WATAN AS WOMB

By Arun Babani

A person’s ‘Watan’, his home town is not merely a geographical space seen on the map; although even that dot there on the map of one’s own homeland can create a ripple of riots and waves of tears. But in actual fact a ‘Watan’ is more of a sensuous state, a multi-dimensional complex of sights, sounds and smells that go deep into the collective unconscious memory of a person driven out of his ’Watan’.My mother, towards the end of her life would often complain of her being thrown into the by lanes of Nawabshah simply at the sight of a sewing needle! You can notice what Sindhi poets have narrated in their poems, the terrific images they have painted in their pictures about the backyards of those times spent in Sindh. A writer passionately remembers the smoke bellowing out of sigdis in the late evenings; a lady speaks of the walks she had with her friends on the Sukkar bridge; a poet cannot get rid of the calls of fakirs in the dawns of Larkana; and still others speak of the special Sindhi fruits, the innocent Sindhi fathers…This precious material is preserved and active in all the five senses of the senses. A ‘Watan’ then becomes something akin to a mother’s womb in which a person first feels the throb of life and then onwards can never cut that umbilical cord till the time of death; he carries that connection with the mother into the life beyond because a womb is a complete universe and so is one’s ‘Watan”, one’s motherland.

The power of one’s own ‘Watan” is more than one’s wealth, more than one’s health, more than any other spiritual power. When a Sindhi says ’Ghar Guru Jo Dar’ he means that his home, a community’s home is his ancestral land, his roots , his “Watan’.Without that he is without his soul, without his own sustaining sense system. It’s like a flower woman living in a garden coming to live in a fisher woman’s house; she won’t survive beyond one single night, although it is only one sense of smell that is in operation here. A Sindhi born in Sindh and living elsewhere in the world is then not using his senses, all five of them as deeply as they are available to him. That’s the reason that this Sindhi cries very easily, he cries at the sight of Sindhi embroidery accidentally found in a remote village, he cries at the mention of a Sindhi Kalam,he cries out at almost any memory rekindled by a slightest of provocation. The fact of his lost homeland is like a life sentence to him, a sentence where even his tears have dried and his cries have died. A Sindhi longs day and night to be back into that life giving womb, the womb from which the surgeons of history have thrown him out, leaving the mother and the child gasping

for breath.

When ever a human being is driven out of his ‘Watan’ politically he is called a ‘refugee’, a person in need of refuge, a refused person, but more than that an exile becomes rootless and one knows very well what fate awaits a plant that has been forcibly

uprooted from its soil; a slow and burdensome death. The partitioned Sindhis have undergone an artificial life, a life spent in hoping and waiting for a womb to take them back, to merge them back with great nature.

Meanwhile the civilized society happens to be too occupied with survival to take notice of these crimes of history. The march of events of men continues unmindful of blood spread all over and such ravages of history appear commonplace to the civil society which goes on and on to a boom or a doom no one cares to know any more.

 Keep Punching

By Kirnay Bhatt  

Kirnay Bhatt, is an Indian filmmaker specialising in writing, direction and editing. A Sindhi from his maternal side, Kirnay graduated with a degree in filmmaking from the University of Creative Arts, UK and has fine tuned his craft by working as a 2nd and 3rd Assistant Director (AD) on mainstream Bollywood features including Dharma Productions' Wake Up Sid (2009) and I Hate Luv Storys (2010), Ramesh Sippy Entertainment's Dum Maaro Dum (2011), and Excel Entertainment's Talaash (2012) and Bombay Talkies (2013) among others. As an editor, Kirnay has worked alongside director Vikramaditya Motwane on behind-the-scenes footage for features such as Lootera (2013) and the yet-to-be released Sunburn documentary, as well as the Kissan television commercial 'Kissanpur'.
 

Most recently, Kirnay wrote, produced, and directed his debut short-film Keep Punching which revolves around a withdrawn boxer who must fight the battle for her freedom.

"Keep Punching" tells the story of resilience and perseverance through the eyes of its central character, named after Kirnay himself. The idea of the film is a marriage of Kirnay’s love for the Oscar winning film ‘Rocky’, a tattoo he got on his arm from one of the film’s iconic images and a video message from none other than Sylvester Stallone, himself.

The film skillfully captures the emotional journey of a young protagonist who faces challenges both inside and outside the boxing ring. As the story unfolds, the audience is drawn into the character's struggle to overcome personal obstacles and achieve their dreams.

The film's cinematography, sound design, music and all other aspects work in harmony to emphasize the tension and emotion of each scene. Bhatt's focus on the human element of the story has resonated with viewers and has left them wanting more of the story and it’s characters.

As more viewers discover "Keep Punching" on YouTube, Bhatt's reputation as a talented filmmaker continues to grow. His work not only entertains but also provides insight into different cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. Fans of short films and those interested in tales of triumph against adversity should not miss this powerful and inspiring film.

Link to the film

 Vibrant Celebration of

Cheti Chand

at Sadhu Vaswani Mission

By Naresh Singhani

Sadhu Vaswani Mission
 

Sadhu Vaswani Mission joyously celebrated the Sindhi New Year, Cheti Chand, on April 11th, 2024, in a lively and culturally rich event that brought together guests from near and far.

The festivities commenced with a smiling welcome to all with sprinkles of rosewater. The campus of Sadhu Vaswani Mission was adorned with festive lights, and at the entrance stood a beautiful idol of Lord Jhulelal, welcoming all the guests.

The spiritual ambience was further enhanced with the traditional aarti of Lord Jhulelal. Jhulelal is a revered saint of the Sindhi community. He is considered to be a symbol of unity, tolerance, and harmony among different religious communities. Jhulelal's birth and life are celebrated during the Cheti Chand festival.

Attendees were treated to soul-stirring performances of Sindhi folk songs by acclaimed singers Seema Ramchandani and Drshika Advani.

A captivating play was presented by the Sindhi Sakhiyun Global Network (SSGN) group. The performance depicted Lord Jhulelal incarnates in diverse forms to enlighten people.

Revered Dada Vaswani’s recorded talk was played, on the importance  of becoming new in the new year.

Didi Krishna Kumari, the head of Sadhu Vaswani Mission, delivered a LIVE talk on the importance of recognizing each day as a gift from God. We must cherish each moment and set daily affirmations for our personal growth and empowerment.

The event garnered praise from attendees. A first-time visitor remarked on the peaceful yet energizing atmosphere at the mission. Another attendee remarked, “I loved the event, and Didi's words have touched me. I will try to incorporate her advice into my life.”

The Cheti Chand celebration at Sadhu Vaswani Mission not only honoured Sindhi traditions but also served as a reminder of the importance of community, spirituality, and personal growth in enriching lives. 

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MUMBAI: Aakhreen Train - The Last Train, a Sindhi film about two Hindu-

Muslim lovers caught in the turmoil of Partition, which does not demonise 

Pakistan or its people, is currently running to packed houses. 

Based on well-known writer Thakur Chawla's short story, the film is directed by 

Susheel Gajwani, and is his first Sindhi venture.

For young Sindhis, whose knowledge of Partition comes from their grandparents' memories, the film is a discovery of their roots. That's the aim with which it was made, says Susheel Gajwani. "None of the films or TV shows made about Partition have dealt with Sindhi refugees," he laments.

Born and brought up in Kolhapur, it seemed natural for Gajwani to start his film career with Marathi films. Of the 13 films he's directed so far, 11 have been Marathi films. Marathi comes as easily to him as his mother tongue. Among the most notable of his films is Mulgi Zhaali Ho, based on the famous street play by the same name written in 1983 by Jyoti Mhapsekar. 

Made in 1985, the film starred top artistes such as Dr. Shreeram Lagoo and Suhas Joshi. He also directed Nilu Phule in Raakhandaar.

Gajwani's first film in his mother tongue was born out of a webinar in memory of Thakur Chawla, where the director read out Aakhreen Train. His rendition so moved Chawla's daughter, Barkha Khushalani, that it was decided to make a film based on the story. Barkha wrote the dialogues and lyrics and co-authored the script with Gajwani, while Mahesh Chander was roped in for the music.

In a refreshing surprise, the film shows Pakistani Muslims as warm, affectionate and free of religious prejudice. "Few communities affected by Partition have had as good a rapport between Hindus and Muslims as have Sindhis," explains Gajwani. "We worship our greatest poet Shah Abdul Latif, as well as Sufi saints Sachal Sarmast and Sami. During Partition, Sindhi Hindus didn't face violence from Sindhi Muslims; it was the influx of Muslim refugees from Uttar Pradesh into Sindh that forced them to leave."

The intention was to show the characters primarily as human beings, says Gajwani. "There are enough people stereotyping Pakistanis," he adds wryly.

The film traverses the rural Sindh of those days, giving viewers a glimpse of a way of life that few Sindhis in India have experienced. A song in the film also provides an overview of the community's  achievements after Partition, including stalwarts like educationist Sadhu TL Vaswani; teenaged martyr of the 1942 movement Hemu Kalani; the late filmstar Sadhana; and BJP leader LK Advani. Acharya Kripalani, a stalwart of the freedom movement, is a notable omission.

Like most Sindhis born in the decade after Partition, Gajwani faced ridicule as a refugee and as a Sindhi from neighbours and classmates. He hopes the film will make the community, which was suddenly cut off from its roots, aware of its rich culture. "We Sindhis lost out by not having a state of our own," he says.

Connecting Sindhis with their culture is something of a passion with the 68-year-old filmmaker. He runs 'Roots, The Time Travelers', a forum which holds readings of Sindhi literature both in the original and in translation.

While his experience with Marathi films prepared Gajwani for the difficulties in releasing a Sindhi film, the Chawla family which produced Aakhreen Train, hit upon a novel way to involve the community. Theatres were booked through the network of Sindhi panchayats found across the country, ensuring that viewers, young and old, queue up to buy tickets.

Susheel Gajwani has directed 13 films in Marathi, including Mulgi Zhaali Ho, based on the play by the same name written by Jyoti Mhapsekar in 1983.

With permission from First print Hindustan Times 4th March 2024.

Director Susheel Gajwani

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Sadhu Vaswani Center

By Sadhu Vaswani Center US

The Time Has Come!

Registration Is Now Open:

26th Sadhana Camp, Sadhu Vaswani Center for World Peace, New York / New Jersey, USA

Amazing Spiritual Experiences In the Holy Presence of Didi Krishna, Sadhu Vaswani Mission

A MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND Get Together with Sindhi Family & Friends from all around the world. Special supervised activities for children of all ages.

Friday May 24 to Monday May 27

This will be a FULL Camp. Block your Calendar and Rooms Now to avoid disappointment. Limited Occupancy at the Hotel. 

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International Sindhi Retreat

By Sister Henna - NY

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At a party, a young Sindhi wife admonished her husband,

“That’s the fourth time you’ve gone back for Mohanthal and Mithai.

Doesn’t it embarrass you?”

“Why should it?” answered her spouse.

“I keep telling them it’s for you.”

Launched with love for everything Sindhi, our newsletter, Sindhi Samachar, aims to be circulated amongst our Sindhi family and friends intended to forge unity and interaction within our community. We hope our brothers and sisters globally participate and contribute towards it with your views, Sindhi news, Sindhi jokes, or Sindhi recipes, which we will be happy to publish under your name.

Editor-In-Chief

Vini Melwani

Editorial Content

Raj Daswani

Geeta Raj

Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed in Sindhi Samachar by our contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the editorial team of Sindhi Samachar. Any content provided by our contributors, bloggers or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.