Sindhis
Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group originating from and native to Sindh, a region of Pakistan, who share a common Sindhi culture, history, [|ancestry], and language. The historical homeland of Sindhis is bordered by southeastern Balochistan; the Bahawalpur region of Punjab; the Marwar region of Rajasthan; and the Kutch region of Gujarat.
Sindhis are the third-largest ethnic group in Pakistan, after the Punjabis and Pashtuns, forming a majority in Sindh with historical communities also found in neighbouring Balochistan. They form a significant diasporic population in India, mostly partition-era migrants and their descendants. Sindhi diaspora is also present in other parts of South Asia; as well as in the Gulf states, the Western world and the Far East.
Sindhis are a diverse group in terms of religious affiliations and practices. Approximately 94% are adherents of Islam, primarily the Sunni denomination with a significant population also following the Shia denomination. A large minority of approximately 5% adheres to Hinduism; with smaller groups, each constituting a population of less than 1%, adhering to Christianity, Sikhism and Jainism. The Muslim population forms a majority in Sindh; with Hindus mainly concentrated in eastern Sindh, forming a majority in Umerkot district with significant populations in other districts as well. Sindhis in India are predominantly Hindu with smaller Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Jain minorities. Despite being geographically separated, Sindhis still maintain strong ties to each other and share similar cultural values and practices.
Sindhis have largely been isolated throughout their history; due to which Sindhi culture has preserved its uniqueness. Belonging to various tribes and clans, Sindhis are closely related to other Sindhic-speaking groups.
Etymology
The name Sindhi is derived from the Sanskrit Sindhu, which translates as "river" or "sea body"; the Greeks used the term "Indos" to refer to the Indus River and the surrounding region, which is where Sindhi is spoken.The historical spelling "Sind" was discontinued in 1988 by an amendment passed in the Sindh Assembly, and is now spelt "Sindh." Hence, the term "Sindhi" was also introduced to replace "Sindi". The Sindhi have a historic relationship with the Sinti people in Europe.
In the Balochi language, the traditional terms for Sindhis are Jadgal and Jamote. They are derived from the prefix Jatt referring to the tribe by that name, and the suffix gal meaning "speech". Thus, it signifies someone who speaks the language of the Jatts, i.e. a Jatt. The term Jatt historically encompassed Sindhis and Punjabis, and was frequently used by the British for Sindhis in their census records.
Geographic distribution
Sindh has been an ethnic historical region isolated from the rest of India; unlike its neighbors Sindh did not experience violent invasions. Boundaries of various Kingdoms and rulers in Sindh were defined on ethnic lines. Throughout history the geographical definition for Sindh referred to the south of Indus and its neighboring regions.Pakistan
Besides Sindh the historical homeland of Sindhis are regions like Kacchi Plain, the Lasbela and Makran regions in Balochistan, the Bahawalpur region of Punjab, the Kutch region of Gujarat and Jaisalmer and Barmer regions of Rajasthan, India. There are many Sindhi-Hindus who migrated to India after partition in 1947.Sindhis in Pakistan have their own province, Sindh, It also has the largest population of Hindus in Pakistan, with 93% of Pakistani Hindus residing in Sindh.
India
Sindhi Hindus were an economically prosperous community in urban Sindh before partition, but due to fear of persecution on the basis of religion and after large scale arrival of Muslim refugees from India, they migrated to India after partition. They had a hard time in India developing their economic status with no native homeland to claim, they chose to live in states that had similarity with Sindhi culture. Despite all of that they were successful in establishing themselves as one of India's richest communities, especially through business and trade. Sindhis have distinguished themselves in India, from famous actors such as Ranveer Singh and Jimmi Harkishin to veteran politicians such as L. K. Advani, all of whom had families that came from Sindh.In India as per 2011 census, Sindhis have an estimated population of 2,770,000. Unlike Sindhis in Pakistan, Indian Sindhis are scattered throughout India in states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
| State | Population | % of total |
| Gujarat | 11.84 | 42.7% |
| Maharashtra | 7.24 | 26.1% |
| Rajasthan | 3.87 | 13.9% |
| Madhya Pradesh | 2.45 | 8.8% |
| Chhattisgarh | 0.93 | 3.4% |
| Delhi | 0.31 | 1.1% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 0.29 | 1.0% |
| Assam | 0.20 | 0.7% |
| Karnataka | 0.17 | 0.6% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 0.11 | 0.4% |
Diaspora
Today many Sindhis live outside Pakistan and India, particularly in Afghanistan, where there are an estimated 25,000 of them, largely engaged in merchant trade. In addition, during the crackdown on separatist groups by Pervez Musharraf an estimated 400-500 Sindhi separatists, along with Balochis, fled to Afghanistan.Another group of Sindhis migrated to the island of Ceylon, which is the now modern day country of Sri Lanka, roughly two centuries ago to engage in business and trade. They came via migration from Hyderabad city of Sindh. However, after partition this trend increased as Sindhi Hindus left their home province. Today they are mainly concentrated around Colombo.
Wealthy Sindhi communities can also be found in both Hong Kong and Singapore.
History
Sindh was the site of one of the cradles of civilization, the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation that flourished from about 3000 BCE. The Indo-Aryan tribes of Sindh gave rise to the Iron Age vedic civilization, which lasted until 500 BCE. During this era, the Vedas were composed.In 518 BCE, the Achaemenid Empire conquered Indus valley and established Hindush satrapy in Sindh. Following Alexander the Great's invasion, Sindh became part of the Mauryan Empire. After its decline, Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians and Indo-Parthians ruled in Sindh.
Sindh is sometimes referred to as the Bab-ul Islam, as it was one of the first regions of the Indian subcontinent to come under Islamic rule. Parts of the modern-day province were intermittently subject to raids by the Rashidun army during the early Muslim conquests, but the region did not come under Muslim rule until the Arab invasion of Sind occurred under the Umayyad Caliphate, headed by Muhammad ibn Qasim in 712 CE. The conquest is celebrated in modern Pakistan on the 10th day of Ramadan as Yom-e Bab ul-Islam. Afterwards, Sindh was ruled by a series of dynasties including the Habbaris, Soomras, Sammas, Arghuns and Tarkhans.
The Mughal Empire conquered Sindh in 1591 and organized it as Subah of Thatta, the first-level imperial division. Sindh again became independent under the Kalhora dynasty. The British conquered Sindh in 1843 after their victory in the Battle of Hyderabad over the Talpur dynasty. Sindh became a separate province in 1936, and after independence became part of Pakistan.
File:Mohenjo-daro Priesterkönig.jpeg|thumb|upright|The Priest-King wearing Sindhi Ajruk",, National Museum of Pakistan
Prehistoric period
Sindh and surrounding areas contain the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization. There are remnants of ancient cities and structures, with a notable example in Sindh being that of Mohenjo Daro. Built around 2500 BCE., it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Civilisation or Harappan culture, with features such as standardized bricks, street grids, and covered sewer systems. It was one of the world's earliest major cities, contemporaneous with the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Minoan Crete, and Caral-Supe.Mohenjo-daro was abandoned in the 19th century BCE as the Indus Valley Civilization declined, and the site was not rediscovered until the 1920s. Significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. The site is currently threatened by erosion and improper restoration.
The cities of the ancient Indus were noted for their urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, clusters of large non-residential buildings, and techniques of handicraft and metallurgy. Mohenjo-daro and Harappa very likely grew to contain between 30,000 and 60,000 individuals, and the civilisation may have contained between one and five million individuals during its florescence. A gradual drying of the region during the 3rd millennium BCE may have been the initial stimulus for its urbanisation. Eventually it also reduced the water supply enough to cause the civilisation's demise and to disperse its population to the east.