The ethnic Sindhi community comprises of over six crore people, but has
been marginalized & isolated due to scattered settlement. Sindhi Nationality is
one of the fifteen major recognized Indian Nationalities but has microscopic
minority almost in every political constituency. We have paid an enormous
price for having sacrificed our home land. We did it for our country, but today
no one has our back. Currently we have no representation, reservation or
support from any government or political organization. Lack of all of these (and
many more) things, has caused erosion of our culture, loss of our traditions,
almost vapourized our festivals, and diminished use of our language. It is high
time that the Sindhi community step up and work hard to save itself. It is a do
or die situation. No amount of explanation is enough to emphasize how dire
our community's situation is.
Past and Ongoing Effort
Amongst many others all over the country, people like, our very own
Dadi Pushpa D Advani, have been working for over four decades toward the
betterment of the Sindhi community. Under banners of World Sindhi Congress,
International Sindhi Forum, United Sindhi Forum, she, along with several
others has been working on preservation of the language, sponsoring and
supporting Sindhi artists / theatre / movies, promoting Sindhi quotas in Sindhi
colleges, preventing (& even reversing) conversion of Sindhis to other
communities, fighting for reservations & other rights with local authorities – all
the way upto the Prime Minister's Office, etc. Though these efforts have borne
fruit, it is miniscule. We are in need of a dramatic and significant change.
Dr. Subhadra Anand, ex-principal of R. D. National College, Bombay, has
researched and prepared a thesis on how a sacred spot – a “tirath dham” -
would help us preserve our community to a great extent. Getting political
change in India is not easy, but having our very own religious spot, kind of like
the Balaji Temple of the south, or Vaishnodevi temple up noth, or Jeursalem, or
the Mecca Madina, or more so like the Vatican – can help us significantly bring
our community together.
Jhulelal Tirathdham
With this in mind, a delegation of Sindhis met Shri Narendra Modi, Cheif
Minister of Gujarat. He has willingly and generously offered us huge a piece of
land in Gujarat for us to set up our “Jhulelal Tirath Dham”. This is no ordinary
land – it is one where the Sindhu river once ended. It is also surrounded by
areas that have a very high Sindhi speaking population. This place in Narayan
Sarovar has immense cultural significance.
On this land, if we can successfully build our religious centers, cultural
museums, tradition and culture promoting centers for all kinds of arts and
language, etc. we shall be taking a huge step in preserving our community.
Shri Narendra Modiji has offered us this land, in today's expensive times, at
and extremely nominal Rs. 50 per square meter – cheaper than cloth!
We have several prominent Sindhi's participating in this movement.
Currently we are looking for six more trustees. These trustees would be paying
an amount of Rs. 12,00,000 and on becoming a trustee – would form an
integral part of the Jhulelal Tirathdham Trust as founder trustees. This is an
immense honour and an enternal position to have. We hope and look forward
to your support.
The following four pages are inculding a delegation letter, land allotment
letter, a map of the area around Narayan Sarovar, and a proposed plan of what
to build, by Hiranandani builders.
