Fakirs at Bhit Shah, the dargah of Sindhi Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhtai

With the tribe of Madnani’s parents and grandparents — who lived, thrived and were later, displaced from their homes in modern-day Pakistan — dwindling, the foundation seeks to preserve their memories and stories. Their new project, Doorway to Sindh, which kicks off this weekend, calls upon youngsters to join the conversation. Through six webinars or pre-recorded conversations with archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, and other experts, the initiative will open up a door for the Sindhi youth to connect with their past. The idea stemmed from arranging different talks that she had hosted over the years, into something more cohesive. “During the lockdown, I started connecting with these experts and there were around 40 conversations. We’re releasing the first six now,” she adds. 

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The conversations, Madnani notes, span the length and breadth of Sindh’s history, art, craft, language, oral history, culture and trade. “The first talk in the series, Sindh: Real and Imagined, led by professors Sarah Ansari and Rita Kothari, will set the tone and context of the realities and the imaginations of Sindh and its culture,” the founder shares. Highlighting the syncretism of Sindhi culture is the next episode titled Marui — who was born in a nomad community in eastern Sindh. Through a film by documentary filmmaker Shabnam Virmani, Kothari will explore the love legend of Marui, immortalised by Sindhi Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhtai, along with Sufi scholar, Abdullah Hussain Turk. 

Hinglaj Devi in Balochistan; Dr Jürgen Schaflechner and Dr Deepra Dandekar will discuss the shared sacred spaces of the Sindhis. Pic Courtesy/Dr Jürgen Schaflechner

Two other sessions will delve into the histories of Mohenjo-daro and its architecture, trade and script — by professor Michael Jansen and Dr Kaleemullah Lashari — and of Harappa — by professor Vasant Shinde. In the talk titled Sindhu in the Sacred Rigveda, Dr Sucheta Paranjpe and Dr Shilpa Sumant will guide listeners through the science, philosophy and life lessons from the scripture that was said to have been penned on the banks of the Indus, which is integral to Sindh. The talk by Dr Jürgen Schaflechner and Dr Deepra Dandekar, meanwhile, will explore the shared sacred spaces, such as Hinglaj Devi, along the trading routes of Sindhis all the way to Maharashtra.

Almost all of us have some or the other Sindhi friend or acquaintance in our lives, points out Madnani. The episodes are curated to help even non-Sindhis understand the community better. “Some may watch it now, some may watch it later, but I’m considering this as a legacy project for the next generation,” 
Madnani signs off. 

Aruna Madnani

LAUNCHES ON September 4 
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