by: Dial and Lachmi Gidwani, USA

Please allow me to briefly accompany you back to the most memorable events over the weekend of July 04, 2009. For me, personally, it was a heart felt pleasure and a great honor to be a guest at the SANA retreat. I have rarely felt myself so welcome. It is sometimes harder than one can imagine, to simply finding the right words in a state of emotional ecstasy. For the first time, my wife and I met Sindhis from Sindh, we could listen and converse in our mother tongue Sindhi and relive our roots – and indeed my very self – after 61 years. I feel that I am backing home after 61 years.

I was rightly asked by some Sindhis present the best question: “Why did you leave us? We are lonely without you.” My honest response: Circumstances changed and conditions prevailed that forced us to leave and no one could stop the exodus. With silent tears we departed peacefully from our motherland in the firm belief that we would return.

We all were overcome by emotion. Today, we recall with nostalgia, the times when Sindhis of all faiths lived together as exemplary neighbors in harmony over centuries. This inherent quality gave birth to the Sufi culture with innate principles of Ahinsa (non-violence) , and respect for all faiths, religions and creeds. Muslim spiritual seekers went with Hindu Yogis on pilgrimage to Hindu Holy places. Muslims joined in song and dance, and listened to the Hindu Sufi singers in ecstasy. The people of the sub-continent of India are heir to the Sindhu (Indus) valley civilization. Sindhis, however, are its natural heirs, coming from where it originated and prospered.

There is nothing in the better known books of history on the Sindhi Hindu exodus, and consequently a whole new generation remains ignorant, in particular those born after the partition of India, in numbers which unfortunately describe the majority of them today. God in his unpredictable way would have it we met again under the auspices of SANA. The relevance of SANA, its members, and its efforts and achievements are indeed laudable, a sincere contribution to the Sindhi cause, your cause, my cause and the cause connecting the generations and cultures the cause of our dear children.

I would like to introduce to you the AIS. Please give me a chance to welcome you on our website http://www.sindhulo gy.org/ , I wish to show you how we have expressed our contribution to the common cause in the spirit and being of the AIS. Sindh, through its own unique contribution, has a profound message for world culture.

The AIS seeks no less than to engage all Sindhis, and also, to acquaint others how the love of a land can unify its peoples. The Institute’s mission is being undertaken with the certain conviction that the preservation and propagation of Sindhyat will advance the cause of humanity itself and promote harmony between peoples. The Institute devotes special attention to this so that all Sindhis may come to share in the joy of their Sindhyat.

I request you to help sound out every Sindhi you know personally on the Census of Sindhis to be conducted soon. This Census will be one of the foundation stones of Virtual Sindh, Sindh resurrected from where it was once left. Dr. Avi Balwani has committed himself to the realization of Virtual Sindh and we welcome every Sindhi who would also like to be a part of that of what he or she is a part already. Welcome to Virtual sindh!

It is my pleasure to present you CD Song of Sindhu produced by AIS and DVD of Ancient Sindhu (Indus) Saraswati Civilization produced by Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.

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