DADU: Speakers at a programme held here on Sunday to mark the 15th death anniversary of historian Taj Sehrai demanded the Sindh government should reprint Sehrai’s books and make them part of syllabus in schools, colleges and universities to help students learn research skills in history.

Sindh Agriculture University vice chancellor Prof Dr Mujeebuddin Sehrai said at the programme at Makhdoom Talibul Maula high school that Sehrai’s main work pertained to research on historical and archeological sites in Sindh, especially cave dwellers and lake dwellers in Dadu and Jamshoro districts.

He said that his research on caves of Kai and Naing Sharif in mountainous belt of Sehwan was very important. Sehrai concluded that the caves dated back to 1500-200 BC and fell within Neolithic Stone Age, he said.

He said that Sehrai also made extensive research on Indus Civilisation and ancient sites of Amri remains which were about 3,600 old, Ranikot, arguably the Asia’s largest fort, Moenjodaro and Sehwan fort. But focus of his work was lake dwellers and boat dwellers, he said.

Sindh University Dadu Campus pro vice chancellor Dr Anwar Ali Shah G. Syed said that Sehrai’s work on Manchhar Lake and its civilisation was unique in its scholarly depth and no historian could match his calibre.

He demanded Sehrai’s all books on history should be made part of syllabus in schools, colleges and universities to help students learn skills in history.

Prominent writer and historian Aziz Kingrani said that many English writers and others had also worked on Sindhu civilisation but none could match the work of Sehrai, which was more informative and important.

He said that Sehrai had produced many historians and scholars who had worked on history and archeological sites. He had all the necessary skills in rock carving, graves canopies and Roman style carving on gravestones, he said.

He said that according to Sehrai carving on rocks and graves was a motif of the periods of Samas and Kalhoros.

Research scholar Mian Mohammad Pirzado said that Sehrai’s work on Kalhoro period and its historical places was very instructive for students of history and research scholars.

He said the historian had written in detail on architectural style and patterns on historical sites of Kalhoro period like Khudabad mosque.

Prof Shamshad Soomro demanded the Sindh government should reprint all books of Sehrai and translate them into other languages, especially English.

Dadu municipal committee chairman Gul Hassan Qambrani said that Sehrai was founder of Allama I.I. Qazi Library and Talibul Maula high school in Dadu.

Writers Tabish Bukhari, Zamir Korejo and others also spoke on the occasion while historian Aziz Kingrani dedicated his book Tareekh Ja Tirwira to Sehrai.

Meanwhile, Sehrai’s family members held Quran Khawani and distributed meal among people at Jagatabad Mohalla. Later, Sehrai’s relatives and admirers led by Prof Dr Mujeebuddin Sehrai laid floral wreaths on Sehrai’s grave in Lal Hindi graveyard and offered Fateha.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2017