Sangi سهيل سانگي

سهيل سانگي سنڌي ڪالم ۽ آرٽيڪل About Current political, economic media and social development issues

Monday, May 19, 2008

Lifestyle of Thar

Lifestyle of Thar
By Sohail Sangi

The nature and mind set of Thari people can be defined in one sentence. They are uncertain therefore whatever they see they want to make sure after touching that it is reality. This uncertainty is generated by the conditions in which they live in.
Visit to Sindh is incomplete without adventures in Thar Desert. This monsoon type desert surrounded by sand dunes is spread over 28,000 square kilometers, is a continuation of the Rajasthan arid zone.
This desert has folklores, a culture of its own, unique landscape, flora and fauna. It provides variety of opportunities to explore and an absorbing study of Sindhi culture.
The culture, the people, their way of life, and beauty of the surrounding desert landscape adds to the adventurous spirit.
TV plays - Akhri Geet of Asghar Nadeem Syed and Karwan of Abdul Qadir Junejo have been written in background of Thar which up to some extend depict the life style of Thar.

Thar is the land where folk tales and folk songs exist in their original form. It is land of shifting dunes but people have any how learnt to live life and adapt their style, which is very much typical and an example how to live life.

Life in Thar is full of action and thrill for visitors as they discover indigenous cultures, lifestyle and traditions. Sun- rising and sun-setting scenes viewed from atop of a due camel caravans, grazing herds, big and small sand dunes with thorny bushes, traditional dresses and jewellery of women, folk songs sung in wilderness are some more peculiarities of Thar.
Panhiari -Water girl of Thar in traditional clothes and bangles has been immortalized by the writers and media persons.
In fact Thar is a cultural island in the mid of Sindhi, Rajhastani and Gujrati ocean of culture. However, the Rajhastani culture predominate the other two cultures.

Red and dark colours are hallmark of Thar, through which they want to create colour in the dull desert scenario.


Thar is considered to be land of mighty River Sarswati which flowed through the region thousands of years ago but gone missing. So this is land of people whose river had gone missing.
In some mythologies, Thar has been symbolized as Maroothal - the harsh, hostile and merciless land but People have evolved and learnt the tricks of nature into their life so perfectly, that it has changed its course. Conservation, preservation and savings have become in-built of Thari people. They are more environment friendly and use natural resources with a notion of conservation.
No one is allowed to chop a tree or plant unnecessarily, while hunting and poarching of wildlife is socially banned, that is why one can see peacocks playing in the villages. TO collect wild tree fruits- Peeloo and Singri are favourite among the women in hot spell of May.
Tharis each day fight a battle for survival; against the creeping sands, shifting dunes, erratic weather, hot winds and droughts. In such conditions these simple but tough people have not only survived, but have created a culture that is vibrant, colourful and full of life, which stands in complete contrast to the land they live in.

So far livelihood is concerned; their entire dependence is on rains which fall in the monsoon. These sandy are, hot weather and dependence on monsoon rain have formed a typical patterns of relations (social and with nature both), consumption, culture, lifestyle, entertainment, and dress. This is also reflected individual's attitudes, values or worldview.
When it rains, water deposits in tobas (small ponds) which are used for drinking, washing and other purposes. This continues for three months after monsoon. Later Tharis have to depend on deep wells for fetching water.
The apparent poverty among the desert people had not weakened their bond of colorful, happy and proud community with their own way of gregariousness and jubilee.

Mostly people live in jhugis - huts a room formed with straws and thin wood-sticks). These jhugis are most vulnerable to the wind storm.
The living conditions and livelihood resources have necessitated tolive with inter-dependence and community social support system exits in Thar That is why it has by at large joint family system. Elders and women folks, particularly daughter are given more respect, which have become part of their traditions.

Women
Thari women wear Ghaghra, long swirling skirts and work in fields and other chores with their counterparts out in the stark, desolate landscape of their terrain. While wearing chunky silver jewellery, they cover their face with an 'odhni' (veil) which protects them from harsh sun and sand also some times saves themselves from the covetous eyes of men. Married, unmarried and widow women wear different dress with a one look one is able to know what is marital status of a women/ girl. Unmarried do not wear bangle in her full arms.

Men
The men are tall, dusky, twirled moustaches - sometimes having with a beard - with turbans.
The fairs and festivals also provide an opportunity to the villagers from remote regions to meet and mingle, livestocks deals to be stuck and enjoy music and cultural shows. The lifestyle is influenced by a celebration for every religious occasion and every change of season, while harvesting is no doubt the biggest one. These all are reflected in art and craft also.
Diversity
Thar has also a divergent colony of traditional tribes but sharing common characteristics - which seem to articulate their past together.
Despite diversity in costumes, jewllery and customs, a singularity also exits which keep tells the common past and urge to live together.
In case of Hindu communities marriages are arranged outside the community.
Weather conditions:
Pre-monsoon, which extends from April to June, is the hottest season, with temperature varying from 35°C to 45°C. Rampant winds from the west often results in dust storms, locally known as Andhis.
Visiting Thar in the summers means to experience the unbelievable transformation of the pristine sands, which are hot into chilled granules in the night.
Visiting Thar during the monsoon is better. The barren landscape portrays lush green scenery, which transforms into a bustling mart of the migratory birds; chirping, nestling.
Pottery, puppets, leather items, wood items, Carpets , Metal Wares, Block Prints, Tie and Dye Fabrics, Embroidered Shoes, Mirror Work on Clothes and Sheets, Painting, Kundan, Meenakari are a few arts and crafts of Thar

This handicraft heritage is a fine combination of colors and textures. The depth, range and inspirational intricacy of this heritage stems from its socio-economic ethos, with whole village pursuing certain crafts, which are intrinsic to their survival or daily needs.
Colours
Despite the perpetual desolation of the landscape enveloping the courtyards of desert, color reaches newer heights in this region.

Music
The hardship of daily life, the legends of heroism and romance are all captured in the music of this desert land which is vibrant and fine combination of tunes from various sources which comes from a tradition that is old and tranquil, and from a culture that has imbibed the best from its neighboring states of Sindh, Gujrat and Punjab. The music reflects both a spirit of identity and provides entertainment as relief from the daily grind of wrenching a living from the inhospitable land. The numerous songs sung by the women like Doro, Janiro, Raneleo, reflect the various feminine moods and strong family ties that regulate their lives. While illiterate people have memorized the couplets of Kabir Das and Meera ji and they quote these couplets while talking ordinary things.
There are many traditional communities who are professional performers and their skills are handed down from generation to generation.

Folk songs are commonly ballads, which relate heroic deeds or love stories. Simplicity, emotional expressions oneness and oddity are the hallmark of Thari music that is why it has won core importance in folk music which is often used as background music for TV dramas.
The beauty of Thar is that despite extreme aridity it does hold life. Travel to Thar is to see its rich and vibrant cultural heritage as well as an adventure to explore altogether a new world.

People taking justice in their hands

People taking justice in their hands
Advisor to Prime Minister for Interior affairs and security Malik Rehman is on record, he has said on April 9, after Karachi killings that no tyre will be burnt from today and onwards in Karachi. This might have worried the junk trades of tyre, but people at large have expressed their happiness. Perhaps, the advisor was right and we witnessed that no tyre was burnt after that, rather we witness that human being are set on fire. The roads of Karachi had become Shamshan Ghat.
People after disappointed from the administrative and judicial system have taken justice in their hands. Saturday’s incident was second in the series in which provoked people at Sakhi Hassan caught hold of robbers/thieves and set them fire. In the first incident enraged mob got hold of two robbers in Ranchhor lines that had committed dacoity in a flat and burnt them alive. This all happened not some far flung area where there is no reach of police or other administrative machinery, but it was in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. In Karachi there are two governments one of provincial and another is of city government. It seems that there is no central command in the province.
Whether there are thieves or other criminals, it is not in the purview of the common man to punish them. If it continues, any one would catch his rival and set on fire terming him/her as thief. It is agreed that this was a spontaneous reaction of the people.
This spontaneous reaction was proving the non existence of law. In fact this reaction indicates inner anger of the people and protest against the administration and system. People gather anger and it outburst on certain point.
When people do not get good governance and they feel unprotected, they create new forms of their resistance and response. Here I am not disputing as to how much this form was legal nor discussing what were the psychological initiatives, because psychological reasons are best known to every one. Point is why state has failed to feel its presence? Hunger, unemployment, sense of insecurity and price spiral has crossed the level of tolerance. People either loose their sense out of fear or express their extreme reaction.
People have set ablaze thieves and robbers in two above incidents. This was murder a crime, the accused were punished more than their crime. This should also be investigated whether these incidents were spontenous or certain elements were behind it, who wanted to destablise the elected governemnet.
The attitude of police to the robbers set on fire is strage as police remained silent spectors. The reputation of police has reached to a degree that people were not ready to hand over the accused caught in the crime. Though this trend is limited up Karachi for time being, but after such happenings in Karachi may set model stting.
The incidents of crime which later led to burning of the accused took place in the braod day light. The robbers and criminals have become so daring that they were not fearing of law, neither iron hand of law. When iron hand of law is paralysed and collapsed, such type of incidents took place.
This trend indicates people’s resentment and no confidence in law and judicial system. After disappointed from the system people have adapted their own methods to restore justice. People want protection, protection from robbers, and dracoin form of police . What the state was doing for the peope? It was doing nothing, then it was understood that people were making their own decisions.
If this was not stopped, and law of the land was not made operative, a number of criminals and organized mafia would push the country to anarchy from hwere its return would be if not possible but would be difficult one.
The situation can not be reversed through implementing the existing law – which treats people indiscriminate manner.
If people had trust in law and judiciary this would have not happened. Restore the writ of law.