KARACHI: People wearing traditional Sindhi dress on Sunday sang and danced in various parts of the metropolis to celebrate the aikta (unity) day, as the annual Sindh Culture Day is popularly known.

Several events marking the annual culture extravaganza were held where people witnessed and were part of the raucous proceedings, featured with colours and incessant music and dance.

The key event was organised outside the Karachi Press Club, where people from various neighbourhoods of the sprawling metropolis gathered in large numbers and danced to the tunes of songs by popular singers.

Political and nationalist parties take out rallies in different parts of the metropolis

Organisers of the programme outside the KPC said it was 10th year since the day was celebrated for the first time as a token of protest against an anchorperson of a private TV channel who had criticised the then president Asif Zardari in December 2009 for wearing Sindhi topi during his foreign tours.

They said those comments had deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Sindh, who, instead of resorting to violence designed a novel way to register their protest.

“We decided to observe a day of unity to celebrate the rich Sindhi culture and respond that infuriating statement with love, music and dance,” an organiser said.

‘May Sindh prosper’ was the theme of this year’s event.

A large number of men, women and children wearing brightly coloured and distinctively embroidered dresses, Sindhi topis and ajraks gathered from outside the KPC to the Metropole roundabout where heavy sound system had been put in place on a makeshift stage resonating with popular Sindhi songs.

Several political and nationalist parties and groups took out rallies from various parts of the city and merged into the key assembly.

Rallies were taken out from Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Keamari, Lyari, Baldia, Manghopir, Malir, Korangi, Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Ibrahim Hyderi and several other neighbourhoods.

In those neighbourhoods, camps and stalls were set up to facilitate those celebrating the event. The stalls had a field day that registered widespread sales of merchandise related to cultural pieces and garments.

Women participated with the same vigour that they showed in previous such events.

“This day holds great significance for us. It is as much important as Eid or any other festival,” said a female participant.

Another big event was held outside the Malir Press Club in which people wearing traditional folk dresses participated.

During the day, TV channels broadcast special programmes on the culture of Sindh.

Non-governmental organisations and certain media outlets separately arranged musical events, which also attracted large audience to celebrate the culture day.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018