SINDHI Vanyas

SINDHI Vanyas

The terms ‘Vanya’ and ‘Jajman’ are used, particularly by Brahmans and Sindhi Muslims, to refer to upper caste, Hindu Sindhi businesspeople. However, within the community, they generally identify themselves as Hyderabadis, Shikarpuris, Sahitis and so on, referring to their place of origin. As a caste group, they form the majority of the community in India.

In terms of sect or zaat, the two primary divisions in this group are between Amils and Bhaibands. The Amils were the educated class, and worked as teachers, lawyers, doctors, and bureaucrats. The Bhaibands were traders, shopkeepers and businessmen. Sindhworkis were Bhaibands who traded in material manufactured in Sindh, and took the opportunity offered by British rule to conduct their business in ports around the world. They formed a worldwide network of Sindhis. Chhaprus were communities that stayed in the mountain regions of Sindh but later settled in Karachi. Bhatias were considered direct descendants of Shri Krishna, a Hindu deity, and were strictly vegetarian – some not even consuming onion or garlic. Masands were Sikh by faith and were introduced to Sikhism by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ramdas. Thakurs were the descendants of Lord Jhulelal, the Sindhi deity, and they became the Sindhi Brahmans. Bhagnaris were the spice, dry fruits and wine merchants; they belonged to Baluchistan. Lohanas were the Kshatriyas who were originally from Lahore and eventually settled in Kachchh, and they were a mercantile people (Bijani, 2013).

These different sects within the community often compete to establish superiority of culture and language. Hyderabadis and Shikarpuris, for example, speak Sindhi in different ways. Although Hyderabadi Sindhi was formalized as standard Sindhi by the British, there is always a conflict about the right way to say things. The educated class looks down upon the business class, and vice-versa.

Marriage is generally arranged within the sects. For example, Shikarpuris prefer to marry other Shikarpuris, since their practices, language and rituals are the same. It is still uncommon, even for such a small community, to marry across sects. Marriages outside the community are however quite commonplace, with young people increasingly taking more control over whom they choose to marry.