Evolution of Indian literature since India’s Independence-SINDHI (Part III)

Here I shall have to revert back to the time of post Independence of India to give a broad perspective of the literary activity .While all this was going on, the constitution of India was promulgated in 1952. Sindhi did not find place in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution and for all practical purposes by all official agencies eighth schedule was considered as ‘recognition’. Sindhi Language did not get even its just and legitimate demands. Though it is quite significant fact Sindhi Language was included in its activities by Sahitya Akademi in 1958 itself. All India Radio also gave meager time to Sindhi language broadcast. Non inclusion in eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution was reason enough to discriminate against Sindhi Language. This discrimination was most evident in sphere of school education. Thus it was felt that the very root of language is under attack. There was an outcry and a strong demand for ‘recognition’ of Sindhi Language by including it in the eighth schedule of the constitution. Writers, Journalists, Educationists, Social Workers all joined and the movement for ‘recognition’ for Sindhi Language was launched. During this movement which subsequently came to be called “Sindhiyat Movement” groups of writers at many places emerged- Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal etc. Writers were the back bone of this movement and remained the vanguard.  Most of the writers who emerged at that time are still actively contributing to Sindhi literature and significantly writers who emerged during that movement also have been Sahitya Akademi Awardees. Eventually Sindhi Language was ‘recognized’   by amendment to Indian constitution only on 10^th April 1967. By that time many things had changed in Sindhi society which all will be dwelt at a later stage.

 The genesis of nostalgic literature lies in immediate post independence period. In the aftermath of the partition when it was the realized by both governments that evacuees from both side are reality of fall out of partition of the country. The process of paying token compensation was taken up. To avail the paltry sum in lieu of large properties left back home they had to file their claims. When this realization on ‘NO RETURN’ sank in, there was a flood of memories of life left behind and the bonds of friendships that had endured all the misfortunes. There was a flood of nostalgic literature. In this respect the response of the eminent poet Lekhraj ‘Aziz’ was characteristic. In his poem he thundered, “What are they asking me to file the claim of property left behind, I have claim over Sindh and all of Sindh belongs to me.” Narain Bharti’s short stories “DASTAVEZ” (A document ) and “CLAIM” mirror the life of harmony, friendship and good neighborly cordial relationship that Hindus and Muslims alike shared back home in Sindh. There are numerous such short stories. A Poet Khialdas “Fani” wrote a poem remembering his Muslim co poets in Sindh and which was promptly reciprocated by poets across the border. When during 1965 war Sheikh Ayaz wrote a symbolic poem, “Narayan Shyam is before me how can I aim a gun at him?” He had to face imprisonment in Pakistan for years together. The fact that we were forced to leave our homes and hearths due to religion did not come in the way of life of harmony lived together through centuries. It is where the culture and the value structure which nourished it triumphed over political reality. Our literature and culture has remained secular across the borders of both the countries. Narayan “Shyam” a legendry poet in post partition India in his poem declared, “Ganga, Jamuna are all necter, it is Sindhu that is mother’s milk.” Krishin Rahi penned a soul stirring composition “Sindh and Sindhis” which brought tears to those who heard it in voice of Bhagwanti Nawani- a singer who toured in India and abroad to propagate and promote Sindhi vocal culture with a missionary zeal. Moti Prakash came out with the song “Aandhi e mein Jyot Jagaen wara Sindhi” to assert Sindhi pride.     

Unlike society in other languages Sindhi society is not based on Caste system therefore we do not have DALIT literature but we have nostalgic literature about Sind cutting across all generations of writers.

With the passage of time another dimension was added to sentimental aspect. As mentioned earlier it took struggle of nearly 20 years for Sindhi Language to find its place in the eighth schedule of the constitution. In these 20 years it became clear to Sindhis residing in India that this language has no land which can nurture it. This is not the language of market place; this is not a language which will get you any government job. The utility of this language is not seen anywhere. In the society where the prime necessity it to meet the bare needs the learning of Sindhi Language seemed to be redundant. To complicate the matter further it was decided by the political leaders that the script of Sindhi be changed to Devnagiri script. This was done due to misreading by then leaders of Sindhi Community of future political dynamics of the newly independent country. In fact the partition of the country was abrupt and total repudiation of the foundation of the freedom movement i.e. Hindu- Muslim Unity. As Pakistan was created on theocratic basis and it was assumed by Sindhi Congress leaders who were Hindus that in Indian politics also religion alone will play an important role. The leaders overnight found them converted from being leaders of minority community in erstwhile united India believed themselves to be leaders of majority community and thought attendant benefits would accrue to them. Therefore in this situation they advised Sindhi community to merge into local society wherever they found themselves. In this process Persian-Arabic script was clear give away therefore they had to disguise themselves by discarding alien ‘Muslim’ Script. This was done without proper follow up in the matter by standardizing the Devnagiri script and without any plan to provide facilities for transliteration. This added to the sense of redundancy of Sindhi Language and many people abandoned Sindhi and opted for education of their children in Hindi or in English. In post liberalization phase and emergence of consumer society this phenomena encompasses all languages cutting across all barriers where people in upper income bracket are opting for English language education instead of their mother tongue. The case of Sindhi has been further complicated by the fact that whereas other languages have villages as backyard where the language and culture is not threatened with extinction Sindhis in India do not have such a back yard.

In absence of land, being scattered all across India and being in miniscule minority of less than half a percent of population it is only language which guarantees our distinct identity as a society. Nostalgic literature and the literature of distinct Sindhi identity has thus remained an important trait in Sindhi Literature. The fear of losing identity has been brought out in bold relief in a short story “Ghanti”…… by Harish Vaswani (1940-213).  This aged parent has been given a bell to signal any emergency. When a friend of his son visits him and speaks to him in Sindhi at the time guest is about to leave he rings emergency bell saying, “Perhaps this is the last time I am seeing any one speaking my language!” Vasdev Mohi ( 1944-2021) in one of his poems bemoans the fact that “One is left without any language; even a camel has a bell around his neck now perhaps that bell will also disappear! In another he says I Like Languages, English provides me bread, Hindi connects me to land, and Sindhi gives me dreams”             

For the generation that immediately grew up after partition it became almost incumbent to start earning after matriculation. Thus young Sindhis occupied clerical positions in Railways, Government offices, Banks, Insurance and wherever any vacancy was available. This gave rise to phenomena of learning while earning. Many morning colleges were started during that time. Young students would leave their homes by 6 am and after attending to college and full time job would return home by 8 pm. It is surprising that even in that period many continued with their literary creations and would attend literary classes on Saturday evenings/nights and Sundays. They worked as if possessed. In this atmosphere Sindhi Associations were established in western/central railways, banks and many other offices and the main activity would be to bring out Annual Literary Issue of considerable literary merit.