Suppose you are at a party with your non-Sindhi friends in Brazil, London, Bangalore, or New York and your very-Sindhi parents call at the stroke of midnight to wish you a happy Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year)? Your friends would ask, “What is Chaity Chahnd? Who is Joo-lay-lahl?” but you would probably try to change the topic because in actuality, you had no idea yourself…until now.

Arnold Toynbee, a British historian, once said that history grew out of mythology and that at times “the line between fact and fiction is left un-drawn”, which is very true of Sindhi history. The combination of legends, folk lore, historical accounts, and personal beliefs has made up the saga of Sindh. It has been created into literature so cultured that they are passed down from one generation to the next. Although I am sure there are a few of us who do not know certain aspects of our history, there is always a time to begin.

Early in the 11^th century, the Arab presence in Sindh ended and brought forth a clan of “Soomras” who ruled Sindh justly and fairly for the next three hundred years. They were Hindus who converted into Islam while retaining their Hindu culture, and were known for their tolerance of all religions under their rule.

There was just one little problem though. Far away from the capital, the kingdom of Thatta kept its identity separate and was ruled by Makrabkhan. To claim the throne, he got rid of the previous ruler and had changed his name to Mirk Shah. An epitome of tyranny and fanaticism, his negative vibes attracted greedy courtiers called Maulvis, who constantly kissed up to him for material riches.

One day, a courtier whispered in Mirk Shah’s ear: “Spread Islam and you will be granted janat (salvation) after death, and enjoy eternal bliss.”

Like the effects after three glasses of black label whiskey, Mirk Shah swayed and smiled with the thought of a promised salvation after death. As days passed, this daydream began to take over his entire brain (the increasing pressure from the Maulvis did not help either) so he decided to call the Panchs (representatives of the Sindhi Hindus) to his kingdom for a small talk.

Mirk Shah: Either embrace Islam or be prepared to die.

This was a shock to the Panchs. Till then, everything had been running smoothly. They looked at each other in panic, not knowing what to do. They pleaded with Mirk Shah to think about the majestic order, ‘Shahi Farman’, and to reconsider it but he bluntly refused.

When it seems to mankind that there is no other way out of a situation, he will turn his helpless face towards God. All of a sudden, the Mukhi (Sarpanch) thought of Lord Khrishna in the Bhagavad Gita: “Whenever the sins increase beyond limit and the religion seems to be endangered I come in the form of an Avtar (incarnate) and mitigate the distress of my worshippers.” He looked up at Mirk Shah, a new hope in his eyes, and asked for a time period of 40 days for the Hindus to decide between Islam or death. Mirk Shah reluctantly obliged.

Masses of Hindus gathered on the banks of the Sindhu (Indus) River and brought their heads down in prayer for their Water God – Varun Dev. They fasted for forty days and underwent rituals and vigils on the riverside. They did not shave; did not wear shoes or new clothes. They didn’t allow themselves to give in to temptations and engage in conjugal relations. Would you believe these Hindus also refrained from using soap, oil, and any other luxurious item as well? They would soak and squeeze their clothes in the river, dry them, and wear them again. In the evenings, they worshiped God Varun, sang bhajans (God’s songs) in favor of him, and prayed fervently for their solace and salvation. This came to be known as the ‘chaliyo saheb’ and till today, many Sindhis all over the world still do it, although just a tad bit less extreme, to ask the Water God for blessings and forgiveness.

At the end of the fortieth day, the tired Hindu masses on the riverside of Sindhu perked up to listen to a voice booming from the heavens.

Faceless Voice: “Don’t despair. Have patience. I am coming. I will save you from autocrat Mirk Shah. Eight months from now I shall take birth at Nasarpur in the house of Ratanchand Lohano from the womb of Maa Devki, like the Lord Khrishna did.”

The Hindus clamored in excitement and celebration for it was “thanksgiving day”. After the forty days of chaliyo saheb they could finally go back to the normal ways of life. But still, one issue had yet to be resolved: would they be able to get an extension of eight months from Mirk Shah?

The Hindus humbly asked the ruler for an extension of eight months to have another chance to defend themselves. The courtiers whispered once again into Mirk Shah’s ears: “It’s a trap…they are trying to trick you.”

Sparks of interest began to flicker in Mirkshah’s stomach. He thought to himself: would God really come down to the Earth? How in the world would that happen? More out of curiosity than anything else, he granted the Hindus their extension. After all, he thought, their lives are at my mercy. I can put an end to them anytime I wish.

The Hindus waited in hopeful prayer for the birth of a ‘Super God’ to fly down to earth and help them out of their predicament. After three months, on the second tithi of Asu month, they got the jolly news that Devki was indeed pregnant. They partied and celebrated the great news with excitement for their future. They kept praying to Daryashah (the Lord of Waters) in the next few months to remind of him of his promise. Finally, on Cheti Chand, two tithis from new moon of Chetra, Devki gave birth to a skinny and handsome baby boy. As if to announce the birth of the new water Avtar, un-seasonal clouds gathered and poured forth buckets of raindrops onto the Earth. The Sindhi Hindus danced and sang like there was no tomorrow.

The parents of the baby had also witnessed in front of them a miracle. When the baby opened his mouth, in there was flowing the mighty river of the Sindhu, with an old man seated cross-legged on a pala fish (a tasty fish which swims against the current).

On that day itself, an ascetic came to see the child and foretold that the child would be a warrior and his popularity would outlive him. He named the latter ‘Udaichand’ – in Sanskrit Uday meant ‘moonbeams’. A Punjabi came along and named the child ‘Uderolal’ – in Sanskrit Udero meant ‘one who has sprung from waters’. The Sindhi Hindus of Nasapur called the child ‘Amarlal’ – the immortal child. Apparently, they could not agree on a name befitting enough for the baby. Finally, while the multiple-named baby was resting in his cradle, it began to swing strongly back and forth on its own! And so this is how he came to be known to everyone as ‘Jhulelal’ – the swinging child.

Mirk Shah heard from the grapevine about the birth of this mysterious child, and called the Panchs for more information.

Mirk Shah: How long am I supposed to wait for your reply to the question of whether you all will embrace Islam or die?

Panchs: A few months more, oh Ruler! The savior of Hindus has already taken birth. He is our Water God…

Mirk Shah [sarcastically]: All right! I am not dying, and you Hindus are not leaving the land. I shall wait. When your ‘savior’ embraces Islam, I am sure you all will follow suit

Maulvis [interrupting]: My Lord, we suggest you really settle the issue without any further delay…

Mirk Shah: Wait and watch. We will surely win. Why make haste unnecessarily?

After the Hindus left his Palace, Mirk Shah could not believe the idea of a mere child being more than a match for him. Becoming anxious, he decided to send his most trusted minister Ahirio to Nasapur and see the child for himself. Ahirio gladly obliged, a deceitful plan already concocting in his mind. He will dip a rose into deadly poison and gift it to Jhulelal for him to sniff.

Ahirio arrived in Nasapur and was blown away at the first glimpse of the small child. He had never in his life seen such a stunning and charismatic baby. At first he hesitated, but he slowly gathered the courage and extended the rose to the baby’s lips. Jhulelal gave him an evocative smile and blew the flower in one breath. It fell far away on the ground. When he looked back at the child, he was shocked to see an old man with a long white beard was staring back at him. Just as suddenly as he had appeared, the old man changed into a young and handsome sixteen-year-old. Before Ahirio could say anything, the scene changed again into one of a battlefield with the old man riding a horse, holding a blazing sword in his hand, and rows and rows of warriors behind him. Ahirio’s mouth hung open, and shivers went down his spine. He got down on his knees and bowed his head to Jhulelal.

Ahirio: Have mercy, Oh Sindhu Lord. I am convinced. Hindus are safe…

Ahirio pratically flew back home to relate to Mirk Shah the crazy events of the past hour.

Mirk Shah: It seems you have been under a spell of magic! How can a child turn into a young boy and an old man and then a warrior on horse back, all simultaneously? Impossible!

Meanwhile, Jhulelal’s parents treated him as a normal child. His stepmother (his mother had died soon after his birth) wanted him to earn some money so she gave him a bucket of boiled beans to sell in the marketplace. Instead of going to the market, Jhulelal would go to the Sindhu River and distribute half the beans for free among the beggars, the poor, and the pious. He emptied the remaining beans as an offering for the river, and passed the afternoons chilling on the bank of the river and talking to the elderly and children about the wealth of spiritual knowledge. By evening’s time, the bucket, filled with fine quality rice, would swim up to Jhulelal and emerge from deep within the river.

On the other side in the midst of Maulvis, Mirk Shah was increasingly being pressured. He was starting to feel the wrath of his clerics and knew it was time to do something.

Maulvis: Order the Hindus to convert or be branded as an associate of kaffirs (infidels).

Mirk Shah: Tell Ahirio to arrange a private meeting between the child and myself.

Meanwhile, Ahirio had become a devotee of Daryashah so he ran to the bank of the Sindhu River to pray for assistance. An old man with white beard and saintly clothes balanced atop a pala fish showed up, going northwards against the tide. At that instance, Ahirio understood and bowed his head in worship towards the old man who was to be equally holy for the Muslims too. He announced at the top of his voice that Khwaja Khizr and Jhulelal were just two names for the same holy being. He begged the Water God to meet with Mirk Shah privately, and calmly.

Innocently Mirk Shah finally met the famous Jhulelal face to face. Before having a chance, the old man started speaking rather confidently.

Jhulelal: Whatever you see around yourself is the creation of one and only God, whom you call ‘Allah’ and Hindus ‘Ishwar’. Hindus, Muslims, and all other human beings are all His creation.

The annoying Maulvis consistently whispered into Mirk Shah’s ears that Jhulelal was sprouting nonsense and he should arrest him immediately. The ruler was convinced to order the arrest but when the officers made their way to the avtar; water started rushing through the doors and windows into the court from all directions! Everyone found themselves flooded in, and if that was not enough to scare the pants off Mirk Shah and his courtiers, fire broke out at the same time. The Palace became a soaring firestorm – now they knew Jhulelal was angry. He may as well have been atop a roaring, dangerous shark for all the fear they felt at that point!

Jhulelal [with thundering voice]: Mirk Shah! Think it over again. Your God and mine are not two different ones. Had Almighty so desired he could have ordained the Hindus to be born as Muslims! But no; God wanted unity in diversity. All worlds are His manifestation.

Mirk Shah [knees buckling]: My Lord! I realize the truth now! Save me and my courtiers from this ravage.

Immediately the fire was blown out by an invisible wind and the water ebbed. Jhulelal calmed down and when he knew Mirk Shah would listen, he spoke once again.

Jhulelal: Fire is the first principle of the Universe and Water is the first principle of life. Worship of God is to be done in its blended form of Jyoti (light) and Jal (water); and let every human being worship the Almighty with whatever name he desires. Let there be a bond of brotherhood among all Sindhi Hindus and Sindhi Muslims.

Mirkshah bowed courteously, not out of fear but actually out of respect, and agreed to treat all Muslims and Hindus alike. For the rest of his rule, Sindhi Hindus were allowed to hold on to their religion and culture without fear from the Sindhi Muslims. The Hindus were then instructed by Jhulelal to build a temple in Thatta to remember him as an embodiment of water and light, and also to mark the great transformation of Mirk Shah.

Jhulelal: Day and night, light one candle in the temple and water should be available for daat (holy sip).

In the end, Jhulelal named his cousin Pagad as the first ‘Thakur’ – priest of the Daryahi sect (believers of the Water God). Together they went on travels. They went to Rohri where a temple called the Udero Ghat was established. When they decided to visit the Kingdom of Thatta, Mirk Shah was genuinely happy. By then Jhulelal’s temple had become quite famous, being visited regularly by Hindus and Muslims alike. The cousins continued their travels throughout other places and came back home to Nasarpur.

Jhulelal gave seven symbolic items to Pagad which was to form the essential elements of the Daryahi sect:

Verho: a ring which acts as a wish-giver when one touches it

Light: an endless lighted candle which is to remind of Almighty and his blessings

Khantha: a cloth which acts as a shield against attacks of enemies

Dega: a huge metallic vessel in which rice is cooked for a marriage or festival. Regardless of how many mouths to feed, it ‘somehow’ never gets empty

Tegh: a sword Vishnu Devta gave to Bhavani to kill the demons

Dhokla: Damru, Shiva’s symbol

Jhari: A Kalsh, a symbol of Brahma

Sant Pagad built a Lal Sai Mandir in reverence of Jhulelal and kept the symbolic items there. Increasing numbers of Hindus and Muslims visited the temple daily.

After leaving the Mandir for Pagad to be in charge of, Jhulelal traveled through Sindh again and far beyond to circulate his teachings. He wanted to bring the people of the land, both Hindus and Muslims, into a spiritual bond of harmonized brotherhood. They all had to know the truth that all different paths lead to the same destination, to the same God. He also wanted a tangible promise of contribution and cooperation from the Muslims for the building of a new mandir and the spread of his teachings. Jhulelal enlisted the help from this Muslim couple who, though disbelieving of his powers at first but then naturally won over, gave him land and assisted in building the new mandir called Uderolal-jo-Mandir. This Maman couple became the first mujawars (caretakers) and from then on, Muslims continued to be its caretakers. It became a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Muslims from all over.

Jhulelal visited Rohri again, and saw to it that the Zindah Pir Dargah (shrine) was built for Khwaja Khizr, his namesake God-man of the Muslims. The belief of brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims was very much stressed in this area. Upon his return back to Nasapur, at the age of thirteen, he realized that his mission on Earth was over. He called Pagad to his side and told him to carry on with the buildings of temples and the teachings of the Water God’s message.

Everyone was very sad. Thirteen years was too short a time to be in the holy presence of such a cool avtar. But life is like that – everyone has to go at some point. Jhulelal chose a place near the village Jhijhan to expel his final breath. Hindus and Muslims, including the representatives of Mirk Shah, came from everywhere to witness this scene.

Jhulelal closed his eyes and the diamond of a soul left his body. No sooner had his physical ‘jewelry box’ turned cold did the Hindus and Muslims start arguing again.

Muslims: Under the instructions of Mirk Shah, we will build a Turbat and Quba (tomb) according to the dictates of Islam!

Hindus [resentfully]: We shall build a Samadhi (funeral pyre) according to the Hindu customs!

Faceless Voice [after sudden pouring of heavy rain]: Behold! Make my shrine acceptable to both Hindus and Muslims! Let its one part be like a temple, and the other like a Dargah!

Jhulelal’s Panjra and Bhajan

Prayer songs of Daryahi sect are known as panjras - verses of five lines. ‘Panj’ in Sindhi means five. Many panjras have been composed in honor of Jhulelal, and they illustrate beautifully the compassion and unity of his teachings. There are other nuances of this number as well; the five temptations that men is subject to: kaam (lust), krodh (anger), lobh (greed), moha (attachment), and ahankaar (false ego). There are five tributaries (branches) of the Sindhu River.

Panjras are followed by many bhajans in the praise of Jhulelal. The most famous one is ‘Lal Meri Pat, Rakhio Bhalaa Jhulelalan’, which is also known as ‘Damadam Mast Qalander’. This bhajan has been remixed into a catchy and popular song which has been played at parties and clubs in India. For your benefit, PX has taken the opportunity to find for our readers the lyrics and translations of this funky bhajan.

Lal Muhinjee Pat, Rakh Jayy Bhalaa Jhulelalan

Sindhudijaa, Sehwan Jaa, Sakhi Shahbaaz Qalander

Damadam Mast Qalander, Ali Too Sabh Je Andar

O Lal Muhinjee, O Lal Muhinjee…

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine! Please keep my honor intact!

Oh Lord of Sindh, Oh Lord of Sehwan, Oh benevolent Shabaaz Qalander

Oh drowned in ecstasy Qalander, Ali You reside in all things

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine, Oh dear Jhulelal of mine…

Chaar Chiraag Tuhinjaa Baran Hamesha

Panjon Maa Baaran Aayi Aahaan

[Chorus]:

Jhulelalan, Sindhudijaa, Sehwan Jaa

Sakhi Shabaaz Qalander

Damadam Mast Qalander, Ali Too Sabh Je Andar

O Lal Muhinjee, O Lal Muhinjee

Four lamps burn always at your altar, I have come to light the fifth one

[Chorus]:

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine! Oh Lord of Sindh, Oh Lord of Sehwan,

Oh benevolent Shabaaz Qalander

Oh drowned in ecstasy Qalander, Ali You reside in all things

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine, Oh dear Jhulelal of mine…

Maatanjee Jhulan Jhol Bhareende,

Nyaaniyoon Jaa Kande Bhaaga Bhalaa

[Chorus]

You will make mothers fertile

And you shall bless the daughters

[Chorus]

Hind-Sindh Peera, Tuhinjee Naubat Baaje

Naale Ali Beda Paar lagaaye

[Chorus]

Oh Peer Jhulelal, all across Hind and Sindh, your praises are sung

The name of Ali takes us across life smoothly

[Chorus]

Cheti Chand and the Bharano Saheb

Every year the birthday of Jhulelal falls on Cheti Chand, two tithis from the new moon of Chetra (sometime in March or April). His birthday was termed as ‘Sindiyat Day’ by Akhil Bharat Sindhi Boli Ain Sahit Sabha in 1959 and ever since then, social and cultural programs with performances are arranged on that day throughout the world, whether it is Curacao, London, Pune, or Las Palmas to name a few.

When Jhulelal had returned to Nasapur before he died, he taught Pagad how to do the bharano Saheb, a religious ritual for the worship of Jhulelal. After singing panjras and bhajans, the worshippers join in a chhejj which is a dance of great vigor, enthusiasm, abundance, and rhythm because Jhulelal was a lover of dance and song. After the chhejj is over, the aarti song is performed. Then the pallav ceremony takes place (when one stretches out a piece of their shirt or dupatta to ask the Lord for blessings). The congregation gets sprinkled with drops of holy water – this is called chhando. Finally, the guji dej (prasad offerings for Jhulelal), the modaks (explained below) and other pooja materials are taken to the nearest body of water (whether it is a lake, river, or sea) to be immersed in worship for Jhulelal, the patron saint of the Sindhis.

How to make the Bharano Saheb (the mahraj usually makes the following):

Ingredients:

One large bronze plate (thaal)

Rice grains

Pure Ghee

Vermillion

Prepared Atta flour (wheat)

Cardamom (either 5 or 11 pieces)

Almonds (either 5 or 11 pieces)

Cloves (either 5 or 11 pieces)

Misri jo Sangh (large piece of refined sugar)

Water

Unboiled milk

Earthen or atta lamp with five wicks

Garland of fresh flowers

Five types of fruits

Copper/bronze jar of water

Coconut

Red cloth

Agarbathies (incense sticks)

Instructions:

Fill the thaal with rice grains, pure ghee, and vermillion. Make modaks (balls) of atta and decorate with vermillion, cardamom, almonds and cloves. The misri is kept on top of each modak. Sprinkle a little bit of water and un-boiled milk on top of the modaks. Place the earthen/atta lamp with five wicks into the thaal. Surround the modaks with a garland of fresh flowers. Cover the coconut with a red cloth and keep on top of copper/bronze jar of water. Light the flames of the lamp and agarbathies. Keep aside the five types of fruits, flowers, and water.

To prepare the Guji Dej (offering to God) of tahiri (sweet rice)

Prepare the rice with pure ghee, elaichi, saffron, sugar, milk, water.

To prepare the Prasad for the people

Boil the channa (boiled beans) and prepare the tahiri separately. Serve with dhadal (special type of store-brought non-alcoholic drink)

Disclaimer: The authors bear no responsibility for any offensive material. Although few descriptions have been exaggerated, the content and dialogue has been researched from various reliable sources.

Suppose you are at a party with your non-Sindhi friends in Brazil, London, Bangalore, or New York and your very-Sindhi parents call at the stroke of midnight to wish you a happy Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year)? Your friends would ask, “What is Chaity Chahnd? Who is Joo-lay-lahl?” but you would probably try to change the topic because in actuality, you had no idea yourself…until now.

Arnold Toynbee, a British historian, once said that history grew out of mythology and that at times “the line between fact and fiction is left un-drawn”, which is very true of Sindhi history. The combination of legends, folk lore, historical accounts, and personal beliefs has made up the saga of Sindh. It has been created into literature so cultured that they are passed down from one generation to the next. Although I am sure there are a few of us who do not know certain aspects of our history, there is always a time to begin.

Early in the 11^th century, the Arab presence in Sindh ended and brought forth a clan of “Soomras” who ruled Sindh justly and fairly for the next three hundred years. They were Hindus who converted into Islam while retaining their Hindu culture, and were known for their tolerance of all religions under their rule.

There was just one little problem though. Far away from the capital, the kingdom of Thatta kept its identity separate and was ruled by Makrabkhan. To claim the throne, he got rid of the previous ruler and had changed his name to Mirk Shah. An epitome of tyranny and fanaticism, his negative vibes attracted greedy courtiers called Maulvis, who constantly kissed up to him for material riches.

One day, a courtier whispered in Mirk Shah’s ear: “Spread Islam and you will be granted janat (salvation) after death, and enjoy eternal bliss.”

Like the effects after three glasses of black label whiskey, Mirk Shah swayed and smiled with the thought of a promised salvation after death. As days passed, this daydream began to take over his entire brain (the increasing pressure from the Maulvis did not help either) so he decided to call the Panchs (representatives of the Sindhi Hindus) to his kingdom for a small talk.

Mirk Shah: Either embrace Islam or be prepared to die.

This was a shock to the Panchs. Till then, everything had been running smoothly. They looked at each other in panic, not knowing what to do. They pleaded with Mirk Shah to think about the majestic order, ‘Shahi Farman’, and to reconsider it but he bluntly refused.

When it seems to mankind that there is no other way out of a situation, he will turn his helpless face towards God. All of a sudden, the Mukhi (Sarpanch) thought of Lord Khrishna in the Bhagavad Gita: “Whenever the sins increase beyond limit and the religion seems to be endangered I come in the form of an Avtar (incarnate) and mitigate the distress of my worshippers.” He looked up at Mirk Shah, a new hope in his eyes, and asked for a time period of 40 days for the Hindus to decide between Islam or death. Mirk Shah reluctantly obliged.

Masses of Hindus gathered on the banks of the Sindhu (Indus) River and brought their heads down in prayer for their Water God – Varun Dev. They fasted for forty days and underwent rituals and vigils on the riverside. They did not shave; did not wear shoes or new clothes. They didn’t allow themselves to give in to temptations and engage in conjugal relations. Would you believe these Hindus also refrained from using soap, oil, and any other luxurious item as well? They would soak and squeeze their clothes in the river, dry them, and wear them again. In the evenings, they worshiped God Varun, sang bhajans (God’s songs) in favor of him, and prayed fervently for their solace and salvation. This came to be known as the ‘chaliyo saheb’ and till today, many Sindhis all over the world still do it, although just a tad bit less extreme, to ask the Water God for blessings and forgiveness.

At the end of the fortieth day, the tired Hindu masses on the riverside of Sindhu perked up to listen to a voice booming from the heavens.

Faceless Voice: “Don’t despair. Have patience. I am coming. I will save you from autocrat Mirk Shah. Eight months from now I shall take birth at Nasarpur in the house of Ratanchand Lohano from the womb of Maa Devki, like the Lord Khrishna did.”

The Hindus clamored in excitement and celebration for it was “thanksgiving day”. After the forty days of chaliyo saheb they could finally go back to the normal ways of life. But still, one issue had yet to be resolved: would they be able to get an extension of eight months from Mirk Shah?

The Hindus humbly asked the ruler for an extension of eight months to have another chance to defend themselves. The courtiers whispered once again into Mirk Shah’s ears: “It’s a trap…they are trying to trick you.”

Sparks of interest began to flicker in Mirkshah’s stomach. He thought to himself: would God really come down to the Earth? How in the world would that happen? More out of curiosity than anything else, he granted the Hindus their extension. After all, he thought, their lives are at my mercy. I can put an end to them anytime I wish.

The Hindus waited in hopeful prayer for the birth of a ‘Super God’ to fly down to earth and help them out of their predicament. After three months, on the second tithi of Asu month, they got the jolly news that Devki was indeed pregnant. They partied and celebrated the great news with excitement for their future. They kept praying to Daryashah (the Lord of Waters) in the next few months to remind of him of his promise. Finally, on Cheti Chand, two tithis from new moon of Chetra, Devki gave birth to a skinny and handsome baby boy. As if to announce the birth of the new water Avtar, un-seasonal clouds gathered and poured forth buckets of raindrops onto the Earth. The Sindhi Hindus danced and sang like there was no tomorrow.

The parents of the baby had also witnessed in front of them a miracle. When the baby opened his mouth, in there was flowing the mighty river of the Sindhu, with an old man seated cross-legged on a pala fish (a tasty fish which swims against the current).

On that day itself, an ascetic came to see the child and foretold that the child would be a warrior and his popularity would outlive him. He named the latter ‘Udaichand’ – in Sanskrit Uday meant ‘moonbeams’. A Punjabi came along and named the child ‘Uderolal’ – in Sanskrit Udero meant ‘one who has sprung from waters’. The Sindhi Hindus of Nasapur called the child ‘Amarlal’ – the immortal child. Apparently, they could not agree on a name befitting enough for the baby. Finally, while the multiple-named baby was resting in his cradle, it began to swing strongly back and forth on its own! And so this is how he came to be known to everyone as ‘Jhulelal’ – the swinging child.

Mirk Shah heard from the grapevine about the birth of this mysterious child, and called the Panchs for more information.

Mirk Shah: How long am I supposed to wait for your reply to the question of whether you all will embrace Islam or die?

Panchs: A few months more, oh Ruler! The savior of Hindus has already taken birth. He is our Water God…

Mirk Shah [sarcastically]: All right! I am not dying, and you Hindus are not leaving the land. I shall wait. When your ‘savior’ embraces Islam, I am sure you all will follow suit

Maulvis [interrupting]: My Lord, we suggest you really settle the issue without any further delay…

Mirk Shah: Wait and watch. We will surely win. Why make haste unnecessarily?

After the Hindus left his Palace, Mirk Shah could not believe the idea of a mere child being more than a match for him. Becoming anxious, he decided to send his most trusted minister Ahirio to Nasapur and see the child for himself. Ahirio gladly obliged, a deceitful plan already concocting in his mind. He will dip a rose into deadly poison and gift it to Jhulelal for him to sniff.

Ahirio arrived in Nasapur and was blown away at the first glimpse of the small child. He had never in his life seen such a stunning and charismatic baby. At first he hesitated, but he slowly gathered the courage and extended the rose to the baby’s lips. Jhulelal gave him an evocative smile and blew the flower in one breath. It fell far away on the ground. When he looked back at the child, he was shocked to see an old man with a long white beard was staring back at him. Just as suddenly as he had appeared, the old man changed into a young and handsome sixteen-year-old. Before Ahirio could say anything, the scene changed again into one of a battlefield with the old man riding a horse, holding a blazing sword in his hand, and rows and rows of warriors behind him. Ahirio’s mouth hung open, and shivers went down his spine. He got down on his knees and bowed his head to Jhulelal.

Ahirio: Have mercy, Oh Sindhu Lord. I am convinced. Hindus are safe…

Ahirio pratically flew back home to relate to Mirk Shah the crazy events of the past hour.

Mirk Shah: It seems you have been under a spell of magic! How can a child turn into a young boy and an old man and then a warrior on horse back, all simultaneously? Impossible!

Meanwhile, Jhulelal’s parents treated him as a normal child. His stepmother (his mother had died soon after his birth) wanted him to earn some money so she gave him a bucket of boiled beans to sell in the marketplace. Instead of going to the market, Jhulelal would go to the Sindhu River and distribute half the beans for free among the beggars, the poor, and the pious. He emptied the remaining beans as an offering for the river, and passed the afternoons chilling on the bank of the river and talking to the elderly and children about the wealth of spiritual knowledge. By evening’s time, the bucket, filled with fine quality rice, would swim up to Jhulelal and emerge from deep within the river.

On the other side in the midst of Maulvis, Mirk Shah was increasingly being pressured. He was starting to feel the wrath of his clerics and knew it was time to do something.

Maulvis: Order the Hindus to convert or be branded as an associate of kaffirs (infidels).

Mirk Shah: Tell Ahirio to arrange a private meeting between the child and myself.

Meanwhile, Ahirio had become a devotee of Daryashah so he ran to the bank of the Sindhu River to pray for assistance. An old man with white beard and saintly clothes balanced atop a pala fish showed up, going northwards against the tide. At that instance, Ahirio understood and bowed his head in worship towards the old man who was to be equally holy for the Muslims too. He announced at the top of his voice that Khwaja Khizr and Jhulelal were just two names for the same holy being. He begged the Water God to meet with Mirk Shah privately, and calmly.

Innocently Mirk Shah finally met the famous Jhulelal face to face. Before having a chance, the old man started speaking rather confidently.

Jhulelal: Whatever you see around yourself is the creation of one and only God, whom you call ‘Allah’ and Hindus ‘Ishwar’. Hindus, Muslims, and all other human beings are all His creation.

The annoying Maulvis consistently whispered into Mirk Shah’s ears that Jhulelal was sprouting nonsense and he should arrest him immediately. The ruler was convinced to order the arrest but when the officers made their way to the avtar; water started rushing through the doors and windows into the court from all directions! Everyone found themselves flooded in, and if that was not enough to scare the pants off Mirk Shah and his courtiers, fire broke out at the same time. The Palace became a soaring firestorm – now they knew Jhulelal was angry. He may as well have been atop a roaring, dangerous shark for all the fear they felt at that point!

Jhulelal [with thundering voice]: Mirk Shah! Think it over again. Your God and mine are not two different ones. Had Almighty so desired he could have ordained the Hindus to be born as Muslims! But no; God wanted unity in diversity. All worlds are His manifestation.

Mirk Shah [knees buckling]: My Lord! I realize the truth now! Save me and my courtiers from this ravage.

Immediately the fire was blown out by an invisible wind and the water ebbed. Jhulelal calmed down and when he knew Mirk Shah would listen, he spoke once again.

Jhulelal: Fire is the first principle of the Universe and Water is the first principle of life. Worship of God is to be done in its blended form of Jyoti (light) and Jal (water); and let every human being worship the Almighty with whatever name he desires. Let there be a bond of brotherhood among all Sindhi Hindus and Sindhi Muslims.

Mirkshah bowed courteously, not out of fear but actually out of respect, and agreed to treat all Muslims and Hindus alike. For the rest of his rule, Sindhi Hindus were allowed to hold on to their religion and culture without fear from the Sindhi Muslims. The Hindus were then instructed by Jhulelal to build a temple in Thatta to remember him as an embodiment of water and light, and also to mark the great transformation of Mirk Shah.

Jhulelal: Day and night, light one candle in the temple and water should be available for daat (holy sip).

In the end, Jhulelal named his cousin Pagad as the first ‘Thakur’ – priest of the Daryahi sect (believers of the Water God). Together they went on travels. They went to Rohri where a temple called the Udero Ghat was established. When they decided to visit the Kingdom of Thatta, Mirk Shah was genuinely happy. By then Jhulelal’s temple had become quite famous, being visited regularly by Hindus and Muslims alike. The cousins continued their travels throughout other places and came back home to Nasarpur.

Jhulelal gave seven symbolic items to Pagad which was to form the essential elements of the Daryahi sect:

Verho: a ring which acts as a wish-giver when one touches it

Light: an endless lighted candle which is to remind of Almighty and his blessings

Khantha: a cloth which acts as a shield against attacks of enemies

Dega: a huge metallic vessel in which rice is cooked for a marriage or festival. Regardless of how many mouths to feed, it ‘somehow’ never gets empty

Tegh: a sword Vishnu Devta gave to Bhavani to kill the demons

Dhokla: Damru, Shiva’s symbol

Jhari: A Kalsh, a symbol of Brahma

Sant Pagad built a Lal Sai Mandir in reverence of Jhulelal and kept the symbolic items there. Increasing numbers of Hindus and Muslims visited the temple daily.

After leaving the Mandir for Pagad to be in charge of, Jhulelal traveled through Sindh again and far beyond to circulate his teachings. He wanted to bring the people of the land, both Hindus and Muslims, into a spiritual bond of harmonized brotherhood. They all had to know the truth that all different paths lead to the same destination, to the same God. He also wanted a tangible promise of contribution and cooperation from the Muslims for the building of a new mandir and the spread of his teachings. Jhulelal enlisted the help from this Muslim couple who, though disbelieving of his powers at first but then naturally won over, gave him land and assisted in building the new mandir called Uderolal-jo-Mandir. This Maman couple became the first mujawars (caretakers) and from then on, Muslims continued to be its caretakers. It became a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Muslims from all over.

Jhulelal visited Rohri again, and saw to it that the Zindah Pir Dargah (shrine) was built for Khwaja Khizr, his namesake God-man of the Muslims. The belief of brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims was very much stressed in this area. Upon his return back to Nasapur, at the age of thirteen, he realized that his mission on Earth was over. He called Pagad to his side and told him to carry on with the buildings of temples and the teachings of the Water God’s message.

Everyone was very sad. Thirteen years was too short a time to be in the holy presence of such a cool avtar. But life is like that – everyone has to go at some point. Jhulelal chose a place near the village Jhijhan to expel his final breath. Hindus and Muslims, including the representatives of Mirk Shah, came from everywhere to witness this scene.

Jhulelal closed his eyes and the diamond of a soul left his body. No sooner had his physical ‘jewelry box’ turned cold did the Hindus and Muslims start arguing again.

Muslims: Under the instructions of Mirk Shah, we will build a Turbat and Quba (tomb) according to the dictates of Islam!

Hindus [resentfully]: We shall build a Samadhi (funeral pyre) according to the Hindu customs!

Faceless Voice [after sudden pouring of heavy rain]: Behold! Make my shrine acceptable to both Hindus and Muslims! Let its one part be like a temple, and the other like a Dargah!

Jhulelal’s Panjra and Bhajan

Prayer songs of Daryahi sect are known as panjras - verses of five lines. ‘Panj’ in Sindhi means five. Many panjras have been composed in honor of Jhulelal, and they illustrate beautifully the compassion and unity of his teachings. There are other nuances of this number as well; the five temptations that men is subject to: kaam (lust), krodh (anger), lobh (greed), moha (attachment), and ahankaar (false ego). There are five tributaries (branches) of the Sindhu River.

Panjras are followed by many bhajans in the praise of Jhulelal. The most famous one is ‘Lal Meri Pat, Rakhio Bhalaa Jhulelalan’, which is also known as ‘Damadam Mast Qalander’. This bhajan has been remixed into a catchy and popular song which has been played at parties and clubs in India. For your benefit, PX has taken the opportunity to find for our readers the lyrics and translations of this funky bhajan.

Lal Muhinjee Pat, Rakh Jayy Bhalaa Jhulelalan

Sindhudijaa, Sehwan Jaa, Sakhi Shahbaaz Qalander

Damadam Mast Qalander, Ali Too Sabh Je Andar

O Lal Muhinjee, O Lal Muhinjee…

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine! Please keep my honor intact!

Oh Lord of Sindh, Oh Lord of Sehwan, Oh benevolent Shabaaz Qalander

Oh drowned in ecstasy Qalander, Ali You reside in all things

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine, Oh dear Jhulelal of mine…

Chaar Chiraag Tuhinjaa Baran Hamesha

Panjon Maa Baaran Aayi Aahaan

[Chorus]:

Jhulelalan, Sindhudijaa, Sehwan Jaa

Sakhi Shabaaz Qalander

Damadam Mast Qalander, Ali Too Sabh Je Andar

O Lal Muhinjee, O Lal Muhinjee

Four lamps burn always at your altar, I have come to light the fifth one

[Chorus]:

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine! Oh Lord of Sindh, Oh Lord of Sehwan,

Oh benevolent Shabaaz Qalander

Oh drowned in ecstasy Qalander, Ali You reside in all things

Oh dear Jhulelal of mine, Oh dear Jhulelal of mine…

Maatanjee Jhulan Jhol Bhareende,

Nyaaniyoon Jaa Kande Bhaaga Bhalaa

[Chorus]

You will make mothers fertile

And you shall bless the daughters

[Chorus]

Hind-Sindh Peera, Tuhinjee Naubat Baaje

Naale Ali Beda Paar lagaaye

[Chorus]

Oh Peer Jhulelal, all across Hind and Sindh, your praises are sung

The name of Ali takes us across life smoothly

[Chorus]

Cheti Chand and the Bharano Saheb

Every year the birthday of Jhulelal falls on Cheti Chand, two tithis from the new moon of Chetra (sometime in March or April). His birthday was termed as ‘Sindiyat Day’ by Akhil Bharat Sindhi Boli Ain Sahit Sabha in 1959 and ever since then, social and cultural programs with performances are arranged on that day throughout the world, whether it is Curacao, London, Pune, or Las Palmas to name a few.

When Jhulelal had returned to Nasapur before he died, he taught Pagad how to do the bharano Saheb, a religious ritual for the worship of Jhulelal. After singing panjras and bhajans, the worshippers join in a chhejj which is a dance of great vigor, enthusiasm, abundance, and rhythm because Jhulelal was a lover of dance and song. After the chhejj is over, the aarti song is performed. Then the pallav ceremony takes place (when one stretches out a piece of their shirt or dupatta to ask the Lord for blessings). The congregation gets sprinkled with drops of holy water – this is called chhando. Finally, the guji dej (prasad offerings for Jhulelal), the modaks (explained below) and other pooja materials are taken to the nearest body of water (whether it is a lake, river, or sea) to be immersed in worship for Jhulelal, the patron saint of the Sindhis.

How to make the Bharano Saheb (the mahraj usually makes the following):

Ingredients:

One large bronze plate (thaal)

Rice grains

Pure Ghee

Vermillion

Prepared Atta flour (wheat)

Cardamom (either 5 or 11 pieces)

Almonds (either 5 or 11 pieces)

Cloves (either 5 or 11 pieces)

Misri jo Sangh (large piece of refined sugar)

Water

Unboiled milk

Earthen or atta lamp with five wicks

Garland of fresh flowers

Five types of fruits

Copper/bronze jar of water

Coconut

Red cloth

Agarbathies (incense sticks)

Instructions:

Fill the thaal with rice grains, pure ghee, and vermillion. Make modaks (balls) of atta and decorate with vermillion, cardamom, almonds and cloves. The misri is kept on top of each modak. Sprinkle a little bit of water and un-boiled milk on top of the modaks. Place the earthen/atta lamp with five wicks into the thaal. Surround the modaks with a garland of fresh flowers. Cover the coconut with a red cloth and keep on top of copper/bronze jar of water. Light the flames of the lamp and agarbathies. Keep aside the five types of fruits, flowers, and water.

To prepare the Guji Dej (offering to God) of tahiri (sweet rice)

Prepare the rice with pure ghee, elaichi, saffron, sugar, milk, water.

To prepare the Prasad for the people

Boil the channa (boiled beans) and prepare the tahiri separately. Serve with dhadal (special type of store-brought non-alcoholic drink)

Sanjay Sabnani is an executive at a publicly traded healthcare technology company that has developed proprietary treatments for treating addictions to alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine. “My title is Senior Vice President Strategic Development which means that I get paid to think of the future and what direction we should take.  I focus quite a bit on the science of the brain and the applications of our technology to other diseases.” In addition to all that, he is also responsible for communicating scientific and financial concepts to the company’s shareholders and industry analysts.

Sanjay also plays a big role in the Internet world – he is the co-owner of a very popular online community called General [M]ayhem; www.genmay.com.  It’s the 14^th busiest community on the internet and it’s growing every day.  ”The site is mainly for fun, but it generates some pocket money for me and my partner as well as provides us with hundreds of internet friends all over the world.  I had a party at my home recently for members of this community and we had over 100 guests, 12 of them were from overseas.”   This year Sanjay intends to focus on the site a bit more and perhaps develop some form of strategy to promote it further.  “The concept I have in mind is based upon my slogan ‘the audience is the entertainment’- think of it as reality entertainment in a message board format.”

Additionally, he is very active in the South Asian committee in Los Angeles. He is Chairman of the Board for a non-profit arts organization called Artwallah, and recently completed service as Chairman and President of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Southern California.  “At the age of 35, I feel like I am in an ‘in between’ generation, the other senior members of TiE were at least 10 to 20 years my senior and Artwallah is made up of 20 somethings.”

How did you get into this field? To tell you the truth I don’t really know how to describe the path that I have taken.  I have no formal background in either finance or technology, but I have always had a passion for science and the stock market- by working at public technology companies I am able to combine both passions.

My degree is a BA in English Literature from UCLA and I started out working as a stockbroker after college – I just sort of talked and networked my way into my current vocation.  Learning about the capital markets and finance was a key factor in my development.  I was also lucky enough to work directly with some really high level executives who mentored me and allowed me to watch them in action.  Being a Bhaiband Sindhi born in Hong Kong also creates a tremendous internal expectation that I must live up to.

What education have you had that helped you in this field? It is not what you learn, but who you learn it from.  I learned to be silent and wise from my father, I learned to be generous and positive from my mother.  From my uncles I learned the meaning of family and the importance of belonging to a tribe.  From books I learned that the only limitation was your desire to learn.  When you have access to books and the internet there are no limits to your education.

How did you get started in this field… who or what inspired you? My inspirations have been Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, and Bill Gates.  I love to learn and teach people about things- the more complex the better.

What has been the ups & downs of your job/career? The big breaks? I did not have the benefit of coming from wealth, but I was given everything I needed to succeed by my parents.  I do not believe in luck or blame- I believe in working hard and staying focused.

What qualities do you believe a person should have to succeed in life? You should look at a problem from all angles until you come up with a solution.  Persistence and a desire to learn will take you anywhere you want to go.

What books have you read that taught you what you needed to know to reach where you are today? My family will verify for you that I have read thousands of books so asking me to pick a few is not easy.  That said, I do recommend the following:

The Prophet, The Goal, The 48 Laws of Power, Think and Grow Rich, Bhagavad  Gita, and as many biographies of great people as you can get your hands on.

How did you go about setting up your business/company? What’s the process?

I currently serve as an executive at a public company, but I named my first business ‘Typhoon Capital’ and I still use it for transactions till this day.  I had a relative who said that when I came into the room it was like a ‘toofan’.  I kind of liked being described as a force of nature so I built a business around it.

What was your branding strategy… what steps did you take to bring your brand to where it is today? I am my own brand and my main product.  I sell my brain which is a limited commodity at best, but I work hard and I have helped many businesses succeed so the word gets out.

How are the paychecks treating you? Like a queen/king? Satisfactory enough? Still a long way to go? I live like a king and I get a lot of love – the paycheck is irrelevant.  I would like to have made enough someday so that I can go back to graduate school and lose myself in science.  I am sure that day will come.

What was the first thing you ever wanted to be? A pilot? A driver? A McDonalds cook? I am pretty easy – if I watch a movie I want to be whatever the main character is.  When I was a kid there is no doubt that I wanted to be a scientist.  My mom bought me a chemistry set with test tubes and I almost burned my friend’s apartment down.

The most embarrassing incident that happened to you at work? I was once talking negatively about a customer thinking I had pushed the hold button.  Oops.

What were your parents’ feelings when you chose this path for yourself? I was a weird, angry kid when I was little – they were probably happy that I got married to a hot Indian wife and supported myself.

Describe your childhood in three words… Naughty, nerdy, chaotic

What was the most difficult challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it? The hardest thing in my life has been having my dad die on his 60^th birthday.  I was 31 and put in charge of two households – my wife and three kids in the US as well as my mom and sister in H.K.  It made me realize that I may only have 30 years left so I’d better get off my ass and make things happen now.  I would have liked to have my dad enjoy his later years, but things happen.  His passing also made me spiritual – it’s hard to explain because I am a cynic, but I read an English translation of the Gita after his death and all of a sudden it made sense to me.  You see my dad was religious and I was not.  My dad was named Arjan and the central character in the Gita is Arjun.  In fact, the whole Gita is about Arjun talking to and learning from Krishna.  My whole life has been about watching my dad live with God.  Where this becomes really spooky (and interesting) is that the entire Gita is being recounted live by a guy named…Sanjay.  That’s how I look at my life now – I am the watcher, the observer, the knower.  It makes me feel something that helps me out in life.

My favorite part of the Gita is the following:

raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya
prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh
pranavah sarva-vedesu
shabdah khe paurusam nrsu

Translated it means:

O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water,

The light of the sun and the moon,

The syllable om in the Vedic mantras;

I am the sound in ether and manliness in men.

When I read that passage I realized that Krishna was explaining to Arjun that he was actually human consciousness or the brain.  It is the brain that can taste or see or hear.  All of a sudden I felt like my world of science had been reconciled with my father’s world of religion.  Weird, but true.

To what would you attribute your current success to? I would give all the credit for my success to two things- having a strong family that inspired me to succeed, and my love of reading.  Growing up I could not relate to import/export and trading- I was always a bookworm and my first love was knowledge.  Working with technology companies as an executive or advisor allows me to learn about new things and then apply what I know about business principles to all of these different things.

Bhaiband Girl, Bombay

Answer:

Dear Bhaiband girl,

“Don’t we all look for love at the end of it all? Doesn’t love erase all caste, boundaries and differences?”

Ok, let’s stop dreaming and get back to reality.

You see, there are different types of Sindhis. It’s not about which is superior or inferior, it’s just about coming from different places and different backgrounds. Bhaibands were usually the traders and Larkanas were the educated ones and got good jobs. They did very well for themselves. In the olden days it was about getting married to the same status in which you were born but times have changed now. Today Bhaiband Sindhis are getting good jobs after their education and Larkana Sindhis have their own businesses as well so there is not much of a difference anymore in the status. In the end, it all comes down to being comfortable and the decision is yours. It’s up to you to sit down with your parents and reason out your differences with them in a calm and civilized manner. You shouldn’t make the decision of choosing your life partner based on love only – that happens only in Hindi movies. If he is from a good family, doing well for himself, and will be able to take care of you, then try to explain to your parents all that. If he’s still not yet working and can’t support you, or has no family business to fall back on, then I’d suggest you listen to your parents and do as they advise.

Q: Dear Nicky, I am a 26-year-old woman. Before I got married my husband and I dated for a year. It has been five years since we have been married. Immediately after the marriage, I realized what completely different people we are. My husband can be very mean at times and only shouts. He is mean to the kids and after only fifteen minutes of spending time with family, he makes a big deal of it. I feel so helpless lately.

From: Vechari, Chicago.

Answer:

Dear Vechari,

They usually say women are hard to understand even though men are equally difficult to understand. Everyone needs someone to vent out on. In this case, it is your family that your husband is using. It could be that his work is very stressful which is leads to his anger outbreaks. After 6 years of knowing him, I’m sure you pretty much know how he would react to certain things.

After some time though in a marriage, things start to get very monotonous and routine. Everyday seems to be the same and there is no more excitement in your day-to-day life. Try to change things around the house to more of your husband’s liking. Make your home someplace where he can be more comfortable. If you know that he likes watching TV, lighten his mood by turning on a game or some comedy so both of you can sit and watch together. Try to have your kids in bed early so he can get some peace of mind with some silence. Get on his good side even if it means sucking up to him, it would be worth it. Be more loving and understanding. Every man is a child himself and needs constant attention, so treat him like one and make sure he doesn’t know what you are doing. Maybe you have been too busy in your daily routine and that is affecting him. Talk to him and find out what is bothering him. On the weekends, do the things he wants to do. Doing this for some time will make him feel better; a marriage is about sacrifices after all.

Q: Dear Nicky, I recently got married but have been living away from my parents since I went to college, although I visit them regularly. I currently live in Hong Kong and my parents are staying in India. I feel guilty that since I’m the only son/child, my parents are living alone when they should be with us. I’m undecided whether I should ask them to come live with me. I would like them to be here while my kids are growing up. I’m in a moral dilemma and since I’ve had proper Sindhi values instilled in me, I feel guilty all the time. Please advice what would you would do in this situation?

From Only Son, HK

Dear Only Son,

This is a tough decision to make. There are a lot of factors that should affect your decision.

a)      Are you able to afford it? Hong Kong is an expensive city to live in. You should work on your finances and see if you can afford it.

b)      Does your wife get along with them, and is she nice and understanding enough to make the sacrifices it takes to live in a joint family? It can be hard living with in-laws in this day and age. 80% of women do not get along with their mother-in-laws and will never really get along with them.

c)      Will you be able to handle the extra responsibility of taking care of them all the time? It’s a full-time affair to take care of family especially after you have been living away from them for some time.

d)     Are you close to your parents? I am sure you are since they brought you up well. Only a person with good upbringing and values would consider their parents’ feelings. I’m proud of you.

e)      Are they willing to live away from India? Most people are very accustomed to living in India. My parents, for example, won’t even think of living away from the conveniences that Pune have to offer them even though I’ve told them to live in Dubai with me.

If all these criteria are in the positive, then only should you ask them to come live with you. If not, you can visit them often. Come via Dubai and bring me Char siu (pork on rice).

The road to attracting and achieving our desires is not always a smooth one. Sometimes we suffer a few obstacles on the path and earn our desire. These obstacles can be painful and scarring ones and at that moment we are unable to comprehend how these tragedies help us to attain that which we desire. The truth is when we set the law of attraction in motion, we aren’t fully aware of the schematics the Universe has laid out in order for us to achieve our goal. Sometimes we must travel down the road less trodden and we unwittingly learn and grow over the journey. This is where implicit faith comes in to play. Faith that there is a bigger picture, a greater plan and during the darkest moments is when we stay strong, positive and focus on our desires and achieving them. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, so do we prevail through adversity and arrive at our destination, the achievement of our desire.

There is a story about a Zen Master and a boy who on his 14th birthday receives a horse as a gift. The villagers are happy for the boy and are heard saying,

‘How wonderful the boy got a horse.’

The Zen Master simply responds,

‘We’ll see…’

Some time later the boy takes a spill off the horse and breaks his leg. The villagers are saddened for the boy and are heard saying,

‘How terrible!’

The Zen Master once again simply responds,

‘We’ll see…’

Soon after a war breaks out and all the young men from the village are recruited and forced to fight in the war. The only boy that isn’t recruited is the one with the broken leg. At this point the villagers are heard saying,

‘How wonderful!’

The Zen Master simply responds,

‘We’ll see.’

The fact is we don’t always see the Universes grand scheme but we have to believe there is one. To illustrate this point let me share a real life example…

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Sindhi cinema may seem like an alien industry, but it does in fact exist. Believe it or not, there has even been a remake of the legendary Sholay in Sindhi. However, more recently the virtually dying industry has been challenged by native filmmakers who believe that there is some ray of hope for Sindhi movies and recognizes a keen market globally. Such is the thinking of Kamal Raghani, who besides being the promoter to the latest Sindhi film, Zindagi Hik Natak, is also the son of producer-director of the film. Kamal possesses a background in filmmaking and his short film, 5×1=5, was chosen to be screened at The Berlin Film Festival. Zindagi Hik Natak: The Saga of a Sindhi Actor, is the latest film to come out of his family’s production house.
The film follows the life of a stage artist whose struggle and love for theater brings him to a crossroads where he must choose between his family and passion for acting. He chooses the latter which he realizes later was nothing short of a disastrous decision. It is only when his family leaves him to fulfill his dream, that he recognizes the need for their support. He eventually wins back the love of his family and credibility to his name but not after a series of events that changes his outlook on life forever. Gopal Raghani, who dually adorns the director and producers cap for this one, claims that while he heralds a strong interest in developing films and television series’ for Sindhis, he eventually knew he would direct a Sindhi film too. Additionally, immediately after the first promo released, he received positive feedback which only furthered his drive to revive the industry, “One viewer after watching a promo of the film said to me, ‘Amazing! This is the first time I have seen a Sindhi film promo,’ it touched my heart.” He was backed up by lead actress Mayuri Raghani who took on the role of the onscreen actor’s wife to assist the director in his mission. “It feels miserable to know that Sindhi community itself is losing love for their language. Even Sindhi artists, who try to spread the message to save Sindhi heritage through their plays and films, they themselves don’t speak in Sindhi during rehearsals,” she states.

by Roshni Mulchandani

To read the complete article, please subscribe to Beyond Sindh Magazine.

Within a week of getting the car in Belize the cooling system was giving trouble. I managed to sort out that problem and before you know it the battery died. After I changed that, the fuel pump gave way. As soon as that was repaired the alternator decided to join the club of “Car Parts That Are Useless To Me”. During this time I joined an online forum dedicated to MG cars. The following is a post that was published about a week ago.

As previous posts have brought to your attention, I’ve been having major issues with my MGB. First the cooling system, then the fuel pump and this week the alternator, so it might come as a bit of a surprise that I have time to notice that the car does not come with a cup holder.

Earlier today I finally got the car back to working condition and was taking it out for a nice evening drive. I stopped off at a street vendor where I devoured some tacos and exchanged pleasantries with a young latin girl who was curious about the car. Upon finishing up I proceeded back to my car with half a bottle of Coke. I sat down put the key in the ignition and was looking to place the bottle down in a secure place when I realized there just wasn’t any place to do that. I lifted up the center console and wedged the bottle in there, using the tension to hold it in place.

Upon the drive home I contemplated as to where can you fit a cupholder in this already tiny car? Then it dawned on me, I have the perfect cup holder for this car…

By Ajay Hotchandani

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By Shawn Genomal

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When I first heard about BodyTalk, I did not really understand what the theory behind it was all about. I met up with Ms. Angie Tourani, an instructor of the BodyTalk System, who kindly took some time off to give me a free session in order for me to experience what it was all about. She explained that BodyTalk could be done by all ages, how and whom it was created by, what the process was, the before and after effects of the system and so on. The talk lasted for 45 minutes which is usually how it is done for those who are newly introduced to the BodyTalk System.
Angie first made me lie down on a sofa so I would be comfortable and started tapping my head and tapping my chest while repeating a few words under her breath. This went on for a couple of minutes. As this was happening, I felt relaxed and calm. Angie then asked me to think about the things that mattered to me most and little did I know, all my past troubles were suddenly cleared up. She happened to know exactly how I felt about a few aspects in my life and she even knew that I eat vegetarian meat (which, by the way, she suggested not to have anymore). Whenever Angie had figured something out, she would tap my head and chest while saying a few words quietly to fix it. After she completed the whole process, I felt like I was tension free and happy. The whole thing took around half an hour for Angie, and I must say it was one heck of a helpful half hour.

The main point that BodyTalk emphasizes on is to forget your medications and therapists; BodyTalk is the most natural way to get rid of your problems.

Angie Tourani explains about the history, purpose and process of the BodyTalk System…
First we start by asking permission from the physical, mental and spiritual levels of a body and once we get that, we move on. We work with five elements which according to Chinese medicine are the elements – fire, air, metal, water, and wood. Each element is of different organs, senses, taste, expansion, contraction and controls literally everything. We also work with the five senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell. Each body part has a consciousness or intelligence, and once these don’t start functioning well then it affects the physiology and the structure.

Sometime in the mid 1990’s, a man named Dr. John Veltheim decided to put the extensive and medicinal information of acupuncture, homeopathy, physics and even Chinese medicine all together and termed it BodyTalk System. The head office is in Florida and since then it has been taught and read worldwide, and has been translated into many different languages as well.

The philosophy behind BodyTalk is that…

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Avisha Daryanani,

Avisha, in her own words, answers BSM’s queries about the inspiration that led to her career choice, what being a speech pathologist is all about (and the pros and cons of it), and how it has changed her life as a woman…

Dr. Karuna Sabnani, NMD, is a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, an accredited four-year naturopathic medical college in Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and English Literature from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Deciding that she wanted to help people and start her own venture, Dr. Karuna Sabnani moved to New York City to run her own naturopathic healthcare practice for two years, before moving back to Berkeley, California. A short time later she became licensed as a Naturopathic Doctor in the State of California and is currently a member of the California Association of Naturopathic Doctors. She enjoys long walks in nature, dancing, meditating, reading, practicing yoga and spending time with loved ones.

Dr. Karuna Sabnani, NMD, speaks to BSM about the incident that led to her newfound interest in naturopathic medicine, how she set up her private practice, and much more…

Dr. Gitu Bhatia, 48, was born and raised in Delhi until the age of 21, when she completed her undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Sciences in Child Development and Education from Lady Irwin College. In the pursuit of further studies, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue higher studies and acquired a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from California State University in 1985. Dr. Gitu then worked as a family mediator for the courts, helping parents who were going through divorce work out custody and visitation arrangements best suited for their kids. After she got married and had children, Dr. Gitu returned to school at Pepperdine University to work on her doctoral degree – her area of specialization was Cross Cultural Psychology. In addition to teaching and volunteering her time in professional organizations that support standardized ethical practices, Dr. Gitu also established a private practice in Los Angeles to offer her services as a licensed clinical psychologist. When she has free time, in addition to cherishing relationships with family and friends, she also loves to read, watch movies, hike, do yoga and constantly challenge herself physically, especially for charity walkathons.

Dr. Gitu Bhatia answers to BSM’s queries about her life as a clinical psychologist, the process of starting a private practice, and the advantages of being a woman in this field…

Karishma Daswani, 27, was born in Jaipur, India, and brought up in a number of places namely Berlin, Mumbai and New Delhi. Right from school, she was geared towards a future in academics when she topped her class for 9 consecutive years and was the recipient of the Mahindra Scholarship for Academic Excellence three years in a row. As Karishma graduated from University of Delhi with a Bachelors degree in Information Technology (BIT) and a Masters degree in Human Resource Management (CIPD) from Middlesex University Business School, London, she also received a regional scholarship worth 1,000 Pounds for her dedication. After a few unsatisfactory jobs working for other companies, Karishma felt that she would benefit herself and those around her better by starting her own company – she now works as an independent Human Resources consultant in New Delhi, India. In her free time, she also nurtures an educational website for students and people interested in the subject of Human Resource Management. When Karishma is not working, she enjoys reading, swimming, Yoga, listening to Jazz, travelling, hanging around in shopping malls and being with the people she loves.

Karishma Daswani ruminates to BSM on the inspiration that led to her career in Human Resources, her website and how it has helped others, and the importance of education and financial independence…

Rashmi Vaswani, 27, went to Christ College for her undergraduate and acquired a Bachelors degree in Business Management. After receiving a Masters degree in International Business at the International Management Institute in New Delhi, she did a certificate course on Small and Medium Scale Industries at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahemdabad. Rashmi then came back to Bangalore to work and stay with her family. After a stint in the corporate world, Rashmi realized that she was not a fan of the 9-to-5 job routine. One day three years ago, while indulging her favorite hobby of making chocolates, she sent out some of her home-made chocolates as Diwali gifts. They were very well-received and people requested her chocolates to send out as gifts. This was when the concept of Rage Chocolatier was born – today, she is the founder and director of a company that manufactures premium, made-to-order chocolates for corporate and personal gifting, and currently employs two chefs and a team of eight people for packaging. Rashmi’s favorite chocolate is Rage Hazelnut cream truffles.

Rashmi Vaswani speaks to BSM about the inspiration behind her chocolatier, its humble beginnings and the edge it has over other chocolate companies, and the challenges they faced along the way…

Roshni Mansukhani-Gurnani, 25, was born and raised in Canada and is a chef by profession. She started her restaurant life at the age of 13 working initially as a bus person, a prep cook then a line cook at a local diner. She acquired a Bachelors of Business Administration as well as a degree in Culinary Management from the Culinary Institute of Canada, PEI Canada. After graduation, she worked in New York, London, and Goa before moving back home to Toronto to work as Executive Sous Chef at the Clublink Country. Shortly before her marriage, Roshni was chosen as one of the 4 chefs to compete for $10,000 on a popular cooking show called “Chopped: Pride on the Plate” on the Food Network channel in the United States. After few nail-biting episodes, the other three male chefs were ‘chopped’ from the show and Roshni won the grand prize as best chef. When Roshni got married to her husband and moved to Boston, she was determined to stay in this field. Upon a friend’s encouragement to look into a particular company in Boston that was building a new campus dining facility, Roshni was chosen for her new vocation as Executive chef at Merrimack University. When she is not cooking for five thousand people, she loves to watch a lot of movies and of course, the Food Network. She also loves to travel and learn about different cultures, especially with her husband Prem.

Roshni Mansukhani-Gurnani talks to BSM about her victory on the popular American TV show “Chopped: Pride on a Plate”, her love of cooking from a young age, and the pride felt in being a Sindhi chef…

Priya Nagrani, a Vice President of The Bank of New York Mellon, stands tall in the Company’s hierarchy of women bankers, taking her place on the Company’s team to be recognized by US Banker as one of the top three women banking teams in 2009.  Not surprising, as this is in line with her receipt of a 2008 Rising Star Award by the Women’s Bond Club of New York.

Banking and bankers are highly topical subjects in the current climate of economic and financial recovery from what appeared to be imminent collapse in the recent downturn.  Priya pinpoints the definitive role that women can play as the industry climbs back to its former prime position of institutional priority in the world of finance and economics.

Says Priya, “I didn’t find any difference in being male or female — at least at The Bank of New York Mellon, I was never at a disadvantage because I was a woman.  On the contrary, the Company is committed to diversity and inclusiveness, and this is demonstrated through one of our affinity groups, the Women’s Initiatives Network (WIN). The mission of WIN is to act as a global resource for the professional development and advancement of women at The Bank of New York Mellon.  I am a member of the Steering Committee and work with the most senior women across the Company to advance WIN’s mission and objectives.  WIN also has a strong mentoring program, and I was fortunate enough to participate in that program last year – with the most senior ranking woman in the Company (and one of US Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking) as my mentor.”

Born in Mumbai, but moved to the U.S.A. at the age of five, Priya Nagrani stumbled into a career in finance. She studied international economics, political science and history at two prestigious Ivy League universities – earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate degree from Columbia University.  

After college, she was recruited by JP Morgan and after graduate school by The Bank of New York Mellon.

She is now a Vice President within The Bank of New York Mellon’s Strategy, Development and Investment group, a part of the Company’s Financial Markets & Treasury Services sector.

Along the way up the Company’s corporate ladder, she has acquired experience in varied areas: evaluation of potential mergers and acquisitions, strategic initiatives in the Developing Markets and Risk Management.

Priya Nagrani, Vice President, Strategy, Development and Investment Group, BNY Mellon, gives candid and informative responses to Rachana Mirpuri’s queries at an interview…

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Starting your own anything requires a deep passion of pursuit. Without that, you most definitively will fall in debt and more importantly, out of love with your business. Dealing with budgets, targets, and money in general felt as if I was taking a rough towel and rubbing it against my skin. But gradually, money began to put the business in perspective and in some ways my personal life as well. Hard-earned income is different than incomes that don’t require much of you. I used to teach English at a Japanese school and although teaching is one of the most challenging jobs, teaching your first language in a poorly implemented program is not very rewarding. I received an attractive salary but quite honestly, it didn’t teach me anything and I had no real value for it. Now, I nearly want to cry every time someone purchases something at the store. Little do they know the hours spent on traveling, selecting and displaying those fabulous heels.

One of the most important lessons I have learned in running my own business is to never dwell on a problem but move immediately to solving it. I find myself less affected by bad news, so much so that I recently told a friend that there is no such thing as bad news; only news and good news. I occasionally wonder if I have become less sensitive than I used to be and if that makes me less of a woman. But I recently put on the animated film ‘Land Before Time’ (Part 1) and still cried when Little Foot lost his mother. I think that counts for something.

The difficulty I have is finding the right people that share the same passion for what I do. Sales staff come and go and for someone as personal as me, it is challenging to deal with the ins and outs of relationships, even if they are your subordinates. It is a challenge to keep trusting yourself, believing that the decision you made by choosing Riesling for your logo font was right, that the items displayed at the front are coordinated, that you’ll find another salesgirl when this one leaves. But it’s a challenge I passionately accept because when I dress up a woman in the perfect dress, I know she’ll have a great story to tell behind it.

by Pooja Khiani

www.demure.co.jp