Sindhi
Total population:	23 million
Significant populations in:	Pakistan
Language:	Sindhi
Religion:	Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism,Christianity
Related ethnic groups:	Punjabis, Gujarati people, Kashmiris, Rajputs,Jats and other Indo-Aryan peoples

Sindhi refers to an Indo-Aryan language speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating in Sindh which is part of present day Pakistan. Sindhis that live in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim, while many Sindhi Hindus emigrated to India when British India was divided in 1947. Sindhi is an Indo-Aryan tongue with an eclectic history not unlike the Sindhis themselves. Some Sindhi speaking people of formerly untouchable castes known as Haris and practising what is generally known as folk Hinduism are still found in rural Pakistan. Image File history File links Sindhi. ... Sindhi (سنڌي، سندھی, सिन्धी) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( (help· info)), submission (to the will of God)) is a monotheistic faith, considered one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Hinduism (Devnāgari: ), also known as Sanatana Dharma () and Vaidika Dharma - ) is a worldwide religious tradition that is based on the Indo-Aryan religion of the Vedas, and is generally regarded as the oldest major religion still practiced in the world today [1]. The term Hinduism is an amorphous concept... The Golden Temple is a sacred shrine for Sikhs Sikhism (Punjabi: , ), is a panentheistic religion based on the teachings of ten Gurus who lived in northern India during the 16th and 17th centuries. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus of Nazareth, known by Christians as Jesus Christ, as recounted in the New Testament. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The Gujarati people, or Gujaratis, are a Gujarati speaking people of mostly Indo-Aryan origin. ... Kashmiri refers to people who ancestrally belong to the region of Kashmir. ... A Rajput (possibly from Sanskrit rāja-putra, son of a king) is a member of a prominent caste who live throughout northern and central India, primarily in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. ... Jats are now preeminently a farming community. ... The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... Sindh (Sind) (Sindhi: سنڌ ;Urdu: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, Muhajirs and various other groups. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... Hinduism (Devnāgari: ), also known as Sanatana Dharma () and Vaidika Dharma - ) is a worldwide religious tradition that is based on the Indo-Aryan religion of the Vedas, and is generally regarded as the oldest major religion still practiced in the world today [1]. The term Hinduism is an amorphous concept... British India (otherwise known as The British Raj) was a historical period during which most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were under the colonial authority of the British Empire (Undivided India). ... Britains holdings on the Indian subcontinent were granted independence in 1947 and 1948, becoming four new independent states: India, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Pakistan (including East Pakistan, modern-day Bangladesh). ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Sindhi (سنڌي، سندھی, सिन्धी) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... Haris is: a traditional name for the star Gamma Boötis a township in East Azarbaijan, Iran This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ...

History

The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh, as other regions of Pakistan, were belived to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages related to Munda languages. Then Dravidians speaking nomads are supposed to have invaded from the Iranian plateau and settled in the Indus valley around 4000 BCE. The Dravidian culture blossomed over the centuries and gave rise to the Indus Valley Civilization of Pakistan around 3000 BCE. The Indus Valley Civilization spanned much of what is today Pakistan, but suddenly went into decline just prior to the invasion of Indo-European tribes from Eastern Europe. The ancient civilization of what came to be known as Harappa and Mohenjodaro both derive their modern location names from the Sindhi language as opposed to the Elamo-Dravidian language of the Indus Valley Civilization which remains undeciphered. In Sindhi, Mooanjo-daro literally translates to "Mound of Dead." A branch of these Aryan invadors called the Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic Civilization that have existed between Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BCE and also infuenced Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in South Asia. Munda Languages are spoken in north east India. ... Dravidian may refer to: in the spiritualistic interpretations: the people who are the drav i. ... The Iranian plateau is major geologic formation in the Middle East and the southern Eurasian Plate. ... The 4000 series is the general classification used to refer to the industry standard integrated circuits which implement a variety of logic functions using CMOS technology. ... Full extent of the civilization. ... (29th century - 30th century - 31st century - other centuries) The 30th century (Gregorian Calendar) comprises the years 2901-3000. ... Full extent of the civilization. ... Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies Indo-European is originally a linguistic term, referring to the Indo-European language family. ... Conception of ancient Harappas Mound E Gateway [1] Harappa is a city in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, located beside a former course of the Ravi River; about 35km southwest of Sahiwal. ... Mohenjo-daro (literally, mound of the dead), like Harappa, was a city of the Indus Valley civilization. ... The Elamo-Dravidian languages are a hypothesised language family which includes the living Dravidian languages of India and Pakistan, in addition to the extinct Elamite language of ancient Elam, in what is now southwestern Iran. ... Full extent of the civilization. ... The Indo-Aryans are the linguistic descendents of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranians. ... The Vedic Civilization is the Indo-Aryan culture associated with the Vedas, the earliest known records of Indian history. ... The Sarasvati River is an ancient river that is mentioned in Hindu texts. ... Early morning on the Ganges The River Ganges (Ganga in Indian languages) (Devanagiri गंगा) is a major river in northern India. ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Full extent of the civilization. ... Composite satellite image of South Asia Map of South Asia. ...

The Sindhi language evolved from the language of Indo-European invadors and a distinct culture emerged in the region. Over time, Sindh developed a multi-cultural society composed of manily Buddhists, Hindus, and other smaller religious and cultural groups. Sindh was often the final stop for Middle Eastern and Central Asian empires such as the Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks and Afghans this gave Sindh a distinct and unique culture even before the arrival of Islam. The site of a great deal of historical activity, Sindh was at the crossroads of civilization sitting at the edge of South Asia. Sindh was also one of the regions to become predominantly Muslim and was part of the earliest Islamic empires of the Abbasids and Umayyids. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in Sindh. The Muslim Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting the millions of native people to Islam. Settled by Turks, Afghans, and Mughals, Sindh continued to evolve as a frontier state and by the time of British involvement was ruled by Balochi kings. In 1947, during the independence from British empire, the majority of Sindhis voted to join the new state of Pakistan. This led to a population exchange as well as communal violence as most Hindu Sindhis, there are over 1.5 million Hindus presently in Sindh, left for India and were replaced by Urdu-speaking Muslims known as Muhajir. Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies Indo-European is originally a linguistic term, referring to the Indo-European language family. ... The Persians of Iran (officially named Persia by West until 1935 while still referred to as Persia by some) are an Iranian people who speak Persian (locally named Fârsi by native speakers) and often refer to themselves as ethnic Iranians as well. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( (help· info)), submission (to the will of God)) is a monotheistic faith, considered one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Composite satellite image of South Asia Map of South Asia. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid (Arabic: العبّاسيّون AbbāsÄ«yÅ«n) was the dynastic name generally given to the caliphs of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Islamic empire, that overthrew the Umayyad caliphs. ... The Umayyad Dynasty (Arabic الأمويون / بنو أمية umawiyy; in Turkish, Emevi) was the first dynasty of caliphs of the Prophet Muhammad who were not closely related to Muhammad himself, though they were of the same Meccan tribe, the Quraish. ... A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic monarch ruling under the terms of shariah. ... Sindh (Sind) (Sindhi: سنڌ ;Urdu: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, Muhajirs and various other groups. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( (help· info)), submission (to the will of God)) is a monotheistic faith, considered one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second-largest religion. ... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... Balochi may refer to: Baloch people Balochi language This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... See Muhajir page for all Muhajir groups in the world Muhajir or Mohajir مهاجر is an important ethnic group in Pakistan. ...

Culture and society

Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan language speaking people who have been modified by mainly Iranian, Turkic, Afghan and indigenous tribal populations over time. As a result of their geographic location and countless invasions and migration, the Sindhis display a wide variety of phenotypes. The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... Turkic peoples are Northern and Central Eurasian peoples who speak languages belonging to the Turkic family, and who, in varying degrees, share certain cultural and historical traits. ...

As regards the composition of the Sindhi population the two main stocks that inhabit Sind are related to, and common, one with the Punjab and another with Balochistan. The majority stock is that of Rajputs and Jats who are the partial descendants of Sakas, Kushans and Huns who also constitute the majority of the population of the Punjab. The title Huna, i.e. Huns, remains in use by some clans and is possibly a reference to this partial ancestral lineage. During Kalhora rule a number of Jat tribes such as the Sials, Joyas and Khawars came from the Punjab and settled in Sindh. They are called Sirai i.e., people from the north, and speak Siraiki, a group that overlaps and is sometimes considerable transitional between the Punjabis and Sindhis. The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Jats are now preeminently a farming community. ... Saka is also the name of a town in Hiroshima, Japan; for information on this town, see Saka, Hiroshima. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... The Huns were a confederation of Eurasian tribes, most likely of diverse origin with a Turkic-speaking aristocracy, who appeared in Europe in the 4th century. ... The Huns were a confederation of Eurasian tribes, most likely of diverse origin with a Turkic-speaking aristocracy, who appeared in Europe in the 4th century. ... Kalhora dynasty ruled Sindh province of Pakistan from 1701 to 1783 AD. Kalhoras ruled Sindh for 85 years and there were twelve Kalhora rulers during this time. ... The Jatt people live in northern India, in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and are also scattered in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, & Kashmir. ... Viewed historically or developmentally, a tribe consists of a social formation existing before the development of, or outside of, states. ... Johiya is a gotra or clan of Jats found in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. ... Saraiki is an old language spoken in central Pakistan. ...

The two main Rajput tribes of Sind are: the Samma, a branch of the Yadav Rajputs who inhabit the eastern and lower Sind and Bahawalpur; and the Sumra who, according to the 1907 edition of the Gazetteer are a branch of the Parwar Rajputs. Among others are the Bhuttos, Bhattis, Buriros, Lakha, Sahetas, Lohanas, Mohano, Dahars, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, Rathors, Dakhan, Langah etc. The Mohano tribe is spread over Makran, Sind and southern Punjab. They are also identified with the 'Mallah' of the Punjab and both have in common a sub-section called Manjari. All of these Sindhi tribes are known under the common nomenclature of Sammat and includes both Muslim and Hindu Sindhis. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Samma dynasty ruled in Sindh and parts of Punjab and Balochistan from 1351-1551 A.D. The Samma dynasty declined and was replaced by Arghun Dynasty. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bahawalpur is a city of Pakistan (1998 pop. ... Bhutto may refer to: Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (Also spelled Bhuto) was former Pakistani Prime Minister, deposed by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1970s. ... Bhatti is a chandravanshi rajput clan and is one of the largest tribes of Rajputs, and also is a tribe of Jats. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Rathore or Rathor are a Rajput clan from western Rajasthan in India. ... Makran is the southern region of Balochistan, in Iran and Pakistan along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... A Hindu (archaic Hindoo), as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of the Indian subcontinent and the island of Bali. ...

The smaller stock is that of Balochi tribes settled in various parts of Sind mostly during the last five hundred years or so. Since they were martial people and ruled over Sindh for some time before the arrival of the British, they acquired vast lands in the province with the result that a large number of present-day Sindhi landlords are of Baloch origin. According to the 1941 census, which was the last one held before independence, Balochis formed 23% of the total Muslim population of Sindh. Among the Balochi tribes inhabiting Sind are the Rind, Behrani, Dombki, Jakharani, Leghari, Lashari, Chandio, Karmati, Korai, Jatoi, Burdi, Khosa, Jamali, Umrani, Bugti, Marri, Mazari, Talpur, Brohi, Nizamani, Buledhi, Karrani, Bozdar, Nukharni, Rahu and Magsi. These tribes are spread over Balochistan, Sindh and the south-western districts of the Punjab. This group is almost entirely Muslim. Balochi may refer to: Baloch people Balochi language This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Viewed historically or developmentally, a tribe consists of a social formation existing before the development of, or outside of, states. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... In botany, a rind is the thick outer skin of various structures such as fruit. ... Jakhar is a gotra (lineage name) found in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and in particular Rajasthan. ... Chandio is the name of a tribe. ... The Jatt people live in northern India, in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and are also scattered in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, & Kashmir. ...

A third sub-stock of the Sindhi population comprises the partial descendants (or claimants) of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were mainly Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals). They are a small minority settled in cities and towns and have largely blended with the other components of the population and yet maintain something of a sub-culture and are often referred to as Ashraf or the noble descendents of Muslim immigrants with a certain degree of prestige in society. Of this third element, Muslim Arabs have possibly contributed the most to the development of the modern Sindhi language and literature and to the advancement of its intellectual and cultural activities.

Another group of people who are largely overlooked in any discussions about groups and culture of Sindh are Haris a name derived from the term Harijan formerly used to describe Dalit people of India. These people are generally believed to be the descendants of indigenous populations that were enslaved by various invading people. Many are still living under abject poverty and in slave like conditions in rural Sindh, inspite of many efforts by the government to improve the situation [1]. Some are nominally Hindus where as others have converted to Islam and moved on as artisans and wage laborers. Haris is: a traditional name for the star Gamma Boötis a township in East Azarbaijan, Iran This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ... In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ... Dalit may have the following meanings. ...

The last group of immigrants are the Urdu speaking Muhajirs. See Muhajir page for all Muhajir groups in the world Muhajir or Mohajir مهاجر is an important ethnic group in Pakistan. ...

Islamic Sindhi culture is a combination of Islamic traditions and local traditions with variances that include an adherance to a Muslim diet, i.e. Halal. Sindhi culture also absorbed considerable Arab cultural influence as well as that of the Iranian Baloch who still comprise a significant minority that have assimilated well with the Sindhis. Sindh is home to the Hindus who have remained in Pakistan as well as other religious groups such as Parsis. Muslim Sindhis tend to follow the Sunni sect, but Shia Muslims are a substantial minority. Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... Halaal (Arabic: حلال , also sometimes spelled halal) is the Islamic term for permissible, similar to the Jewish kosher. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب Ê»arab) are a large and heterogeneous ethnic group found throughout the Middle East and North Africa, originating in the Arabian Peninsula of southwest Asia. ... The Baloch (بلوچ alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush et al. ... a person from Pars (the middle-Persian word for Fars), a region now within the geographical boundaries of Iran, and is roughly the original homeland of the Persian people. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ...

Sindhi women in Pakistan are still very traditional overall, but many wear very colorful clothes, while donning a 'chadore' on their heads; men traditionally wear white and/or blue clothes and sometimes wear turbans or a traditional Sindhi cap on their heads. This, however, has changed in cities where some more devout women can be seen wearing the hijab, while the shalwar kameez and Western clothing have become common for men. Hijab (Arabic: حجاب) is the Arabic term for barrier or dressing modestly. ...

Sindhis usually flourish in business particularly that of cloth and textiles. Many also work in agriculture and manufacturing jobs. Literacy remains low but is improving for Sindhis. Less than 50% of Sindhis are illiterate, in Pakistan.

Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim names, but sometimes with localized variations, while most Hindu Sindhis are identifiable by the "ani" at the end their last names like Bharwani and Vaswani. Some famous Sindhis include the Bhutto family, who are a Sindhi political dynasty in Pakistan, and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai who was a writer of Sindhi poetry. Bhutto may refer to: Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (Also spelled Bhuto) was former Pakistani Prime Minister, deposed by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1970s. ... Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689 - 1752), was a great Sufi scholar and saint, and is considered as the greatest ever poet in the Sindhi language. ...

External links

• Bonded Haris of Sindh

See also

• Sindhi
• Pakistan
• India