History Of Sindhi Literature 02
Sindhi Literature in the Post-Partition Era: The Emergence of New Trends
The post-Partition period is widely regarded as the Modern Age of Sindhi literature. To provide a clear overview of the factual development of this era, the following points highlight the key shifts and milestones:
The Rise of Multilingual Authors
Sindhi writers and poets began mastering multiple languages, creating literature across various genres with equal command. A shining example is Vasdev Mohi, who was felicitated with the Sahitya Akademi Award (1989) for his poetry collection Baraf Jo Thahiyal (Made of Ice), while his short story collection Cheque Book was selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman.
Literary Contributions Beyond Sindhi
Many Sindhi litterateurs began writing in Hindi, English, and the regional languages of their respective states. Laxman Dube (2010 Sahitya Akademi Awardee) was a popular composer of Hindi Ghazals. Similarly, Laxman Bhatia (1976 Awardee) penned his autobiography in Hindi titled Bahi Khate Ke Panne.
The Phenomenon of Literary Couples
A unique trend emerged where several couples significantly contributed to the field. Dr. Moti Prakash (1988) and Kala Prakash (1991) were the first couple to be honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award. This legacy was continued by Harish Vaswani (1987) and Indira Vaswani (2012). Between 1959 and 2025, the eminent poet Krishin Rahi (1971) and his wife Maya Rahi (2015) stand as the third such couple to receive this honour.
The "Trio" of Modern Sindhi Fiction
This era brought immense popularity to fiction. Guno Samtani (1972), Lal Pushp (1974), and Mohan Kalpana (1974) are celebrated as the Trio of Modern Sindhi Literature.
Guno Samtani was a master of romantic essence.
Lal Pushp incorporated spiritual touches and an effective use of Hindi vocabulary.
Mohan Kalpana was renowned for his unmatched command over satire.
Fusion of Journalism and Social Service
Literature began to merge with social welfare and community upliftment. Dr. Ram Jawhrani is a prominent name in this regard. A multilingual personality, he has worked tirelessly to preserve Sindhi heritage. His recorded conversations with over 100 renowned Sindhi personalities for Doordarshan Mumbai serve as an invaluable archive for future generations.
Maturity in Literary Criticism
Literary criticism evolved into a mature, integral genre. Key works include Kalyan Advani’s analytical study of the poets Sami and Shah, and Shri Bhojraj Nagrani’s three-volume collection of Sami’s Sloks. The contributions of Harumal Sadarangani regarding Shah Abdul Latif and other Persian/Punjabi poets are also considered vital heritage.
Other Stalwarts: The set norms of Sindhi literature were further challenged and enriched by legendary figures such as Lekhraj Aziz, Padma Shri Dr. Motilal Jotwani, Hiro Thakur, Jhamatmal Bhavnani, A.J. Uttam (often called the Encyclopedia of Sindhi Literature), Kirat Babani, Gobind Malhi, Arjun Shad, and Krishan Khatwani.
Expanding Critical Horizons
Writers like Vishnu Bhatia, Param Abichandani, Dr. Prem Prakash, and Anand Khemani not only achieved milestones in criticism but also introduced new perspectives to the genre, making the literary landscape more robust through their poems and dramas.
The Cultural Crusaders
When it comes to the reach of Sindhi culture among the masses, Prof. Ram Panjwani stands miles ahead of his contemporaries. Whether in Sindhi cinema or language education, he was a “pole star.” He travelled across India and abroad, performing Bhagat (a fusion of song, storytelling, and dance). Similarly, Dr. Jetho Lalwani deserves immense credit for documenting Sindhi folk arts, songs, and traditional crafts like pottery and embroidery.
The Digital Transition and Social Media
With the absence of a dedicated Sindhi state and the closure of many Sindhi-medium schools, the community became scattered. However, the last two decades have seen a revival through Social Media.
Technological Shift: Social media has become a modern platform for folk literature.
Script Preservation: The Lekhwani brothers made a noteworthy contribution by creating Devanagari fonts for the Sindhi language.
Digital Pioneers: Figures like Tamanna Matlani, S.P. Sir, Roma Chandwani, and Jayanti Thakkar were “early birds” on WhatsApp and Facebook, keeping the language alive.
The Future of Sindhi Literature
In response to the younger generation’s declining interest in the language, S.P. Sir has adopted an innovative audio-visual approach. The YouTube channel The Sindhu World serves as a premier bilingual hub for Sindhi culture, offering hundreds of videos and free e-books to ensure the flame of Sindhi literature continues to burn bright in the digital age.