Goddess Lakshmi a Sindhi??? By Vini Melwani
Once upon a time in the heavenly abode, all the divine beings were having a celestial potluck dinner. Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, arrived fashionably late, Sindhi style! As she floated in, adorned with exquisite diamond jewelry and draped in a rich silk saree, a mischievous grin crossed her face.
Goddess Lakshmi: "Namaste, everyone! Sorry for my tardiness. You know how traffic can be around these celestial realms, especially with my brand new Mercedes we had to be extra cautious"
Lord Shiva: "It's alright, Lakshmi. We've all been waiting for your divine presence."
Goddess Parvati: "And you've brought something special, I presume?"
Goddess Lakshmi: "Oh, indeed. I've brought my Sindhi special!"
Goddess Saraswati: "Your Sindhi special? What's that?"
Goddess Lakshmi: "Well, since mine is a typical Sindhi household, I decided to bring our culinary masterpiece today. Feast your eyes on this... Sindhi Papad!"
All the gods and goddesses stared in amusement as Goddess Lakshmi presented a grand platter of papads, the crispy, circular lentil snacks popular in every Sindhi home.
Lord Vishnu: "Papads, Lakshmi?"
Goddess Lakshmi: "Yes, the Sindhi papad is a symbol of the fine art of saving and savoring. It's said that the way to wealth is through wise investments, and what's wiser than having a stash of papads ready for any occasion?"
Goddess Parvati: "And what's the connection to prosperity?"
Goddess Lakshmi: "Well, Parvati, think about it. You save, you invest, you patiently wait, and then one day, your papad multiplies in number! It's like the stock market of snacks."
Lord Shiva: "Interesting perspective, Lakshmi."
Goddess Lakshmi spread joy as she showered everyone with her special Sindhi papads. Goddess Lakshmi:"Tawan sub khey dil sa Diyareea joon Wadhayoon"
The divine gathering burst into laughter, and the Sindhi papad became an unexpected hit at the celestial potluck.
From that day forward, Sindhi papads took their place among the treasures of the divine world. And Goddess Lakshmi, with her unique sense of humor, became the honorary patron of prudent snacking and wise investments. This is a fictional and humorous interpretation and not meant to disrespect any culture or deity. The Sindhi community has a rich culinary tradition that includes many delicious dishes beyond papads! |
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History of AGSA By Mr. Manohar Dev President Alliance of Global Sindhi Associations The year was 1989; there were a handful of Sindhi Associations in some of the major cities in the USA. The idea of an umbrella organization was conceived by Mr. Prem Lalvani who was the Director of Alliance of Midwest India Associations along with Dr. Kaloo Thadhani. It took them four years to form the Alliance of Sindhi Associations of Americas, Inc. and secure the tax-exempt non-profit status. Initially the Sindhi associations who joined the Alliance were from New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington D.C, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The bylaws were drafted and a constitution was approved. The main purpose of the Alliance was to preserve and nurture our Sindhi traditions, language and values for the future generations, to have unity among Sindhis, to help our needy Sindhi students in India to get education and to help build Senior Sindhu Centers in each of the major cities in the USA. To achieve these objectives, the organization needed collective thoughts, so was born the idea of Sindhi Sammelan, a three day event where Sindhis from around the country could come together. The first Sindhi Sammelan was held in New Jersey in 1994, it was hosted by Sindhi Association of New Jersey. There were about 150 attendees. The second Sammelan was held in New York with a theme, “Investment in Youth” which was attended by 400 Sindhis from around the country. The third was held in Chicago in 1996, the theme was “Year of the Sindhi Women” and was attended by over 550 Sindhis. In 2005 the Alliance held its 1st Sindhi Sammelan outside of the USA. The 12th Sindhi Sammelan was held in Mumbai, India. Since then Alliance has held Sammelans in London, Jakarta, Singapore, Indore India, Ahmedabad India with the 21st Sammelan held in 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The success of the Sammelans in India, Europe and Far East countries prompted us to shift the focus from American to a Global organization. In the year 2013 the Alliance of Global Sindhi Association was conceived. The organization has the same objectives and mission with a broader focus. This year the alliance is completing 30 years of its associations and the 28th Sindhi Sammelan is planned to be hosted on the 21st & 22nd of December 2023 at Crowne Plaza Festival city Dubai. Details for this year’s Sammelan can be found on www.SindhiSammelan.com |
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From Spice Merchant to Star Entrepreneur A Tale of Perseverance and Wisdom By Anil Narain Matai Once upon a time, in the bustling heart of a great and ancient city, there lived a humble and curious soul named Farid. He was a man of dreams, a wanderer of ideas, and a seeker of fortune. Farid had heard whispers of successful entrepreneurs who had risen from the dust of obscurity to touch the stars of prosperity. He longed to be one of them, but like a lost traveller in the desert, he sought guidance on his path to entrepreneurship. One crisp morning, as the sun began its ascent in the sky, Farid found himself at the door of an old tea shop. The shop was nestled in a hidden alley, known only to a few, and it was said that wisdom flowed as freely as tea within its walls. As Farid entered, the air was filled with the soothing aroma of herbs and spices. He saw a wizened man, dressed in tattered robes, seated at a corner table. This man, they called him Sheikh Arif, was renowned in the city as a sage of entrepreneurial wisdom. Farid approached the Sheikh, bowed his head, and said, "Oh, wise one, I am but a humble seeker of knowledge, a dreamer of businesses. I long to embark upon the treacherous journey of entrepreneurship, but I am lost in the vast desert of uncertainty. Can you, in your wisdom, share with me the path to success?" The Sheikh looked at Farid with eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the cosmos. He chuckled softly and said, "Ah, my child, the path you seek is neither straight nor smooth, but it is one of boundless opportunity. Listen closely, for I shall impart to you a tale of an entrepreneur named Jamal." Jamal, the Sheikh began, was a man much like yourself, Farid. He had dreams that sparkled like stars, and he carried them in his heart like precious jewels. But Jamal knew that the road to success was fraught with challenges, like a wild river that must be crossed. One day, Jamal decided to start a business selling exotic spices from distant lands. He borrowed some money from his family and set up a small shop in the heart of the bazaar. But, my dear Farid, the people of the city were creatures of habit. They were used to their old spice merchants and their familiar blends. Jamal's spices were foreign and unfamiliar. For weeks, his shop remained empty, like a forgotten corner of the desert. But Jamal did not lose heart. He listened to the whispers of the market, learned the tastes of the people, and adapted his spices to their palates. Slowly but surely, Jamal's business began to flourish. The people of the city marveled at the new flavours he introduced, and word of his spices spread like wildfire. His shop became a bustling marketplace of scents and colours, and Jamal's dreams turned into reality. The Sheikh leaned closer to Farid and said, "My child, the lesson of Jamal is this: adapt and persevere. The path of entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but for those who dare to listen, learn, and evolve. The road may be long and winding, but with determination and resilience, even the most arduous journey can lead to success." Farid left the tea shop that day with a heart full of hope and a mind brimming with wisdom. He knew that his entrepreneurial journey would be challenging, but like Jamal, he was ready to adapt and persevere. As he stepped back into the bustling city, he whispered to himself, "I am the captain of my destiny, the architect of my dreams. With courage and wisdom, I shall carve my path to success." And so, dear reader, as you embark upon your own journey of entrepreneurship, remember the tale of Jamal, the wisdom of Sheikh Arif, and the boundless potential that lies within you. The path may be uncertain, but with determination, adaptation, and unwavering faith in your dreams, you too can reach the stars of prosperity. "Embarking on the path of entrepreneurship is akin to a daring journey through an uncharted wilderness. Yet, like Jamal, who turned humble spices into treasures, it's in adapting to challenges and persisting with unwavering faith that one finds success. Discover the wisdom to carve your own path to prosperity." ********** Positivity By Sunny Tolani As I know and experience, Generosity improves my mood, reduces daily stress and anxiety and has a positive effect on my physical health and hopefully will help me live longer to 110 years (hopefully). For me the “I” in winning is integrity. If I conduct my life with integrity, it leads to very positive results. Integrity is really the biggest thing in our lives. It’s who we are and what we want our kids to live by. It defines us in one direction or another. Integrity is not something I show others. It is how I behave behind their back. Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing to do. I learned integrity from my father at an early age to live a more fulfilling life as an exemplar of rectitude.
That is exactly why love to be a mentor and also focus on helping our staffs, mostly women by engaging and paying attention and empowering them to speak up, make their voices be heard, push on trainings, mental sharpness and intelligence to make them shine that will make them thankful. Doing my best to elevate the conscience of hoteliers. Imagine the positive ripples all time of year. Trust and integrity are the cornerstones of our organization that I have faithfully served for more than 2 decades being an advocate for women and girls around the world. Cheers, have an awesome week, as you go on to live a life beyond REPROACH springing into daily positive actions shining the light in service of truth running toward the struggle helping create a better world for future sharing articles of positivity and motivating those who follow your journey to do the same. We all have an opportunity to help create a better world building communities of action. It is an honor for me to serve with you standing by your side and be able to do what we're doing in Hospitality earning an honest-to-Lord living providing shelter and sustenance. Love & Peace. |
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Series of Letters By Captain Vivek Pamnani The objective of this series of letters is not to hurt anyone's sentiments or to hurt any person or community. The objective is to make young Sindhis more aware of their culture and heritage . Take it positively and dwell on it. Recently I read a funny article about Anil Ambani talking about his graduation from KC college in Mumbai. In case you didn't know KC college incidentally is a famous college in Mumbai run by the Trust of the Chellaramani family. Coming back to our friend Anil Ambani. He joked that when I took admission to college everyone assumed I was a Sindhi and used to talk to me in Sindhi. So what made people assume that he was a Sindhi. Was it his big nose? Or the fact that he was in business and rich. ? Lol. No. You guessed it right. It was his surname ending with the conspicuous "ni". We are Sindhis. What's with our names man, why do they all end with the sound of "ni". And do all Sindhi surnames end in "ni"? The answer is no. You would be surprised at the reasons and structure of our surnames. And that many Sindhi sub groups don't even end in the "ni" sound. So let's try to understand the structure of our surnames. The following passage is lengthy as is usual with all my posts. In case you are still interested in knowing why your surname is so typical, read on. Who knows one day you might end up dating a Sindhi boy or girl and this knowledge might help in impressing the future in- laws. Jokes apart. Let's start. Before we come to Hindu Sindhi surnames, I would like to say that unlike most Hindu Sindhi surnames, many Muslim Sindhis identify and use the surname of their tribes. A famous example would be the Sindhi "Bhutto" political family of Pakistan belonging to the Bhutto tribe. The old Sindhis followed a Sanskrit/Vedic system of using the surname. In those early days in pre-historic Sindh, apart from the individual name (Nalo), each family was allotted a Nukh, which helped to identify one another. (Nukh was initially meant to be one’s Caste Name) The need for the same arose because, as the size of the families grew, it was imperative to identify each family by a name. The people propagated families of one Nukh to live together under one roof. This was called ‘Kul’ or ‘Parivar’ and they were identified by their Nukh. If the settlement had more than one Kul or Parivar, it was called Maha Kul. During ancient times, each family was identified by their Grandfather’s name. Studies reveal that ‘Yani’ or ‘Yan’ (Suffix) are Sanskrit words, which mean – ‘descendants’ and the same were pronounced in Sindhi as ‘ANI’. A similar naming system occurs in Latin from the French term "naitr" meaning "descendant of". Used in the English language as "nee" meaning "born as". Another explanation of the same, states that the word ‘Ani’ has its origin in Sanskrit word ‘Ansh’ meaning progeny or part of the whole. Also known as "Ghot" in Sindhi. (You might have heard the terms "ghot maa" and "ghot pi" being yelled in Sindhi weddings). Generally, Sindhis add a suffix ‘Ani’ after the name of their great grandfather and that becomes their Surname. A significant section of people chose to name their families from their places of origin and profession (known as "pravara" in ancient times) as well. For example, people of Adwana village would be named as Advani. People in the accounts and finance professions would become Shroffs/Mehtanis/Munshiani (pravara or profession based surnames). People working as priests holding the surname as Sharma and so on. My ancestors for example, when I traced my family tree to the 16th century, follow the surname of a gentleman by the name of Pamnandas Talreja, who was a landlord in Sindh, taking the surname "Pamnani" Similarly someone with a surname of Chotrani would be a descendant of the Chotranmal clan of multan in modern day Pakistan. Descendants of Thadomal became Thadanis, descendants of Ramchand becoming Ramchandanis and so on. A large section of Arorvanshis (a geographical area spanning parts of northern india) form a part of the Sindhi population. There are about 458 subcastes and include communities like Sindhis, Kutchis, Punjabis and Rajputs. They use suffixes as "ja", "ra", "pal" to denote origins. The origin of the suffix came from the time of the Rai dynasty that ruled the Aror Kingdom, centered around present day Rohri. They include many Shikarpuri surnames like Bajaj, Ahuja, Arora, Hinduja, Talreja, Nagpal. etc. Many descendants of Bhatti rajputs using the surname Bhatia and so on. Which brings us to the question if I have someone with the same surname, then are we both related to each other through a common ancestor in the past. The answer is both yes and no. Because there is a distinct possibility of there being more than one person named Pamnandas, Ramchand, Chotranmal etc. Similarly an Advani or a Hinduja could mean any family in that geographical area at the time of the surname's origin. Of course names surnames also keep evolving over time to suit the place where one lives or simply to simplify pronunciation. For example the famous Bollywood producers "Sippy" were originally called "Siphiyani". I visited Mauritius last year I came across a Sindhi supermarket owner called "Jack Ramaney" who was originally called Jaikishan Ramani when he left India 25 years ago. Over time his kids would prefer the more western sounding surname Ramaney I am sure. I have just gone through a smattering of Sindhi surnames. There are literally dozens of links available online for the origin of various Sindhi surnames, from WordPress pages to "Sindhishaan" magazine. I have only selected a few for ease of explanation purposes. Hope that satisfies your curiosity next time you wonder why is there a "ni" or "ja" in my surname. |
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By Ramesh Nanwani About my Art "Art" for me is an expression of my inner thoughts through visual medium. For this, my medium of expression is painting where I use oil colours on Canvas. My earlier subjects of paintings were based on "Dreams" in surrealistic style of paintings. I had been present in Bhopal on fateful day of worlds one of the worst industrial disaster when MIC (Methyl iso cynate) gas was leaked from Union Carbide Bhopal plant on December 3 1984, killing thousands of people . I am witness of Bhopalite running from pillar to post to save their life leaving gas affected area lifeless. Experiencing this, I painted a surrealistic style painting titled "Bhopal 1984" an expression of my own experience. In later years, I choose to explore nature in my own way where I put my conscious effort to paint the moods of nature with rhythm of colours. The lure of nature is always irresistible to show new vistas of surroundings. Using subdued colors submerge within the thick fog, vanishing in the background with the hills and color trees in the foreground creating mystique effect. Now a days I am exploring new digital medium and turned my thoughts of expression to abstract painting. About me Ramesh Nanwani Ex. Assistant General manager (Advt.&P.P) MP State Cooperative Dairy Federation Bhopal Educational qualification - B.Sc., M.A.(Drawings & Painting), Diploma - Fine & Applied Arts, Diploma- Photography Awards -Painting 1. All india Kalidas Art Exhibition Ujjain 2. State art exhibition Raipur 3. All india art exhibition (Photography) South Central zone cultural centre Nagpur Awards-Photography South Central zone cultural centre Founder member of three members artist group "Art-e-Joven" Ujjain Paintings exhibited- Indian Art, New York, USA Group shows of paintings with Art-e-Joven group Jehangir art Gallery - Mumbai Triveni kala sagam- New Delhi Lalit kala Akademi - Chennai Academy of fine arts- Kolkata Bharat bhavan binnale - Bhopal Vidarbha sahitya sabhagrah- Nagpur and award winners exhibition at, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune. Participation in EXHIBITIONS OF M.P. KALA PARISHAD: Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ratlam. Worked under guidance of well known Archeologist & Master Painter, Padmashri Dr. V.S. Wakankar |
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Sadhu Vaswani Center By Komal Kalvani Sadhu Vaswani Center Closter, NJ |
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********** Job Posting We are looking for Sindhi young men to do ware house work. Should be about 35 years old and know about computers and a graduate. Also good mechanics who can fix trucks and vans be able to drive fork lift. Must know English Apply with qualifications to furnitureltdbarbados@gmail.com |
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Diwali By Vini Melwani In the soft glow of Diwali's light,
Diyas aglow, dispelling night.
Laxmi's blessings fill the air,
Love and joy, beyond compare.
Crackling fireworks paint the sky,
Whispers of hope, soaring high.
Sweets and treats, a feast so grand,
Unifying hearts across the land.
Families gather, spirits bright,
Bonds and laughter, pure delight.
Evil defeated, goodness won,
Diwali's story, never undone.
Amidst the cheer and vibrant art,
Kindness reigns in every heart.
Diwali's gleam, a radiant hue,
Spreading love, old and new.
May this festival forever gleam,
A celebration, like a dream.
Happy Diwali to one and all,
May its blessings never fall. |
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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. |
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