Musiqui Sindh

Sindh the home of Islamic culture being geographically isolated, life and culture developed independently and patronage to music in Sindh started with the advent of Islam. In 712 A.D. when the famous Arab general, Muhammad-bin-Qasim, was engaged in his conquest of Sindh the Sammas of Central Sindh gave him a rousing reception.
Headed by expert musicians playing the Duhol and Sharnai Orchestra, and skilled dancers giving their wonderful performances, they came to greet Muhammad-bin-Qasim, who was struck with the wonderful show. The excellence of the performance and the enthusiastic crowd impressed a lieutenant of Bin Qasim to such an extent that he suggested to the general that their army should pray to God that such a powerful tribe had been subjugated so easily.
Bin Qasim, who had a sense of humour, replied, "Well, I appoint you as their Commander". The point to be noted is that it was mainly the grandeur of the musical performance, the resounding echo of the Duhol and Sharnai combinations that impressed the Arab army to such an extent that the event became a lively subject of remembrance and commentary ever afterwards.
Interest in the classical 'Hindustani' as well as the indigenous music reached its height in the 16th century during the reign of the Turkhan rulers of Sindh, Mirza Jani Beg and his son Mirza Ghazi Beg. Both the father and son were great patrons of poets like the famous Talib Amuli and others, and of numerous musicians who invented new musical forms, Naghmas, and a variety of tunes. Both rulers were accomplished musicians themselves.
Their capital, Thatta, was a rendezvous of renowned musicians, and a contemporary author Farid Bokhari writing in Zakhirat-ul-Khawanin has described it as a place of culture of which the very atmosphere was saturated with music. According to him "the music of Tambour and Dholki resounded from every house".
Besides the official patronage, the influence of Sufism has been an important factor in the consistent development of music in Sindh.
The great saint, Bahauddin Zakaria of Multan founded the Suhrawardy Tarika, probably the oldest Sufi Sect in Sindh. As he was buried in Multan his numerous followers had to undertake a-long and arduous journey to visit the Saint's mausoleum. The followers' love and yearning for the saint found expression in poetical verses, the Baita, which were in turn sung by the groups of the Pandhis, or the followers travelling-on-foot, in a peculiar style which came to be known as Dahr.
The Murids (ie the followers') call for help to or praise for, Murshid (spiritual guide) became the accepted theme of a Dahr which when sung to the accompaniment of music probably gave rise to a Ragni called 'Dharasurree'.
Next to the Suhrawardy Sect, or simultaneously with it, was introduced the Qadiri Tarika which was later on overwhelmingly represented by the religious leadership of the Pir Pagaro dynasty. In the Qadiri Tarika instrumental music was strictly lorbidden and, therefore, the vocal singing became very popular.
This placed greater emphasis on Lihan (chanting) and Lihan modes which characterise the typical singing modes of the followers of Pir Pagaro. This way of singing is a distinct one and is popularly known as Jamait-Jo-Raga-Group chanting.
The only exception in the Qadiri Tarika circle was the famous saint Shah Abdul Latif who made definite arrangements for his poetry to be sung by the trained musicians to the accompaniment of the Tambour (string) Orchestra. It may have been due to the saint's efforts that two expert musicians from Delhi, Attal and Chainchal by name, came to stay with him at Bhit. The saint's verses in the Shah-Jo-Risalo or the "Poetical Compendium", are divided into different chapters, a number of which bear the names of familiar Raginis such as Sur Kalyan, Sur Bilawal, Sur Sorath, Sur Purab, Sur Sarang, Sur Sirri Rag. The titles of other chapters carry the names of certain Raginis which are current in Sindh to this day, such as Baruwo Hanasurree and ano.
All the rest of the chapter-titles also carry the prefix Sur which indicates that the verses falling under these different heads were also sung in different styles.
This is confirmed by the variety of styles in which these verses under different chapters are being sung at the saint's Mausoleum up to this day. However, these styles of vocal music did not gain wide currency except Madhoori or M'adhoor which become popular with the people of Kohistan or the western hilly region of Sindh. In their instrumental music, the tune M'adhoor is still the important and most popular one.
The Naqshbandi Tarika of Sufism also gained a stronghold in Sindh but neither the vocal nor instrumental music was influenced by it. The Chishtia Tarika of Sufism directly emphasised Spiritual Trance through music but it did not gain ground in Sindh. However so far as its musical modes were concerned they found an enthusiastic supporter in the personality of the famous poets, Sachal Sar Mast and his followers.
Through the influence of this group, music-with dance became popular throughout Sindh.
Mention may also be made of Qalandar Shahbaz one of the most influential Saints of Sindh who was a contemporary of Shaikh Sadruddin, the grandson of Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria of Multan. At his Mausoleum at Shewan there are the faqirs whose dance to the Dhammal music of the Dub at the Annual Urs (commemoration) resembles that of the proverbial 'Dancing Darweshes'.
SINDI TUNES: Kohiari, Kafi, Rano, Pirbhati, Dahir, Dhanasurree, Sindh, Bhairveen, Sindh Piloo, Sindh Tilang, Sindh Mand, Sindh Kedaro, Sindh Patmanjri, Sindh Sorath. Of these some are indigenous, others are adaptations, from Indian melodies.
Finally the physical environment has had a great influence in moulding the music of Sindh. For example the Ragini of Rano is rooted in the story of Moomal-Rano which is a romance of the Thaar Desert. The vast expanses of the desert have imparted, through the imagination of the composers, to the formation of this Ragini into long and stretched modulations and the ups and downs of the mountains, the rapid flow, laughter, and mirth, of the brooks and streams have their own peculiarly rippling haunting strains of decided rapture and longing.
The music of Sindh offers an originality which, if appropriately patronised, can become a most precious heritage of the national music of Pakistan.
INSTRUMENTS
Wind
Sharnai: Flute made of wood and reed.
Mutto: bag pipe.
Nadd: reed pipe.
Bansuri: reed pipe.
Algurza: Double reed pipes.
Murli: Wind instrument.
Chang: An iron instrument played with mouth.
Stringed
Surando: made of wood and steel strings.
Tanburo: String instrument.
Yaktaro: having one string.
Drums
Duhol: Drum made of wood and leather.
Dila: An earthen jar.
Nuqrman: Tabi Kabir used by Negroes at the time of Jamalo Dance.
Nakaro: Made of baked earthen Pot and leather.
Donka: Wooden sticks.
Ghugh: Earthen ball with holes.
Matko: earthenware drum.
PERCUSSION
Khartal: Wooden pieces.
Khanjri: Arabian percussion.
Jhanjh: Brass instrument.
Dhando: Strung with Ghinghroos like an arrow.
SINDH DANCES
The dances of Sindh retain very ancient characteristics. Jamalo and donka are performed by Negroes i.e. the Siddis who migrated or were brought over and settled in the interior deserts of Sindh. They retained their Afro-Egyptian element, in language, manner, dances songs and instruments. The contact is 3,000 b.c. old.
Sufi and Derwesh dances are identical to the ecstatic dances of "Whirling Derweshis of Turkish, Arabian and Persian influences.
Samal is a circular folk dance performed round a fire in open air evoking good season.
Dhamal, is an ecstatic dance of Kalandari Fakirs. Jhimmer is a Marwari dance called Ghoomer, in Marwar, brought by Marwaris, when they drifted to Sindh some long time back, & performed by the Marwaris in Sindh in their original purity.
Garbo, is a circular Folk dance of Gujrat, has catches and swings in footsteps and Rhythms & movements called Garba in Gujerat and Garbo in Sindh.
The Sindhi dancing girls have an attractive manner of lilting Persian Poetry in a lisping way. They are handsome and pleasing in manners and decorate themselves with the old world fashion of lavish trailing jewels interlaced with dark long tresses fantastically woven and spread. Their lovely costumes artistically embroidered with gold and silver feligree. The whole personality is free from the artificial "Make up" of the Modern Woman - "God gives you one face you paint yourself another".
It is indeed a relief and the audience unconsciously join in the enthusiasm of the moment and clap their hands in unisom displaying genuine pleasure and satisfaction at her performance.
The noted dances of today are as follows:
Donka: Karam Nizami & Party
Jamalo: Tando Mohammad Khan & Party.
Sufi: Eeso Fakir & Party.
Geet Festival: Karima & Party.
Sarpa (Serpent): Mohammad Fakir & Party.
Khatak: Fakirs of Las Bela.
Dhaun: Fakirs of Sarwar.
Darwesh Naro Bhagat & Party.
Jhimer-Kathkali-Hejamdo and Dhamal are danced by individual dancing girls with great skill and artistry. Their magnificent toilet and physical beauty makes them look like exotic Flowers moving in an enchanted land.
The Author: Hailing from a respectable and learned Yemeni Arab family of Sulaimani Bohras, Atiya Begum was an icon on the cultural scene of the subcontinent in the first half of 20th century. She was born in August 1877 in Istambul.
Her father, Hassan Ali Fezhyder, who had established himself as a leading merchant in Turkey, migrated to India a few months after Atiya was born. Her mother, Ameerunnisa Begum Ameera, was a learned lady well-versed in Arabic, Persian and Urdu. Her collection of Persian poetry Deewan-i-Ameera was published in Bombay.
In 1906 Atiya went to Cambridge on a scholarship from British government. She however had to give up her studies for health reasons. On return from England she started working for the educational and social welfare of women of India and helped establish a number of schools and industrial homes for them.
Atiya was well-acknowledged authority on Oriental and Occidental music and dance. To ameliorate the lot of the India's Classical musicians, instrumentalists and singers, she arranged the first All India Music Conference in 1916 in Baroda State. She also established a "Three Arts Circle" society in Bombay to promote art and culture, specially among the women of India.
In 1911, Atiya met Samuel Fyzee Rahamin, a Jew from Bani Israel tribe of Poona and an outstanding artist and well-known scholar. As Rahamin converted to Islam, they married on December 12, 1912. They migrated to Pakistan on the personal invitation of Quaid-i-Azam.
In 1949, Atiya arranged the first three-day All Pakistan Music Conference in Karachi. But she failed to realise her dream of establishing an art and culture center and a museum in the form of another Aiwan-I-Riffat in Karachi.
Unsung and unmourned, she died a destitute on January 5, 1967, in dire circumstances.