Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who speak the Sindhi language and are native to the Sindh province of Pakistan. The historical homeland of Sindhis is bordered by the southeastern part of Balochistan, the Bahawalpur region of Punjab and the Kutch region of Gujarat. Having been isolated throughout history, unlike its neighbours, Sindhi culture has preserved its own uniqueness.
Alghoza also called Beenon is a paired woodwind traditional musical instrument of Sindhi culture, also used by Kutchi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Rajasthani and baloch folk musicians. It consists of two joined beak flutes, one for melody, the second for drone. The flutes are either tied together or may be held together loosely with the hands. A continuous flow of air is necessary as the player blows into the two flutes simultaneously. The quick recapturing of breath on each beat creates a bouncing, swinging rhythm. The wooden instrument initially comprised two flute pipes of the same length but over time, one of them was shortened for sound purposes. In the world of Alghoza playing, the two flute pipes are a couple — the longer one is the male and the shorter one the female instrument. With the use of beeswax, the instrument can be scaled to any tune.
Shah Jo Risalo is a book of poems of the Sindhi Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Shah Abdul Latif's poetry was transmitted orally during his lifetime and compiled after his death and designated as Shah Jo Risalo or Poetry of Shah.
Sindhi folk music is traditional folk music and singing from Sindh, which is sung and generally performed in 5 genres that originated in Sindh, the first genre "Bait" styles. The Bait style is vocal music in Sanhoon and Graham. Second style "Waee" instrumental music is performed in a variety of ways using a string instrument. Waee, also known as Kafi, other folk genres of Sindhi music are Lada/Sehra/Geech, Dhammal, Dohiraa, Bhagat, Kalaam, Classical, Molood, Osira/Paar etc. Today other modern genres are also being introduced.
Momal Rano or Mumal Rano is a romantic tale of Momal and Rano from the Sindhi folklore and Rajasthani folklore. It is a multifaceted story that entails adventure, magic, schemes, beauty, love, ordeals of separation, and above all romantic tragedy.
Umar Marvi is a folktale story from Sindh, Pakistan about a village girl Marvi, who resists the overtures of a powerful King and the temptation to live in the palace as a queen, preferring to be in a simple rural environment with her own village folk. It dates back to the 14th century
Coke Studio Pakistan is a Pakistani television programme and a part of the international music franchise, Coke Studio, which features studio-recorded music performances by established and emerging artists. It is the longest-running annual television music show in Pakistan, airing annually since 2008. The programme's concept originated in Brazil and has subsequently expanded its reach worldwide.
Seven Queens is a name commonly used for referring to the seven female characters that appear in the poetry book Shah Jo Risalo of the Sindhi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. They include:
Sufism in Sindh covers the tradition of Sufism in Sindh, which is reputed to be an area of mystics. Sindh is famous for the enormous number of saints and mystics who lived there and preached peace and brotherhood. According to popular legend, 125,000 of them are buried on Makli Hill near Thatta. There is an abundance of Sufi literature produced in Sindh throughout history.
Dastkari is the debut album by Pakistani band Sufi/Folk/Rock band The Sketches, released on February 5, 2010.
"Meena" is a 2014 Sindhi language single by Pakistani sufi rock band The Sketches. It was released on April 16, 2014 in Pakistan as a digital download. It is an educational-inspired song about the journey of a girl with her doll (Meena) to the school. It deals with the social issue of education in Sindh. The song was written by Ishaq Samejo, and produced and composed by Saif Samejo.
Mai Dhai is a Pakistani classical singer hailing from Tharparkar, Sindh. She formed a folk-band called Mai Dhai Band composed of Jamal Shab, a harmonium player and dhol player, Muhammad Fakir. Mai and her band has performed in US at SXSW Music 2015, where her music style was met with extravagant positive response. She rose to prominence on national television after appearing as a featured artist in eight season of music series Coke Studio.
The Sketches is a Sufi folk rock band from Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan, created by young musician Saif Samejo. "Sindhi melody is very charming; there is enormous flexibility of words" says Saif Samejo. Their motherland has always been a major inspiration which is portrayed in their work. The love for their language and culture is aimed to bring back the departed old identity and to produce quality work in order to sensitize the world in general and the youth in specific about the grace of Sindhi language.
Moomal Rano previously titled Mohabbat Ki Aakhri Kahani is a Pakistani short film directed by Siraj-ul-Haque. It has Ahsan Khan and Saba Qamar as lead roles and is written by Zafar Meraj. The short film is being produced by Zee TV Production as part of the Zeal For Unity festival.
Sindh Literature Festival is an annual international literary festival organized by Sindh Literary Foundation. It is one of the largest and fastest growing literary festival in Pakistan. SLF celebrates the power of words, culture, music, and the teachings of peace and tolerance. The purpose is to highlight that Sindh boasts rich and vibrant cultures and traditions and gives a different flavor to the province. It aims to provide a venue for established and emerging writers to meet with their readers and engage with fans. Literary and cultural traditions of the province are being celebrated at the three-day event.
The Thari also known as the Dhatti are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who reside in the Thar Desert, which is divided between Pakistan and India. They speak Thari, also known as Dhatki language. Thari is also a geographical term, it refers to anything which belong or come from Thar desert. The Thari people live primarily in Tharparkar district of Sindh in Pakistan. In India, Thari speakers are found in western parts of Rajasthan.
Natasha Baig, also spelled Nata-sha Baig is a Pakistani singer-songwriter from Hunza Valley. She sings in various genres including Sufi rock and had her latest hit with the Burushaski language song "Ya Maula" in collaboration with the designer Yousuf B. Qureshi.
Mai Allah Wassai was a famous and popular folk and light classical Sindhi singer of Sindh, Pakistan.
Indus Blues is a 2018 Pakistani documentary film produced and directed by filmmaker Jawad Sharif. The film is about the dying folk and classical musical instruments of Pakistan and the struggle of musicians and craftsmen to keep their art alive. The film was premiered in August 2018 at Regina International Film Festival in Canada and nominated for the Best International Documentary Film Award. The official trailer was released in October 2018 in Pakistan.
