History Of Sindhi Literature 01 सिंधी साहित जो इतिहास
Introductory
The biggest hurdle for scholars and writers attempting to document the History of Sindhi Literature is the lack of available written evidence. Upon researching this, I found that since the Sindhi community has existed since the dawn of human civilization—dating back to the Vedic Era and the Sindhu Ghati Sabhyata (Indus Valley Civilization)—their literary roots run deep.
The Vedas, the world’s oldest written scriptures, mention the River Sindhu (the lifeline of Sindh), which indicates the following:
Cultural Identity: The people living on the banks of the River Sindhu had their own distinct traditions, lifestyle, and language, identifying them as a unique Hindu Sindhi group.
The Existence of Literature: It is only natural to assume that if a community has its own language, it must also possess a rich body of literature.
Geographical Vulnerability: Due to its unique geographical location, Sindh was often the first to fall prey to non-Hindu invaders.
Destruction of Heritage: To propagate their own religions and lifestyles, various Arab and Mughal invaders destroyed much of the existing Sindhi literature. We must understand that literature is not just a collection of historical facts; it acts as the very roots of a community.
Psychological Impact: Being uprooted from their ancient social and cultural life often created an inferiority complex among the common people, making it easier for foreign rulers to impose their authority over the region.
Scope of this Study
In this account of the History of Sindhi Literature, I will focus specifically on two major periods:
Sindhi literature during the reign of non-Hindu invaders.
Sindhi literature in the post-Partition era of India.
Changes in the Sindhi Community and Literature
Over the many decades before the infliltration of non Hindu invaders, the Sindhi community has seen big changes in both its society and its literature. During this time, the community became very wealthy. The Indus River (Sindhu) played a huge role in this progress—not just through farming and fishing, but also by opening up sea routes for trade with far-off countries.
It is a fact that as things develop, new ways of living slowly replace the old ones. Because of their sea trade, Sindhi men used to stay away from home for many months at a time. Traveling to foreign lands helped them learn how to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Since the men were away for so long, the lifestyle back home also started to change. This was the period when Sindhis began speaking multiple languages and even writing the Sindhi language in different scripts. However, because of these changes, the community slowly started losing interest in preserving its old traditions and heritage.
Sindhi Literature: A Look Through the Eras
Because we don’t have many written records from the very early days, it is easier to study the history of Sindhi literature by dividing it into two main parts:
Sindhi Literature during British Rule (1843 to 1947)
Sindhi Literature after Independence (1947 onwards)
The Golden Age and the Legendary Trio
Even though the eras above are the main focus, we cannot forget the “Great Trio” of Sindhi literature: Sami (Chainrai Bachomal Dattaramani), Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, and Sachal Sarmast. Their work from the late 17th to the mid-19th century was truly legendary and still mesmerizes readers today. In fact, the 18th century is widely considered the Golden Era of Sindhi literature.
The Roots of Poetry
If we go back further to the Samara Dynasty, we find Qazi Qadan (1493–1551). He is known as the “Father of Classical Sindhi Poetry” and was the first Sindhi Sufi poet. He really laid the foundation for the beautiful, soul-stirring poetry that Sindh is famous for.
Who Were the Writers?
One important thing to note is that before the British arrived, Sindhi literature was mostly dominated by Islamic scholars. They had a very strong command over Persian and Arabic. During this time, most Hindu Sindhis were more focused on trading and business, which is why we see fewer Hindu names among the “shining stars” of literature from that specific period.
The History of the Sindhi Script
For about 150 years, the British government used the Arabic script for the Sindhi language. Because it was used for such a long time, the Sindhi community began to believe that this was the original and only script for their language.
Changes After 1947
When Sindhi speakers moved to India in 1947, using the Arabic script started to cause problems. The Indian Ministry of Education suggested switching to the Devanagari script. However, many people who preferred the Arabic script protested. To solve this, the Indian government decided to allow both scripts. As a result, Sindhi became the only language with two official writing systems.
Modern Challenges
Today, the Sindhi community in India is moving away from the Arabic script. However, having two different scripts has created a new problem: it makes it harder to develop and modernize the Devanagari script for literature and everyday use.
History of Sindhi Literature During the British Rule (Part 1)
To better understand how Sindhi literature developed and changed, we can divide the British era into two phases: the first sixty years and the period that followed. This helps us see the different horizons and progress made in Sindhi writing during those times.
The Choice of Script
An important historical point is the British decision regarding the Sindhi script. Despite the Hindu majority’s preferences, the British favored the Muslim minority by choosing the Perso-Arabic script (with 52 letters, including some newly added ones) as the official script for the Sindhi language.
The First Sixty Years: Foundation Building
During this initial phase, the main focus was on creating dictionaries, grammar books, and translations. Key highlights include:
1855: Captain Stack published the first formal Sindhi-English Dictionary.
1872: Captain Ernest Trumpp wrote a book on Sindhi grammar. Around the same time, the popular Sindhi writer Jhamatmal Narumal Vaswani also published his own book on grammar rules.
1907: Kewalram Salamatrai Advani released the first-ever collection of Sindhi phrases.
Trends in Poetry
For these first six decades, Sindhi poetry and songs were heavily influenced by Persian styles. Most poets focused on writing Ghazals, though many books of Rubayee (quatrains) were also published. “Free verse” began to dominate the scene, and poets typically called their published collections a “Diwan.”
Development of Prose and Criticism
While this was largely an era of translations, original prose was also reaching new heights. Between 1857 and 1927, several great personalities emerged:
Dayaram Gidumal Shahani: He is considered the first literary critic in Sindhi. He was known for explaining the Sloks of Sami, interpreting Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Japji Sahib, and writing an abstract of the Bhagavad Gita.
Parmanand Mewaram (1865–1938): The editor of a famous Sindhi newspaper (starting in 1900), he was known as the “Addison of Sindh.” He was a prominent essayist, lexicographer (dictionary compiler), and reporter.
In 1960, Manoharlal Khilnani (with the help of the Sahitya Akademi, Delhi) published 34 essays written by his father, Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani. This work served as a “bridge” connecting the literature of different centuries.
History of Sindhi Literature During the British Rule (Part 2)
During the British rule, Sindhi poetry became very popular. This new movement was started by great writers like Shri Kishinchand Bewas. He brought in fresh topics and a musical style of writing that made the poems very pleasing to hear.
This trend was taken to new heights by other famous poets such as Hundraj Dukhayal, Prof. Ram Panjwani, Hari Dilgir, and Prabhu Wafa. A major change came when Prabhu Wafa introduced a new style called Panjkada (five-line poems). This gave Sindhi literature a completely new direction and a unique way of expressing feelings.
Great Contributors to Sindhi Literature
Poetry and the Persian Style
In this era, poets like Parasram Zia, Lekhraj Aziz, Harumal Sadarangani, and Khiyaldas Fani were the leaders in keeping the traditional Persian style of poetry alive. Another major highlight was the work of Nanakram Dharamdas. He translated Meghdoot (the famous work by the great poet Kalidas) into Sindhi. This was a huge achievement and is still considered one of the most important contributions to Sindhi poetry.
Legendary Figures of Sindhi Literature
The Golden Age of Prose
When we look at Sindhi prose (essays and stories), this period was dominated by famous writers like:
Bherumal Meharchand Adwani (1875–1950)
Dr. Hotchand Gurbaxani (1883–1947)
Lalchand Amardinomal Jagatiyani (1885–1948)
Jhamatmal Parasram Gulrajani (1886–1948)
These authors wrote beautiful books and articles that are still considered legendary today.
The Father of Sindhi Drama
Mangharam Kewalram Malkani also played a massive role. He translated Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali into Sindhi and was very active in theatre. He wrote 34 one-act plays and 4 full-length dramas, and he even translated plays from other languages into Sindhi. Because of his hard work, he is known as the “Father of Modern Sindhi Drama.”
In the world of Sindhi literature, Dr. Hotchand earned immense fame for his deep study of Shah Jo Risalo. Around the same time, Bherumal Meharchand set a very high standard with his books, History of Sindhi Boli (History of the Sindhi Language) and Complete Sindhi Grammar. Even today, it is hard to find any work that matches the quality of his writing.
Sufism and Suspense
Jhamatmal Parasram was famous for writing suspenseful stories in English that were filled with the spirit of Sufism. His three storybooks about the great saints Shah Abdul Latif and Sachal Sarmast greatly enriched Sindhi literature.
Essays and Criticism
During this period, Lalchand Jagatiyani was the undisputed leader in writing essays and fiction on various topics. He was also highly respected for his work in literary criticism.
Dictionary and Other Greats
The history of this era would be incomplete without mentioning Prof. M.U. Malkani and Amarlal Hingorani. It is also important to remember this time as the “era of dictionaries,” thanks to the hard work of Parasram Mewani and others who published important Sindhi dictionaries.
Posted on 23 – 03 – 2026