Sindhi folk music (Sindhi: سنڌي لوڪ موسيقي) is traditional folk music and singing from Sindh, which is sung and generally performed in 5 genres that originated in Sindh, the first genre "Bait" styles. The Bait style is vocal music in Sanhoon (low voice) and Graham (high voice). Second style "Waee" instrumental music is performed in a variety of ways using a string instrument. Waee, also known as Kafi.[1] Sindhi folk music was popularized by great Sindhi sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.
Besides Sindhi folk genres of Bait, Wae and Kafi other Sindhi folk genres include;
Lada/Sehra/Geech: in this genre folk songs are song for special days and occasions like weddings, engagements, birth of a child etc, Sehra and Lada are genre of expressing emotions like joy, happiness, sadness etc, it is sung by females in a group, with various Sindhi folk musical instruments like dhul, Thali, kanjiri, ghungro etc.[2]
Dhammal: this is a folk style of singing as well as a folk religious dance, the folk instruments like Nagara, Shernai, gharyal, gughu etc are played.[3]
Dohiraa
Bhagat
Kalaam
Classical
Molood: is a Sindhi form of poetry about Prophet Muhammad's life, with poems consisting of between five and ten verses. Mauluds are sung in a group of men in unique high and low voices.
Moro: this folk style of singing is usually played in mountainous region of Sindh in Kohistan by the locals.[4]
Hamarcho: this is harvesting folk songs, sung by farmers, their families, friends, neighbours and relatives who come together and sing Hamarcho in a group, one person leading while others sing together when crops grow.[5]
Osara/Paar: this is style of singing for mourning for loved ones, in which the close relatives of the dead would weep while singing in sad style the phrases generally are the memories, praises and remembrance of the dead.[6]
Doro: this folk style of singing is performed by women of Thar desert region of Sindh.
Today other modern genres are also being introduced.[7]
The folk Sindhi musician communities whose ancestral work is singing and playing music instruments, are Manganhar, Langha, Mirasis and Dumria, these communities on every special occasions were invited to sing folk ceremonial songs.
The Sheedi (African origin) community in Sindh is also traditionally known for playing Sindhi folk music on weddings and on other ceremonies, especially in Lār region of Sindh, where mostly they live, the Sindhi music has also been influenced by these Sheedi music in lower Sindh, the Sheedi community have their own style of folk music and dance, which is quite popular in Sindh. In lower Sindh (Lār) region the Sheedi community are the well known folk singers, musicians and dancers, the women are specially invited in weddings, engagements and on other ceremonious occasions to sing (Sehra, Lada and Geech). The modern Sindhi wedding songs use the Sheedi music beats as well.[8]
The Sindhi music generally has three or four styles, the folk music, classical music, sufi music and modern style music, many modern singers experiment with western music, rapping, hiphop and jazz is being introduced by the young musicians.
The traditional compilations of Shah Jo RisalobyShah Abdul Latif Bhitai include 30 Sura (chapters) which are sang as raags. The oldest publications of Shah Jo Risalo contained 36 Suras, but later six of the Suras were rejected because the language and content did not correspond to the style of the Shah.[citation needed] Recently, Nabi Bakhsh Baloch, the most famous Sindhi linguist has compiled and published a new publication after 32 years of research, into popular culture and the history of the Sindhi language. The famous singer Abida Parveen has recorded the entire Shah's Suras on her 11th volume CD Shah Jo Risalo, released in December 2013.[9]
The 30 traditional Suras included in Shah Jo Risalo are:[10][11]
^"Resonance of heritage: Sindhi musicians willing to give away life for Sur". The Express Tribune. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2024. Enumerating indigenous Sindhi instruments, Dr Rafiq said, Boraneendo, Narr, Chang, Dambooro, Gharro, Surando, Murlee, Alghozo and Banjo are some important instruments.
^"Sindhi Music". Indus Asia Online Journal. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
