Unfortunately, the historians have neglected the Hur Women Fighters while writing the history
Farooq Sargani
Despite immense contributions in almost every field, including the wars of freedom, the women have been neglected in the annals of history around the world. Sindh is not an exception, as the women, having played distinguished and exemplary roles, are rarely mentioned in history books. However, it’s an undeniable fact that in the past, Sindhi women have always raised voice against the injustice, and even carried arms to fight the tyrannical rule of the British Empire.
During the British era, the social and economic condition of women became very bad, particularly in the Hur populated region of Makhi Forest in present day Sanghar district, because the people of Makhi Forest and the Achhro Thar (White Desert) never accepted the encroachment of the British Empire over Sindh. The British colonial policies compelled the Hurs, the followers of Pir Pagara, to carry weapons.
Read: Hur Guerrilla War Strategy against British Colonial Rule in Sindh
In this article I would briefly focus the resistance of women and guerrilla warfare tactics of Hur women.
Hur women used to dig trenches to hide and secure their children and other family members; such things were mentioned by one of the early writers of Hur Movement – Malhar Faqeer Khaskhali, in his book “Brave Sisters.”
According to Malhar Faqeer, he met Ismail Faqeer, who told him that he provided groceries and other necessary things to Hur women in the Makhi Jungle, and further stated that Hur women used to live in trenches and had strong sentiments of “Jihad” and wore men’s dresses and carried weapons to ambush enemies and then hide in trenches. There were so many trenches and tunnels in the Makhi Jungle, where a large number of Hur women lived.
Hur women were brave and used to spy on the activities of British forces and informing fellow Hur fighters in the Makhi Dhandh (Lake) area and didn’t care about their own lives. The guerrilla warfare of Hur women proved that the women can fight like men.
Like a Spartan woman, who bravely told that they were born soldiers for fighting, the Hur women also claimed that they had given birth to the brave soldiers who fought against injustice, so why not the women can kill the enemies?
With such spirit, the Hur women used to fight shoulder to shoulder with their men or form the groups to ambush the British army.
According to other researchers, “The women had an emotional attachment to their motherland and soil. However, when the colonial forces increased pressure upon everyone who belonged to the Hur community, women and children were both affected a lot and that is why women carried weapons just for defense.
Read: Malhar Faqeer Khaskhaili – One of the early writers of Hur Movement
Malhar Faqeer, however mentioned that “The Hur women were involved in the war for the sake of freedom.”
After the martyrdom of their spiritual leader Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi, who was hanged in central jail Hyderabad, there was no leader who can lead and organize the Hur community, and there was no alternative to form the government replacing the British rulers.
We also find some spiritual and religious aspects behind the fight of Hur women, because those women did not know how to fight and had no any nationalist approach. They just safeguarded themselves and their families and community.
I regret that those women who provided medical services, and developed strong communication against the British forces; their contribution is neglected in history by some extremist writers.
Read: The Hurs of Sanghar
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The author is a student of History at Karachi University
