The term “Hindu” originates from the Sanskrit word “Sindhu,” which referred to the river Indus in the ancient Indian subcontinent. Over time, “Sindhu” became “Hindu” in Persian, and then “Hindu” was adopted by various cultures and languages to refer to the people living in the region around the river Indus.
Hindu is not a religion, first this word was used by Iranians for Sindhis; Then the word became Indos in Greek; The British read it Indus; From that the word India was formed.
Born on 23rd March in Mumbai, Asha Chand is a versatile personality, excelling as a publisher, music producer, TV producer, and organizer of social events. She is the daughter of renowned Sindhi language writers, A.G. Uttam and Sundri Uttamchandani.
Asha Chand has been instrumental in advancing the cause of the Sindhi language. She notably created a CD titled “Acho Ta Sindhi Sikhoon,” which has garnered popularity among Sindhi families both in India and internationally. Moreover, she produced a video documentary named “Sindhi Sahit Ji Ttimoorti,” which celebrates the writers pivotal to the inclusion of the Sindhi language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution. This documentary was launched in 2000.
In her capacity as a TV producer, Asha Chand has helmed the production of over 25 Sindhi telefilms and tele-serials, which have been aired on platforms such as Doordarshan in India and KTN in Sindh. She has also brought to light the unpublished works of her mother, Sundri Uttamchandani.
Additionally, Asha Chand is recognized for her unwavering commitment to organizing various events that aim to foster the Sindhi language, culture, and music.
A Pakistani student at Cornell University has translated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Sindhi language. The full text and audio versions of the Sindhi translation is now available on the United Nations website.
The Indus civilisation lived across South Asia from 2600-1900 BC Artefacts, such as jewellery, have been found, but not a single weapon There is little evidence of a government, royalty or any other leader Some experts have said it is impossible for Indus to have lived in this way But until the Indus scripture has been translated, it is difficult to know
Many believe the idea of a utopian society is an impossible fantasy.
But there may have been one mysterious, ancient group of people that was able to fulfil the dream of life without conflict or rulers.
Remains of the Indus civilisation, which flourished from 2600 to 1900 BC, show no clear signs of weapons, war or inequality.
This is according to Andrew Robinson. the author of ‘The Indus: Lost civilisations’, who has written an in-depth piece in the New Scientist.
‘All signs point to a prosperous and advanced society – one of history’s greatest,’ he writes.
The Indus Empire stretched over more than a million square miles across the plains of the Indus River from the Arabian Sea to the Ganges, over what is now Pakistan, northwest India and eastern Afghanistan.
KOLKATA: It may be time to rewrite history textbooks. Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have uncovered evidence that the Indus Valley Civilisation is at least 8,000 years old, and not just 5,500 years old. It took root well before the Egyptian (7,000 BC to 3,000 BC) and Mesopotamian (6,500 BC to 3,100 BC) civilisations. What’s more, the researchers have found evidence of a pre-Harappan civilisation that existed for at least 1,000 years before this.
The discovery, published in the prestigious Nature journal on May 25, may force a global rethink on the timelines of the so-called ‘cradles of civilisation’. The scientists believe they also know why the civilisation ended about 3,000 years ago: climate change.
“We have recovered perhaps the oldest pottery from the civilisation. We used a technique called ‘optically stimulated luminescence’ to date pottery shards of the Early Mature Harappan time to nearly 6,000 years ago and the cultural levels of pre-Harappan Hakra phase as far back as 8,000 years,” said Anindya Sarkar, head of the department of geology and geophysics at IIT-Kharagpur.
Read more » DAWN See more » http://www.dawn.com/news/1261513
NEW DELHI: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has established a Sindhi chair for promotion of research in the language and will soon be offering certificate courses. The varsity had earlier this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language (NCPSL) under the aegis of HRD Ministry to establish the Sindhi Chair at IGNOU headquarters in the capital.
Read more » The Economic Times See more » http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/ignou-gets-a-sindhi-chair-to-launch-certificate-courses-soon/articleshow/49597797.cms
Collaborative jam at Pozo Hondo, a farm house near Austin Texas. Beautiful place with beautiful people and lovely music! Thanks to Jeremy of found sound nation and US Department of State for making it happen.
Sindhi speaking people of India, migrated from the Sindh province of undivided India, after the partition on 14th August 1947.
The Sindh, gave the name Hind to the Nation. The archeological excavation of Mohan-Jo-Daro in Sindh, proved that Indus valley civilization was the oldest civilization of more than seven thousand years old, making India feel proud, among the community of World civilizations. But merely 67 years after partition, the same Sindh province has been forgotten completely. Most of the present Politicians and Administrators in Central government & the governments in provinces in the age group of 40-60 years, hear the word ‘SINDH’, only when the National Anthem is played on ceremonial occasions. They are therefore not aware of the betrayals, discriminations and injustices faced by Sindh and its people. To put the issue of Sindhi Linguistic state in proper perspective, following historical facts are being introduced:-
Punta Arenas, Chile, is one of the southern-most cities in the world. There was a time when every ship crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Straits of Magellan or around Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) halted there. Continue reading Sindhis of Chile→
KARACHI: More than 1,000 historical sites in Sindh have been painstakingly documented and made part of an electronic database, which was handed over to the Sindh government at a ceremony on Tuesday.
This dictionary was published in book form by Sindhi Language Authority, compiled by: Mr. Ameen Laghari. The basic motive of this dictionary is to deliver simple translation of Print Technology terms, day to day most used words and phrases as a helping tool to the Sindhi students of Mass Communications & Journalism. Looking the importance of this helpful dictionary SLA has aimed to develop this App for students of Mass communications, journalism and also for professionals of related fields. Main features: • More than 4375 words, phrases and terms of Mass Communications. • Simple and easy meaning of the words from English to Sindhi. • Updated with current phrases of related technology • Bookmarking and History of search facility for easily reach of recently checked words. Technical Features: • Quick search facility while you type. • Developed on Updated programming and script. • No need of internet, app will run offline after installation. • App will not access your own personal data. • Lightweight & user friendly The dictionary is the helping tool of the students, teachers and communication related professionals in better understanding the phrases, words and traditional language of Mass Communications field.
Disney India and Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Pvt. Ltd (AGPPL) are to collaborate on Mohenjo Daro.
Directed by Gowariker, the film will star Hrithik Roshan and new comer Pooja Hegde in an epic adventure love story set at the time of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Mohenjo Daro, meaning Mound of the Dead in Sindhi, is a lost civilization that was abandoned in 19th century BCE. The city’s ruins lie in the Larkana district of Sindh, and are a designated Unesco World Heritage Site since 1980.
Given the settings, the movie is likely to be a sweeping historical extravaganza, along the lines of Jodhaa Akbar and Lagaan, the former also an association between UTV Motion Pictures (aka Disney India), while the latter an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film; both movies were critical and box-office hits.
According to a press release, Disney India Producer Sunita Gowariker said, “There has always been a natural creative synergy between UTV and AGPPL in our previous movies. This time through our collaboration with Disney we’ll have an even greater focus on entertaining families”.
“After Jodhaa Akbar, we are thrilled to work with Ashutosh and Hrithik again, and we are excited about bringing another wonderful Indian story to the big screen,” said Amrita Pandey, VP and Head of Marketing & Distribution, Disney Studios, India.
Mohenjo Daro is set to go into production in South Africa from October 2014.
The Folklore and Literature Project, the forty-two-volume Sindhi folklore collection compiled by the scholar, philologist, and folklorist Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch (1917–2011) and published by the Sindhi Adabi Board, is one of the great treasures of world heritage. This literature spans the historic land of Sindh, home to the Indus Valley Civilization (3300–1300 BCE), situated in present-day Pakistan. It is likely that in the folktales preserved in the Sindhi language, we can find the structures and traces of the earliest stories from the Indus Valley Civilization
Baloch divided this literature into several broad categories: “Fables and fairy-tales; pseudo-historical romances; tales of historical nature; folk-poetry; folk songs; marriage songs; poems pertaining to wars and other events; riddles; proverbs; wit and humor; and folk customs.” Of this collection, seven volumes were dedicated to folktales: The Tales of Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses (vol. 21), Tales of Kings, Viziers, and Merchants (vol. 22), Tales of Fairies, Giants, Magicians, and Witches (vol. 23), Tales of Kings, Money-lenders, Wise-Men, Thugs, and the Common People (vol. 24), Children’s Tales (vol. 25), Fables of Animals and Birds (vol. 26), and Even More Folktales (vol. 27).
Collected from both the oral tradition of the villagers and written records, the stories were gathered and compiled over five years from 1957 to 1961. A network of field workers stationed in each district transcribed the folktales from the oral accounts of villagers in different parts of Sindh. The field workers were instructed to transcribe the tales exactly as they heard them. At the compilation stage, different versions of the same tale were compared, the variants noted, and a final version prepared for publication. Where only a single version for a folktale was found, it was retained with minimum verbal modification necessary to make it readable.
Thanks to A. R. Rehman. Sindhi Sufi song “Moonkhy Takht Chhadayo” in Bollywood movie “Highway”. Music: Yash Raj. – – Sindhi the language of love and universal peace.
‘Sindhi’s should be exempted from visa for visiting Pakistan’
INDORE: Sindhi community on Sunday demanded that Sindhis of India and Pakistan should be exempted from getting visa for visiting each others’ countries.
The demand was raised on the third and last day of International Sindhi Conference in Indore. They urged the governments to relax visa rules so that Sindhis can visit Shindh, the place of their origin and come back after visiting their family members and relatives.
International Sindhi Community president Manohar Dev said demands were raised during the open session of the conference. He added that community has also appealed to the government of India to simplify the process of giving citizenship to people who come to India from Sindh Province of Pakistan. “There should be single-window system for giving citizenship to people who come to India from Sindh,” said Dev.
Secretary of the conference and city BJP president Shankar Lalwani said seats should be reserved for the community in Parliament and assembly so that they get a proper representation.
You have enable Sindhi and replace default keyboard with multiling that you just installed, it also comes dictionary that means it starts to give you suggestions during the typing that means you have save time by selecting the suggested word instead of typing it. Now we text each other in Sindhi, which is interesting exercise as well as fun.
The India Club in Oud Metha on Sunday evening saw the launch of the second edition of his autobiography called Taking the High Road by Indian tycoon Dr Ram Buxani.
Buxani started working in Dubai some five decades ago. Back then he made Dh8 (125 Indian rupees) a month at ITL and today, he is a 50 per cent shareholder in the same group.
In his speech, besides thanking his well-wishers, the 72-year-old Sindhi-speaker talked about the difficulties he faced on his way up.
“Our (UAE) Rulers have a rare art of sailing through difficult times,” Buxani said.
“This decade has brought me on a unique pedestal which I had never dreamt of… Murij Manghnani and I have been associates for 54 years and I am thankful to God, friends and associates for this association,” he said.
“The company itself is completing 60 years this year. I am indeed grateful to Murij Manghnani for his constant guidance and pray that it remains with us for a long time.”
Indian Ambassador M. K. Lokesh was among the guests during the book launch. “The success and contribution of the Indian community in the region must be told as all such stories everywhere in the world,” Lokesh said.
Buxani is chairman of the India Club, Dubai. He was also chairman of Indian High School, Dubai, from 2000 to 2004.
He is also a board member of Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs in Dubai.
Buxani was generous in his acknowledgement of his family support. He made special mention of his wife Veena, and spoke of the empty-nest syndrome as well: “Living without children at home gives rare sad feelings and realisation as to how a house can be without kids.
When we marry, we often like to have a honeymoon period without anyone around. But after a couple of decades we start liking having everyone around us and that becomes the honeymoon. That’s what we have started missing”.
The proceeds from the sales of the book, priced at Dh90, will go towards Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs.
Aid cut to Pakistan won’t be in US interest: Kerry
During the hearing Congressman Brad Sherman urged the Secretary of State for broadcasting the service of the Voice of America in Sindhi language.
“There’s probably no more important country than Pakistan and nothing more important than our public outreach to the Pakistani people, yet we’re broadcasting only in Urdu. This committee voted overwhelmingly that we should spend a million and a half dollars broadcasting in the Sindhi language,” he said.
Washington: Hon. Congressman Brad Sherman continues to advocate on behalf of Sindhis across the world. At House Committee on Foreign Affairs Hearing, Congressman Sherman spoke with Secretary John Kerry about the need for a Sindhi Voice of America program. You can hear his remarks here starting at the 0:26 mark. SAPAC is immensely grateful for Congressman Sherman’s dedication to the Sindhi people.
Tributes paid to all the Martyrs of Sindh on the Anniversary of Bashir Qureshi
Los Angeles, CA [Press Release] April 7th, 2013**,* Several activists from different parts of Southern California gathered on Sunday the April 7th in local restaurant to commemorate the anniversary of *Bashir Qureshi*, a Sindh leader
who was poisoned to death on the same day a year ago. In last few years Sindh political and civil society leaders have been targeted by the security establishment and by the fascists groups in Karachi.
This event was organized by World Sindhi Congress, a human rights advocacy, based in UK and USA. Participants paid tribute to *Muzafar Bhutto*, *Ghazala Siddiqui, Rooplo Choliyani, Sirai Qurban Khawar, Parveen Rehman, Noorullah Tunio, *and *Samiullah Kalhoro.*
“While world is reading about the terrorism inflicted by Islamic militants upon Shias and other civilian population, the Indigenous people of Sindh and Balochistan are facing terrorism from other parties, the targeted killings of our leaders and workers by the security agencies and fascist groups in Karachi,” said Dr. Saghir Shaikh, the member executive committee World Sindhi Congress. “Fascists groups even did not spare our women leaders, Ghazala Siddiqui and Parveen Rehman,” further said Shaikh.
Amongst others who attended include Malik Dino Shaikh of WSC, Rahman Kakepoto of WSC and also a President of G M Syed Memorial Committee, Sani Panwhar and Bashir Mahar of Sindhi Association of North America, Sobhya Agha, an activist from Sindh Pakistan, Venus Shaikh, Suniti Kakepoto, Susanna Shaikh, Jaffar Shah and Benazir Shaikh of International Sindhi Women’s Organization (ISWO). Sobhya Agha conducted the program, Mr Kakepoto
introduced the activities and mission of World Sindhi Congress, Mr. Malik Shaikh offered the vote of thanks to all the participants.
On platform of the WSC we shall continue to inform the international community about the on-going atrocities on Sindhi people and to raise the issue of targeted killings and forced disappearances at the UN forums, said Mr. Kakepoto of WSC.
The Sindhi [Secular] Sufi Music Festival this weekend focuses on an example of shared heritage of India and Pakistan
The Delhi Government has become known for promoting art and culture with a number of festivals throughout the year. To brighten up this weekend is the Sindhi Sufi Music Festival organised by the Department of Art, Culture and Languages. Here, singers from India and Pakistan come together to sing Sufi compositions.
Two leading singers from Pakistan — Sanam Marvi and Tufail Sanjrani — will join their Indian counterparts — Ghansham Vaswani, Kajal Chandiramani and Uma Lalla — to showcase the shared culture of Sindhis through the poetry of Sufis like Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Kathak dancer Namrata Pamnani will also perform at the festival. March 16 and 17, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) from 5 p.m.
The linguistic issue has been haunting Pakistan since its very beginning. The grave error was made by none other than the founder of the country Quaid-e-Azam M.A. Jinnah himself by declaring Urdu as the national language before a very charged Bengali audience in Dhaka. Ignoring all the native languages over an alien language to the newly formed realm of Pakistan. He and the rulers after him failed to comprehend the very strong Bengali sentiment and other ethnicities sentiments for their mother tongues and their cultural affinities. The edifice which was built on wrong foundations only made further divisions with the time. Instead of heeding to the demands for rightful status of native languages, the biased and visionless rulers of the newborn country were aiming to appease the Indians who were considering Urdu to be just an alias of their Hindi language with a different script. With this background a sane voice was made aloud.
In 1999 UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day.
On 9th February 1951, Sir Sultan Agha Khan while addressing a session of Motamer al-Alam-al-Islamiyya in Karachi, said ‘’Your choice in Pakistan of Urdu will in no way ameliorate or help your relations with your neighbour, nor will it help the Muslim minorities there in any conceivable way. Howsoever you may add Arabic and Persian words to Urdu, there is no denying the fact that the syntax, the form, the fundamentals of the language are derived from Hindi and not from Arabic.’’
He further argued: ‘’Is it a natural and national language of the present population of Pakistan? Is it the language of Bengal where the majority of Muslims live? Is it what you hear in the streets of Dacca or Chittagong? Is it the language of the North West Frontier? Is it the language of Sindh? Is it the language of the Punjab? Certainly after the fall of the Moghal Empire, the Muslims and Hindus of certain areas found in it a common bond. But now today other forms of bridges must be found for mutual understanding.’’
Pointing to its history Sir Agha Khan said: ‘’Who were the creators of Urdu? What are the origins of Urdu? Where did it come from? The camp followers, the vast Hindi-speaking population attached to the Imperial Court who adapted, as they went along, more Arabic and Persian words into the syntax of their own language just as in later days the English words such as glass and cup became part of a new form of Urdu called Hindustani. Are you going to make the language of the Camp, or of the Court, the national language of your new-born realm?’’
The Agha Khan’s advice fell on deaf ears and visionless rulers who were unable to take its notice. However the language movement in Bengal grew steadily. Instead of correcting the policy the government outlawed the protests and resorted to violence in Bengal. It was 21 February, 1952 when the peaceful protesters in Dhaka University were fired upon resulting in numerous killings. The sacrifices made by Dhaka University students became an icon not only for the Bengali language but also for the disadvantaged languages of the whole world with the passage of time. The February 21, was ultimately proclaimed to be as the International Mother Language Day in November 1999 by UN.
The day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. Learning from the 21 February 1952 incident in Dhaka, the world made it a point to ameliorate the linguistic problems globally, whereas in Pakistan the situation went worse with the time and lead to disaster after disaster, the biggest one world witnessed was on 16 December 1971 in the breakup of the country.
In Sindh where Sindhi language was in very well advanced position as compared to other languages of West Pakistan suffered the most. Long before the partition, Sindhi was the official language and medium of education. Historically very rich and having literally dynamic traditions. These were the very reasons Sindhi was targeted ruthlessly as soon as Pakistan came to being. Its cities which were booming with cultural and economic activities were vacated through state sponsored violence and imposing black laws. City of Karachi was detached from Sindh. Capital of Sindh was shifted to Hyderabad.
Hundreds of Sindhi medium schools were closed, its use in offices and courts was banned, radio Pakistan stopped broadcasting Sindhi music and other programmes in Sindhi etc. Then came the one unit in 1955 when Sindhi was completely declared an outcaste. Sindhi literary activities and publications were declared anti state. Even postal letters bearing word Sindh were not delivered. Sindh striked back and reacted with extreme anger and full vigour in 1960s, by abruptly challenging the multiple socio-cultural, linguistic, political and economic blows and shocks of last two decades. Resulting in the birth and rapid rise of modern Sindhi patriotism.
The linguistic issue in Pakistan has been intricately knotted with the cultural, socio economic and democratic rights of the people. Languages bring people closer and bring about socio economic and political harmony. This natural cementing element was callously suppressed to serve and to further the vested interest of an insignificant alien minority. Without acknowledging linguistic rights economic, political and human rights are inconceivable. Under the cover of making Urdu as so called national language the jobs, politico-economic and cultural rights were usurped with a trickery and fraud by this well established and experienced clique. The struggle continued against these excesses by the deprived and excluded sections of masses. One Unit was undone. Bengalis achieved independence at the cost of massive human tragedy.
[“Language is as old as the Humanity and Civilisation itself. The Cradle of Civilisation which is my Motherland, Sindh, has always had its OWN sweet language and culture! Sindhi is a glorious, grand and secular sufi NATION and Sindhi is the bright, brilliant and sweet language of mother Sindh! Please ‘n kindly – I urge, I implore ye, O Sindhis, to speak, read and write in our Mother Language, SINDHI!” — Dr. Ahmed Makhdoom]
Watayo Faqeer is a Sindhi folk story character. On a very cold night his mother said: “Wataya! You are close to God. It’s very cold tonight, can’t you ask God to spare a little bit of fire from hell to keep poor people like us warm here?” Said Watayo; “Amma [Mother], There is no fire in hell. Everyone has to bring his own.”
India: Chhattisgarh: Thanking Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh for according him with status equivalent to a State Minister, Chhattisgarh Sindhi Sahitya Academy President Murlidhar Makhija has requested the State Government to include Sindhi language as one of the subjects for the competitive examinations including Public Service Commission (PSC).
Addressing a press conference at Raipur Press Club, Makhija informed that Sindhi language has been approved by the constitution of India in schedule 8 and it allows the candidate to compete for IAS, PCS and other exams in Sindhi as well. Therefore, he proposed the Chief Minister to include the subject in syllabus of PSC exams too. He also requested State Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal to include Sindhi as an optional paper in Chhattisgarh Madhyamik Shiksha Mandal so that students would have an opportunity to learn the language.During the conference, Makhija expressed his concern for the great personalities from Sindhi society like Vir Shaheed Hemu Kaladi, Sant Kavar Ram, Sai Jhulelal and Maharaja Dahirsen.
Sindhi Kachhi TV, Adipur (Gandhidham), India ask your cable operator satellite insat2e 83e, you will love Classic Sindhi Music, they also teach Sindhi language.
Today, the Sun did not rise! Today, the Moon too went mourning! Today, the stars ceased to twinkle! Today, Maestro who refurbished with longing and yearning the souls of the seekers of Truth has passed away! Pandit Ravi Shankar jee has reinvented and rejuvenated Raaggu Sindhi Bhairvee.
اَڄُ نَہ اوطاقُن ۾؍ سي طالِبَ تَنواريِن؍
(شاھُ ڀِٽاٸيؒ)
“Acju na otaaqun mein, sei taliba tanwaareen”
(Shah Bhittai)
“Alas! Worthy devotees found not in courtyards today”
(Shah Bhittai: Translated by Ahmed Makhdoom)
Such GREATS are born once in a lifetime! All lovers of Raaggs and Kalaams and Classical music will forever miss the MAGIC of Maestro Ravi Shankar. May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace!
Sitar is an instrument which really perplexes most Westerners. Using this musical instrumeny, Ravi Shankar helped connect the world through music. The sitar virtuoso hobnobbed with the Beatles, became a hippie musical icon and spearheaded the first rock benefit concert as he introduced traditional Indian ragas to Western audiences over nearly a century.
“Preima akharu paarrhei, SatiGura manu seetal kayo” (Saamee)
“Taught me lessons of love assiduously,
True Master enlightened my soul graciously”
(Saamee Chanrai: Translated by Ahmed Makhdoom)
Ravi Shankar was the legendary Indian instrument ‘sitar’ maestro and composer. He was most esteemed musical Ambassador and a singular phenomenon in the classical music worlds of East and West.
“Ravi Shankar has brought me a precious gift and through him I have added a new dimension to my experience of music. To me, his genius and his humanity can only be compared to that of Mozart’s.” (Yehudi Menuhin)
Listen and be enamoured, enriched and enlightened by the super rendition of Sindhi Bhairavee by the great Maestro here….
Pandit Ravi Shankar jee was always ahead of his time. He has written three concertos for sitar and orchestra, last one of which in 2008. He has also authored violin-sitar compositions for the world renowned Maestro, Yehudi Menuhin and himself, music for flute virtuoso Jean Pierre Rampal, music for Hosan Yamamoto, master of the Shakuhachi and Musumi Miyashita – Koto virtuoso, and has collaborated with Phillip Glass (Passages).
آديسي اُٿي ويا؍ مَڑھيۇن مۇن ماريِن؍
(شاھُ ڀِٽاٸيؒ)
“Aadeisee uthee wayaa, marrhiyuun muun mareen”
(Shah Bhittai)
“Noble disciples gone forever, their solemn absence does slay”
(Shah Bhittai: Translated by Ahmed Makhdoom)
As a performer, composer, teacher and writer, he has done more for music than any other musician. He is well known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West. This however, he did only after long years of dedicated study under his illustrious guru Baba Allaudin Khan and after making a name for himself in India.
Always ahead of his time, Ravi Shankar has written three concertos for sitar and orchestra, last one of which in 2008. He has also authored violin-sitar compositions for Yehudi Menuhin and himself, music for flute virtuoso Jean Pierre Rampal, music for Hosan Yamamoto, master of the Shakuhachi and Musumi Miyashita – Koto virtuoso, and has collaborated with Phillip Glass (Passages).
اَڄُ پڻ اُتَرَ پارَ ڏي، ڪارا ڪَڪَرَ ڪيسَ؛
(شاهه ڀٽائيؒ)
“Acju pinnu utara paara ddei, kaaraa kakara keisa”
(Shah Bhittai)
“Gloom ‘n darkness here ‘n there abound , today as well;
Black murky clouds on Northerly horizon, today as well.”
(Shah Bhittai: Translated by Ahmed Makhdoom)
Ravi Shankar is an honourary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is a member of the United Nations International Rostrum of composers. He has received many awards and honours from his own country and from all over the world, including fourteen doctorates, the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan, Desikottam,Padma Bhushan of 1967, the Music Council UNESCO award 1975, the Magsaysay Award from Manila, two Grammy’s, the Fukuoka grand Prize from Japan, the Polar Music Prize of 1998, the Crystal award from Davos, with the title ‘Global Ambassador’ to name some.
In 1986 Ravi Shankar was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament.
Deeply moved by the plight of more than eight million refugees who came to India during the Bangla Desh Freedom struggle from Pakistan, Ravi Shankar wanted to help in any way he could. He planned to arrange a concert to collect money for the refugees. He approached his dear friend George to help him raise money for this cause.
This humanitarian concern from Ravi Shankar sowed the seed of the concept for the Concert for Bangla Desh. With the help of George Harrison, this concert became the first magnus effort in fund raising, paving the way for many others to do charity concerts.
ھۇجي جيٸَ کي جياريِن؍ سي لاھۇتي لَڏي ويا؍
(شاھُ ڀِٽاٸيؒ)
“Huu jei jeeya khei jiyaareen, sei laahuutee laddei wayaa.”
(Shah Bhittai)
“Filial ones nourished our souls, no more in motherland stay.”
(Shah Bhittai: Translated by Ahmed Makhdoom)
His recording “Tana Mana”, released on the private Music label in 1987, brought Mr. Shankar’s music into the “New age” with its unique method of combining traditional instruments with electronics.
He has been described as the ‘National Treasure of Sub-continent” by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. There is never going to be another Maestro Ravi Shankar! A supreme legend, he was far above each and every legend in the field of arts, music and entertainment. And, there is never going to be another 12.12.12 – that day in History when the Master Sitarist breathed his last at the age of 92 years.
جي ساہ سنڀارَ، سي اَڄ
جن جي ساہ سنڀارَ، سي اَڄ پَنھوارَ پَري ٿِيا،
(سَچَلُ سَرمَست، سُر مارئي، ۱داستان پهريون)
“Jani jee saaha sanbhaara, sei acju panwhaaraparei thiyaa”
“Those beloveds in my soul preserved, alas! Away today afar they parted!”
(Sachal Sarmast, Melody of Marui, 1 Ch.1: Translated by Ahmed Makhdoom)
This is my humble tribute to the Guru who blessed the souls of many all over the world with his remarkable music and compositions. In grief and mourning.
Courtesy: Sindhi e-lists/ e-groups, December 12, 2012.
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