this day is to spotlight the centuries-old rich culture of the province of Sindh.

Scores of people wearing Sindhi caps and draping Ajraks around their shoulders danced to the tunes of Sindhi songs in rallies. Participants exchanged gifts of Ajrak and Sindhi caps at different locations.

A citizen, named Gulshan Ramzan, was clad in crisp white kurta shalwar, Sindhi cap and Ajrak.

Along with his cousin Basra, he participated in a rally which started from the city’s New Karachi area and came all the way to the Karachi Press Club (KPC) to merge with other rallies before the closing ceremony.

Speaking to The News at Sharea Faisal, the duo shared they had been celebrating the day with traditional enthusiasm for years.

“It’s our culture day which we celebrate once a year to show unity,” Ramzan said, urging all Sindhis to ensure their participation in rallies taken out in Karachi.

Talking about the Sindhi ajrak, he said the traditional textile was part of their cultural identity. “Ajrak unites us across the globe,” Ramzan expressed.

In a rally heading towards the KPC, a Suzuki pick-up was full of kids clad in cultural dressed and wearing Sindhi caps and ajrak. The kids were all smiles as they chanted slogans to express their love for their land and culture.

One of the kids was Ali, who was grinning from ear to ear. “Abbu (my father) dressed up me for the rally,” Ali uttered just a sentence as he could hardly keep the smile off his face.

Shinning in the rally was a young Alia who was donning red kurta shalwar. As excited as Ali, she chanted slogans in Sindhi with the crowd, while tightly holding her father’s hand.

Her father, Sohail Shabbir, said he wanted her daughter to know about her cultural roots. “This day provides kids a chance to practically learn about their tradition, customs and culture,” he added.

For 25-year-old Asghar Shah, a resident of Lasi Goth, Sindhi Culture Day is just like their Eid day.

­“I grew up celebrating Sindhi day every year since my childhood,” an energetic Shah stated.

One prime objective of the celebrations, he said, was “to give out the message to the whole world that the people of Sindh dharti (land) are united”.

Criticising and demand of making new provinces in Sindh, he said people who wanted to “divide Sindh” should know that Sindhis are united in their resolve to oppose the idea of the division on the province.

Political parties

Qaumi Awami Tehreek president Ayaz Latif Palijo held a rally from the Metropole Hotel to the KPC.

“The Sindhi nation is among four big traditions of the world,” he said. “Sindh is the hub of love, harmony and peace. Sindhi people are heirs of their traditional values.”

The land of Sindh, according to him, is famous across the globe due to poets, writers and saints it has produced.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Khurram Sher Zaman congratulated people of Sindh on the day. “The culture of Sindh promotes love, harmony and peace,” he said.