Arab traders accustomed sugar candy in Sindh and took horns of rhinoceros
from here to sell in China . Al-Mehlib (the Arabian tribe) transported Hens
and Buffaloes of Sindh toward Iraq and China , Arabs also carried prey dogs
from Sindhi soldiers as a tribute. These people furthermore carried betel
leaf from here and harvested in Oman whereas they brought seeds of taramid
tree from Basra . People of Sindh learned honey making process, agriculture
of dot tree and making of sweet meal with dot palms from Arabs. The Persians
brought perfume, olive and water lily from Khurasan, pomegranate is also
Persian gift and they in addition gave us seeds of bringal. Grapes have been
planted here during the era of Abbasid dynasty, British carried kernel of
orange from here In divine book �Touret� is written that �Suleman brought
Peacock, musk, gold and rhinoceros from Sindh�. In 808 AD a doctor named
Manik has been called upon for treatment of incurable disease of Abbasi
Caliph Haroon Rasheed, after completing successful treatment, Sultan
appointed him chief supervisor of the royal hospital at Baghdad .
During the era of Yehya Bermki a Sindhi physician named Ibn-e-Dhanna had
been appointed an administrative officer at the hospital of Baghdad, this
man introduced there Sindhi method of treatment. During invasion of
Alexander the great on Sindh the king of Alor gifted him medicine of snake
bite whereas a pair of yellow pigeons was presented him by a monarch. During
this era Greek learned the treatment of poisons and herbal knowledge from
Sindhi doctors. They also carried Sindhi cotton (cloth) from here of which
they praised in their books as �Sindhin�, whereas method of teaching and art
left by Greeks is part of Sindhi culture even today. In this way due to
exchange (which extracted through the ages) of different customs,
traditions, things, assets, national and religious values of guest companies
Sindh became lodging of complex civilization and ideologies. Though such
happenings smashed up the original characteristics of Sindhi culture but
also became beneficial with the exchange of rich cultural heritages of the
different nations of the world. Such changes and exchanges were not bound
only with overseas or distant populations but were usual with bordering
nations, among such other civilizing interactions a beautiful piece of
cultural art is Sindhi Cap which was introduced among Sindhi natives from
neighboring Baloch people. A reason regarding the convey of Balochi cap
among Sindhi people was that northern areas of Sindh is bordered with
Baluchistan, for that basis the replacement of every aspect of life was
order of the day. That time Balochi people used to wear turban upon the cap,
copying them Sindhi people also patronized the method, though this has been
ended now but in few remote regions of the both provinces same style is
still prevailing, whereas in some areas cap has been taken away from turban
and on some vicinities load of turban has been suspended. Unfortunately by
and large both nations has now thrown away turban and cap from the head
thinking these unreasonable weight or out of fashion thing what were once
sign of respect, personality and pride.
During the eighteen and nineteenth century AD, covering head with turban,
cap or cloth was considered as a sigh of soberness among the people of Sindh
and Balochistan, while uncovered head was measured as social indulgence,
therefore according to their status people always keep their heads covered.
In most few areas of both provinces the men with uncovered skull had been
prosecuted, fined or socially boycotted, even today in many regions around
Pakistan the concept of head covering is respectfully accustomed. During its
early phase two type of caps has been used to cover heads, one made by
sewing two folds of white cloth, its four sides had been circular with which
complete forehead could be covered, pious and religious people like to wear
that. Second kind of cap was prepared by silk and golden fibers (threads),
curved with beautiful embellishment and ornamented with pieces of glasses to
extend its sober attire. This cap has been incised from forehead in the way
(like half moon) that both curving corners touches right and left mandible.
By the time many changes has been commenced into style plus crafts of cap,
hardness and softness of cloth etc:, keeping the seasons of the year in view
numerous alterations has also been brought in, like some times increasing
pearls with glasses and some times decreasing those. Transaction of cap from
Baloch to Sindhi people also seen several innovations seemingly correlated
with Sindhi culture and the time came this cap has merged with particular
Sindhi dress, sober structure, walking style etc: and called �Sindhi Cap. In
any part of the Pakistan if you see some one worn Sindhi cap he must be
thought Sindhi or resident of Sindh. Making of Sindhi cap is like
constructing a building where there is base, walls, floor, roof, color,
plaster etc: plus the periods of polish and shining also. There are five
styles of cap, round (circular), four cornered, fancy, betel leaf shaped and
the cap having different designs. Prevailing style of cap has been passed
from three different phases of its evaluation.
Silky Era
Before the partition of sub-continent best kind of silk had been imported
from Kashmir with which Sindhi cap makers designs the cap and decorated
ornamentation of different things as pieces of plastic, pearls, glasses etc:
to create fine-looking caps. Such caps have been mostly worn under the
turban in such style that cap peeps out of the turban like hump of bullock
or camel. That was not similar to the rounded cap prevailed today but was
cut from forehead like half moon, this kind of cap has almost been outdated.
Phase of Collyrium
The cap of this period was different than that of silky one because
collyrium has been used instead of glittering golden threads or pieces of
glasses. Cap producers create such beautiful lines, decoration and flowering
designs with collyrium on cloth (mostly silk) of different color that having
seen their art heart filled in high spirits. Lines of collyrium glittered in
the light of sun as strips of phosphorus written behind the vehicles,
reflects back the beams when head light of other vehicles thrown on those
during dark. Top (roof) of the cap had been decorated with interesting
geometrical figures like, half, circular, rectangular, four-cornered,
oblique, moon, sun, and stars etc. These caps were not very durable because
after became dirty if washed, the grayish color and shining went away, in
this way after three or four time cleaning no where to found its beauty.
Phase of Golden
threads
Two or three folds of cloth have been used in this kind of cap which was
made inflexible by using hard cloth between the folds. The cap had been
incised in orchid shape at its opening, in a way that complete head covered
whereas the forehead remained open. With the passage of time keeping in view
the disposition of wearer plus needs of modern world, new styles and designs
has been introduced, as some times striking with national movements
designing the map of Sindh, national slogans plus flag, figures of national
heroes, axes, mosques, tombs, old and new geometrical shapes, Ajrak (Sindhi
shawl) etc: has been designed. Though many changes have been introduced in
the industry of cap making but not much difference can be found between old
and new Sindhi cap.
like other cultural heritages of Sindh nothing has been done for the
development and maturity of Sindhi cap or its makers, neither any step has
been taken by government missionaries nor private institutions or social
organizations did anything, rather they has been denied and distorted by the
authorities. Forgetting the cultured character of our cap in sociology,
history and literature we bounded its use only on special occasions or
gatherings like marriage. In spite of this state of rejection regarding this
art, cottage industry of Sindhi cap making is with us winning all
interferences in the travel of times, present life and conservation of this
skill goes to the genuine struggle of Sindhi and Baloch women whose are more
effective and active than male artists. Nonetheless, due to introduction of
modern technology manual work has effected on great scale even though a
class among new generation of cap lovers mostly like to wear the cap made of
hand. Wherever is education around the globe, the nations of world are busy
to save their national and cultural heritages, whether it is in form of
archaeology, history, dress, language, literature, land etc: but among us
where rays of education reached, our cultural and traditional heritages has
been ignored and destroyed there. Thus the tradition of cap wearing has
mostly remained only in less educated and northern districts of Sindh like
Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, Shikarpur and Nawabshah, but the percentage of its
use has been decreasing day by day. Though the past of Sindhi nation is
excellent but present is alarmingly worse, its current generation has became
prey of Europe like other nations of the Pakistan . Due to infiltration of
borrowed schooling syllabus and conquest of foreign media and being victim
of downfall against foreign civilizations we are destroying our national
heritages and cultural legacies with our own hands Sindhi cap is also among
those. In this connection we should have to be grateful the poor and
amateurish section of our society who has protected this cultural heritage
because they think it sin to uncover their heads, in this state of affairs
the cultured legacy of Sindhi cap can be claimed by this group because they
are not only makers of the cap but also protectors of expertise and
exercise.
Sindhi Topi Day
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