THIS is apropos the article above (Sept 13) and subsequent letters (Sept 16). The write-up and the two letters were very impressive and intellectually stimulating. The writers’ knowledge about Sindhi folklore is admirable.

I did my Ph D on Sindhi folk songs from Karachi University in 2006 and have written books in Sindhi and Urdu on folklore and culture. Ho Jamalo was also included in my research.

According to my findings, the version of Ho Jamalo’s character Jamal/ Jamalo as a prisoner train driver in the British era is not authentic and correct. In fact this version is a recent creation of the social media.

Two notable research scholars of Sindhi folklore in Pakistan, Dr Nabi Bukhsh Baloch and Dr Abdul Karim Sandilo, make no mention of Jamalo in this respect. Both luminaries lived in Sindh during the British raj. The British are famous for keeping a record of everything. To the best of my knowledge, there is no record of a prisoner train driver named Jamalo.

There are many different versions regarding the origins of Ho Jamalo. The conclusion of all these versions is that he was a brave man who succeeded in a competition and rescued his cattle from thieves. When he returned triumphant to his home, his wife and the villagers sang a song in his praise.

It should also be noted that Jamalo’s surname is not clear. There are also different versions regarding his native village and hometown in folklore.

Ho Jamalo eventually spread all over the subcontinent. Its beat is in tune with a kind of Sindhi dance. This song is sung in chorus where the main singer sings the lyrics and others reply with Ho Jamalo.

Traditionally, every Sindhi musical event ends with Ho Jamalo — an anthem of the Sindhi diaspora.

Dr Kamal Jamro

Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2018