MITHI, Sept 29: Hundreds of people belonging to various segments of the society, from all parts of the province, particularly from Thar, participated in a fair held here on Friday and Saturday under the aegis of the culture department in memory of Marvi, one of the historical characters of Sindh.

A number of speakers pointed out at the historical fair on Saturday that Sindh was rich in history and culture, and had given birth to numerous Sufis, warriors and other great figures and Marvi, a Thari woman, ranked among them for her chastity and patriotism.

They argued that the best way to pay homage to these great characters was to follow in their footsteps instead of measuring their greatness on the basis of caste or religion.

Speaking as chief guest, noted educationalist and intellectual, Dr Ghulam Ali Allana, said holding such fairs provided an opportunity to the people to understand their cultural heritage and how to keep it alive.

Hameed Sindhi, another noted academic, said that Marvi occupied a significant place in history for unwavering spirit of patriotism, chastity and her longing for the thatched huts of Thar while she was imprisoned in the palace of Umer Soomro, the king of Umerkot.

Musical programmes, traditional wrestling and poetry recitals were also held at the fair.