Fragrance of Sindhi Community: Reports S - T - U -V - W - X - Y

UTTARAKHAND:

Haridwar: (Jul-Aug 1998)

See Joint Report/Article 2

Rishikesh: (April 2001)

See Joint Report/Article 4

TOUR REPORTS OF SINDHIS STAYING IN UP

Jhansi (U.P.) (1996)

See Joint Report/Article 7

Moradabad (U.P.) :

See Joint Report/Article 7

GORAKHPUR: (1997)

See Joint Report/Article 1

LUCKNOW: (1997)

See Joint Report/Article 1

MATHURA: (Jul-Aug 1998)

See Joint Report/Article 2

MEERUT (U.P.) (Sep 2012)

This city of Western U.P. has total strength of 20 lakhs which includes 125 Sindhi families, out of which only 25% speak in Sindhi language among themselves and the remaining speak in Hindi or Punjabi. Most of thema re engaged in practically all main businesses and small scale industries of the city - such as Sports Industries (cricket bats etc - being second only to Jullundhar city in this field), Brass Band, Scissors, Gur and sugar etc. etc. They have not built any Sindhi Dharamshalla or temple so far. However they have formed one “Meerut Sindhi Samaj” whose patron President is Shri Kishnilal Wadhwa and Secretary is Shri Syamsunder Dialani. They do some social activities such as helping financially in brides (girls) marriages etc. They have celebrated Chetichand annual festival 4 to 5 times so far. They have been also celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday (2^nd October). Since last 17 years (till the year 2010) with cultural programme wherein they have felicitated merit students and arranged “Priti Bhojan” (joint food) among all of them. They have now assured me in the meeting that they will celebrate Chetichand festival of the year 2013 with full fun & fair. The worth seeing tourist places are Ancient Avdharnath Shiva Temple, Jambudweep Jain Temple and Meerut Cantonment, famous Army Unit (Division) (established during the days of freedom fighter Mangal Pandey in 1857 during the course of 1^st war of Indian Independence). This city is also called the city of Ravana’s in Laws.

VARANASI: (1997)

See Joint Report/Article 1

VRINDAVAN: (Jul-Aug 1998)

See Joint Report/Article 2

ALLAHABAD & KANPUR: (January 2001)

(Published in "Chingoon" Sindhi Dtd. 21-05-2001 and "Akhand Sindhu Sansar" Devnagiri dtd. 01-06-2001)

TOUR REPORT OF SINDHIS OF ALLAHABAD & KANPUR, January 2001

(MOHAN G.ROHIRA & BHAGWAN S. BUDHRANI)

On the grand occasion of Maha Kumbh Mela during January 2001, we got the golden opportunity to visit the above famous cities of UTTAR PRADESH & also for getting A to Z information regarding Sindhi Community and to meet the members of the Bharitiya Sindhu Sabha and other sindhi organizations. Meetings were held in each city for over two hours wherein various matters were discussed for cementing the bonds of unity in the community and to preserve our rich and ancient culture and language. Suggestions and information were exchanged frankly. Moreover, Sindhi national and spiritual literature was distributed. There was good enthusiasm and a red carpet hospitality was extended to us too much to be described, which tempts us to visit the Sindhi community in different cities again and again. The report of each city is as under:

1. ALLAHABAD

The population of this city is 30 lacs out of which 10,000 are Sindhis. The city has one Ranjhu Dayali Sindhi dharamshala At Luker Ganj, G.T. Road, Allahabad-1. There are eight Sindhi Panchayats but no Central Panchayat. We had chance to meet two prominent members of BSS (Bhartiya Sindhu Sabha) namely Shri Kishinchand and Jamnadas Valechha. They gave important information regarding Sindhi Community as under : There are five Sindhi Temples in the city. Only 10 percent sindhis speak in sindhi and the rest speak in Hindi. Mostly they are in business and belong to middle class families. There is no Sindhi School in the city. They celebrate CHETICHAND with procession and preeti bhojan. They also celebrate Shaheed HEMU KALANI and SANT KANWARRAM Janam Utsav wherein Sindhi Artists are invited from other cities, CHETICHAND Utsav is also celebrated separately in NAINI which is a suburb of Allahabad.

Two Sindhi Annual Magazines such as "SINDHU SANGAM" and "SINDHU SARITA" are published by BSS. They suggested that sindhi T.V. Channel should be started as they do not get any Sindhi programme on T.V. The other active members of BSS are Shri Dileep Hiranand Madhyan, a coal merchant and Shri. Tekchand Kukreja, Friends Chemist, near Sindhi Dharamshala, Luker Ganj. They also complained that though CHETICHAND was declared holiday throughout U.P. last year but this year the same was not shown in their holidays list for which they were inspired to start strong such movement at state level and they were bound to succeed as previously they had succeeded in establishing UP Sindhi Academy.

P.S.NOTE :- In May 2001 they have also built a statue of Sant Kanwar Ram at Kanwaram Chawk, Luker Ganj (Now Called Jhulelal Nagar).

2. KANPUR

The total population of this industrial city is 40 lacs including 45,000 sindhis who mainly stay in sindhi pockets such as Shastri Nagar Sindhi Colony, Govind Nagar, Swaroop Nagar, Gujani and Daboli. The city has one Sindhi Dharamshala named Lenin Park Sindhi Dharamshala at E- Road. There are Sixteen Panchayats but no central Panchayat. We got chance to meet 13 members of BSS in the meeting. BSS Is very active, their main activities are as under :

(1) Eye camps are conducted every year for the last 17 years. So far they have conducted 3200 eye operations and 30,000 eye examinations.

(2) They also arrange blood camps for last 13 years.

(3) Chetichand is celebrated on a grand scale and a procession is taken out wherein 25,000 persons including local people take preeti bhojan, in co-ordination with other sindhi organizations.

(4) They organize Sneh (Diwali) Milan, cultural programme for children, dish preparation competition and Navratra Garba competition by Mahila Vibhag. They were advised to work unitedly and make tours for whole U.P. Kanpur being their headquarter. There are about 16 Sindhi temples in the city such as those of Sant Kanwar Ram, Jhulelal, Anandpur Saheb, Rajas Sain etc. About 25 percent speak in sindhi and the rest speak in hindi. There is no Sindhi school in the city. Most of them are in business. In addition to CHETTICHAND Mela mentioned above, the other melas such as Chaliho Saheb, Swami Teoram and Sant Kanwar Ram Saheb's varsis and Ram Navmi are also celebrated by all Panchayats along with BSS wherein processions are taken out and preeti bhojan is served to all. One Sindhi magazine "SINDHU JAGRUTI" in hindi language is published from here. They suggested that BSS should put Best efforts to get all the rights (cultural and Political rights with reservation for Sindhis) from Govt. The leaders like Shri L.K. Advani be requested to visit Kanpur city. The B.J.P. Government at U.P. be approached to give due weighage to sindhi community at the state level. They also suggested that Government as well as influential sindhi rich persons like Hindujas be persuaded to start sindhi T.V. Channel for promoting and maintaining sindhi sanskriti, culture and language as they do not get sindhi programmes on T.V.

The main prominent person in Kanpur whom we met is Shri Devidas Arya who stays at Govind Nagar. He is freedom Fighter, and a great social reformer and the President Award winner. He is Arya Samaji and has re-converted many persons into Hindu Religion.

Thus on the whole, it will be seen that though in U.P. the sindhis are more or less well off financially and strive for bringing unity in the community and for preserving the ancient and rich sindhi culture. However, the existence of Sindhi language is at stake as majority of sindhis in U.P. do not speak in sindhi and there is no arrangement for teaching sindhi in Govt. or private schools which is very disturbing, unless some serious efforts are made to reverse the situation.

ETAH: (April 2001)

See Joint Report/Article 4

TOUR REPORTS/ARTICLES OF SINDHIS STAYING IN WEST BENGAL

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KOLKATA (October 2013):

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See Joint Report/Article 9 (Bihar, West Bengal), Kolkata