HYDERABAD: Old and young, women and children poured onto streets in all big and small towns of the province on Sunday to celebrate Sindhi Culture Day.

Jubilant crowds wearing cultural dresses and donning Sindhi Topis and Ajraks were seen dancing to folk songs being played at full volume from vehicle mounted sound systems and raucous youths driving on their motorcycles in rallies throughout the day.

In Hyderabad, reveling crowds wearing colourful Sindhi costumes gathered outside local press club where Sindhi private television channels had organised musical programmes to celebrate the day. Artists and singers Hina Marvi, Sajjad Yousuf, Master Ghulam Hussain and others entertained the crowds with their rendition of folk songs and dance.

Youths riding motorcycles, cars and jeeps kept driving on the roads throughout the day. Lallan Faqir, a local vocalist, entertained people with his performance at the rallies. At some places, rallies’ organisers also distributed Ajraks and Sindhi Topis among public.

Similar programmes were held in Jamshoro, Matiari, Tando Mohammad Khan and Tando Allahyar.

SUKKUR: Members of Jogi (snake charmers) community took out a rally in their traditional yellow turbans and saffron shirts and marched on roads with snakes in their hands and dancing to drumbeats to mark the culture day.

The rally terminated at the press club where Jogis presented snake dance to entertain public.

In Jacobabad, rallies were taken out by several political, social and trade organisations, including Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party (STP), Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), Pakistan Peoples Party, PPP Labour Bureau, PPP Youth Wing, Ali Mohammad Awami Party, Rind Qaumi Ittehad, Aaam Insan Tehreek and others.

Artists and singers, including Sohni Naz, Mushtaq Moulai, Jalal Dashti, Fayaz Jakhrani and others were also part of the rallies and they kept singing and dancing along the way to keep up the participants’ spirits.

Similar rallies were also taken out Ghotki, Kandhkot-Kashmore, Mirpur Mathelo, Ubauro, Daharki, Rohri, Pano Akil, Salehpat, Tangwani, Ghouspur, Thull, Garhi Khero, Khanpur Mahar and other towns.

KHAIRPUR: Activists of JSQM, STP, Muttahida Mazdoor Federation, Push-cart Labour Union, students, literary persons, lawyers, journalists and general public participated in a rally taken out in the city to celebrate culture day. The participants in the rally danced to folk songs on streets and expressed love for the motherland.

NAWABSHAH: Several rallies were taken out in Nawabshah and adjoining towns to mark the cultural day with traditional zeal and fervour. The participants in the rallies wore Ajraks and Sindhi Topis and danced to folk songs.

All rallies converged on the press club where the participants expressed their joy and highlighted importance of culture in a nation’s life.

Similar programmed were organised in other towns of the district.

MIRPURKHAS: Several political and Sindhi nationalist organisations brought out rallies in the city to celebrate the day.

The participants, carrying banners and placards and wearing Shalwar Kameez, Sindhi Topis and Ajraks, kept dancing to folk songs as they marched on main roads towards the local press club where a drama was presented and the leaders delivered speeches, stressing the need for celebrating the culture day.

BADIN: Activists of almost all political parties, journalists and members of general public wearing Sindhi Topis and Ajraks took to the streets in large numbers to celebrate the day.

Clad in traditional Sindhi dress hundreds of youths took out a rally on motorcycles and danced to the tune of folk songs on the roads. Prisoners in district jail also observed the day by wearing Sindhi Topis and Ajraks.

MITHI: Donning cultural dresses, Tharis came out on roads and streets in large numbers in all big and small towns of the desert district including Mithi, Islamkot, Chhachhro, Kaloi, Nagarparkar and other towns to celebrate the day.

Large crowds gathered in different areas of Mithi town where local singers sung folk songs while an impressive ceremony was held in Thar coalfield area near Islamkot where local workers and their Chinese counterparts took part in the day’s festivities.

Similar programmes were organised in Tando Bago, Talhar, Matli, Golarchi, Tando Ghulam Ali, Rajo Khanani, Pangrio, Khoski, Kadhan, Kario Ghanwar, Nindo Shahar and other towns of the district to mark the day.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Several rallies were taken out by different political parties, groups and journalists in Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Tharu Shah, Bhiria City, Bhria Road, Kandiaro,

Halani, Kotri Kabir, Mehrabpur, Mithiani and other towns to celebrate the culture day.

The culture day was also celebrated in schools where students delivered speeches and presented tableaus themed on significance of Sindhi culture.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018