“Ho Jamalo” isn’t just a folk song; it’s an echo of longing and triumph that reverberates through the plains of Sindh, and beyond. This beloved Sindhi language ballad, woven into the very fabric of Pakistani culture and Sindhi identity, tells the tale of a historical hero wagering his life for his liberty.
The story of this song takes us back to the city of Sukkur, Pakistan in 1889. The British were the occupying force of the subcontinent. They had just built a bridge over the Indus River - called the Landsdowne Bridge - touted as one of the great engineering feats of the 19th century. However, the bridge remained untested - there was still a question of whether it would safely hold the trains meant to cross it or would the bridge give way dumping the train’s contents and passengers into the rushing Indus river below.
Due to the risk, no trained train conductor was willing to carry out the test.
To resolve this problem, the British colonizers established a monetary prize for whoever would test the bridge and cross it successfully and alive. The news reached a death row prisoner named Ghulam Rasool Jamalo Sheedi who signed up to test the bridge - but only if he was promised his freedom in return. The occupying forces agreed and gave Jamalo a brief but rigorous 2-day training for how to drive the train. When the day came, Jamalo got in the conductor's seat. Spectators held their breath. There was much excitement and anticipation as the train hurdled across the iron bridge. When Jamalo safely reached the other side, his wife and family were waiting for him. There, originated the song: Ho Jamalo Kati Ayo Khair Saan - Jamalo has returned safe and a winner.
The Indus River: Lifeblood of civilizations
The major cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation, such as Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, date back to around 3300 BC, and represent some of the largest human habitations of the ancient world. Like many of the major ancient civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization was able to flourish due to the flowing water of the Indus River & its tributaries.
The ultimate source of the Indus is in Tibet, but there is some debate about the exact source. The traditional source of the river is the Sênggê Kanbab or "Lion's Mouth", a perennial spring not far from the sacred Mount Kailash. It runs through the heavily disputed region of Kashmir. It gradually bends to the south and descends into the Punjab plains. The remainder of its route to the sea is in the plains of the Punjab and Sindh, where the flow of the river becomes slow and highly braided. Passing by Jamshoro city, it ends in a large delta to the South of Thatta in the Sindh province of Pakistan, ultimately flowing into the Arabian Sea.
The Indus River has not only supported the growth of human civilizations but also other animal species. For example, the Indus River dolphin is found only in the Indus River. It is a symbol of Sindhi's social geography.
Unfortunately, climate change, poor preservation practices, over-industrialization, deforestation, and pollution are negatively impacting the survival of the species in the river and those who sustain their livelihood from this life-giving body of water.
Ajrak: The pride of Sindhis
The present-day province of Sindh was the heart of the Indus Valley Civilization some 5000 years ago. Early human settlements in the lower Indus Valley found a way of cultivating and using cotton to make fabrics cultivating local plants and harvesting them for dyeing on textiles.
A bust of the Priest-King excavated at Mohenjo-daro, currently in the National Museum of Pakistan, shows one shoulder draped in a piece of cloth that resembles an Ajrak. Of special note is the trefoil pattern etched on the person's garment interspersed with small circles, the interiors of which were filled with a red pigment.
The Ajrak is an integral part of Sindhi culture. Its usage is evident at all levels of society and is held in high esteem. Ajrak can be called the identity of Sindh and Sindhi people. Sindhi people also present Ajrak as a gesture of hospitality to their guests.
The natural textile printing tradition still prevails centuries later with workshops of craftsmen using the same methods of production that were used generations ago. Ajraks are usually about 2.5 to 3 meters long, patterned in intense colors predominantly rich crimson or a deep indigo with some white and black used sparingly to define the geometric symmetry in design.