Rahi Heman, remembered with love and respect as Hemu Kalani, one of the youngest revolutionaries martyred during the nation’s freedom struggle, who was sent to gallows by the British at the age of 19, has remained forgotten by Pakistan because he was a Sindhi Hindu freedom fighter from Sukkur Sindh.

The Sindhis around the world have never forgotten the great sacrifice offered by Hemu Kalani. He is and will always remain alive in their hearts. In dozens of Indian cities, Sindhis have erected the statues of Hemu Kalani and a large number of roads, roundabouts and institutions are named after him. His statue has been erected even in the premises of Indian parliament as recognition to freedom fighter, and also a commemorative postal stamp was issued by the Indian government, but in Pakistan neither the federal government nor any provincial government, including Sindh government, had paid any tribute to Hemu Kalani during last 74 years of independence. The authorities in Pakistan never issued any commemorative stamp. In Sindh, there was Hemu Kalani Park in Sukkur but even its name was later changed to Qasim Park.

Here are the details of cities, towns, localities, institutions, roads and roundabouts named after Hemu Kalani and the places where his statues are erected.

• Sant Hirdaram Nagar (Bairagarh) Bhopal: Statue, institutions and many more named after Shaheed Hemu Kalani.
• Agra city in U.P.: Statue near Sadar Tehsil, Hemu Kalani road, Agra; statue erected by Agra Sindhi Samaj and Hemu Kalani Murti Sthapana Samiti, Agra.
• Adipur city in Kutch, Gujarat: Statue near Gandhi Samadhi, Maitri School road.
• Bhilwara city, In Sindhunagar Colony: Statue at the crossing of the road (chowk) called Hemu Kalani Circle.
• Tonk city (Rajasthan): Statue at the Sawai Madhopur Circle.
• Ahmedabad city (Gujarat): Statue at the Rajavir Circle.
• Indore city: A road intersection named after Hemu Kalani and placed his statue at the center of the intersection.
• Faizabad city: National Parks named after Hemu Kalani and a Faizabad to Ayodhya Highway and National Libraries in Ayodhya.
• A statue of Hemu Kalani is located in the Parliament complex Delhi in front of the Deputy Speaker’s office.
• Chembur, a suburb of Mumbai with a large Sindhi population, has Hemu Kalani Marg.
• Ulhasnagar: Statue erected at the crossing of the road (chowk).
• Jodhpur city (Rajasthan): A road intersection named after Hemu Kalani and placed his statue at the center of the intersection.
• Ajmer city (Rajasthan): Statue at the Diggi Bazar Chowk.
• Ajmer city (Rajasthan): Has a locality in Lakhan Kothri called Hemu Kalani Mohalla.
• Delhi city (Lajpat Nagar): A senior secondary school named as Shaheed Hemu Kalani Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya.
• Delhi city (Pitampura): Veer Hemu Marg
• Kanpur city: A park named as ‘Hemu Kalani Park’ located in the Sindhi Colony area.
• Kota city: A community hall named as ‘Hemu Kalani Samudayik Bhawan’ located in the Sahjidera area.
• Dhule city, Maharashtra: Shaheed Hemu Kalani Road.
• Amalner city, Maharashtra: Shaheed Hemu Kalani Road.
• Pimpri-Chinchwad city, Maharashtra: A children park named as Hemu Kalani Garden and a housing society named as Hemu Kalani Housing Society.
• Bhilwara city, Rajasthan: A Road Square in Sindhu Nagar named as Hemu Kalani Chowk.
• Bilaspur city, Chhattisgarh: A locality named as Hemu Nagar.
• Neemuch city, Madhya Pradesh: A Road Square named as Hemu Kalani Chowk with an erected Statue of Shaheed Hemu Kalani.
• Bikaner city, Rajasthan: A road intersection named after Hemu Kalani and a statue placed at the center of the intersection.
• A poem ” Hemu Kalani” was written on 25 January 1943 by Indra Bahadur Khare, just 4 days after Hemu’s hanging, and it is published in 2017 after a span of 74 years.
• The Raipur city of Chhattisgarh has a square called Hemu Kalani Chowk.
• Shaheed Hemu Kalani education society is run in Sant Hirdaram Nagar Bhopal.
• Raipur city of Chhattisgarh has a Community Hall near Lakhe Nagar Area called Amar Shaheed Hemu Kalani Bhawan.
• Korba city of Chhattisgarh has a big community hall near the Rani Road area called Amar Shaheed Hemu Kalani Dharamshala.
• Bhavnagar city in Gujarat has a Road Square at Gopal Park in Sindhunagar with statue of Amar Shaheed Hemu Kalani at the chowk named as Hemu Kalani Circle on 21 January 2020.
• Chittorgarh, Rajasthan has an intersection named after Shaheed Hemu Kalani Chauraha which was previously known as Pratap Nagar Chauraha.
• Jalgaon, Maharashtra has a Park named “Hemu Kalani Bagicha” behind Sindhi Colony, Kanwar Nagar, Near Joshi Colony, Jalgaon.
• Belagavi: Hemu Kalani chowk near Daak bungalow.

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Source: Wikipedia and other websites  

The post Pakistan has forgotten Freedom Fighter Hemu Kalani for being a Sindhi first appeared on Sindh Courier.

The immortality of the character of Dodo lies in valuing human chastity. Shaikh Ayaz has portrayed the character of Dodo as the character of human values

By Noor Ahmed Janjhi

In the opera of ‘Doday Jo Moat’, Shaikh Ayaz has portrayed the character of Dodo as the character of human values rather than merely a living individual. It is the character of steadfastness and determination who values human being much more than only ‘a clay mould on the potter’s wheel’. He has a unique concept of bravery and valour. He is in discussion with his elder sister Baghi, a strong and inspiring character of the story. She maintained supply line and moral enhancing during the fight. As the supply line is cut off, the Soomra troops began to lose the ground. Dodo is not losing his confidence in such a moment of trial and stress. Meanwhile, Chholi, a side character, comes to give solace to Dodo. He reacts on it bitterly, and talks about ‘chastity’ as a natural cover to the nudity of human body. He calls chastity as ‘loee’ a traditional woollen rug used by Thari women. A person can be motivated towards truth at any time and by the motivation, he may leave the falsehood and may join the truth. The doors of truth always remain opened. Truth is such a dye that roots out the evil and cleans human minds. Shaikh Ayaz says, in the words of Dodo as:

لڄ جيان ڪا  ناهي لوئي،

ڪوڙ وٽان ڪنهن وقت به ڪوئي،

پنهنجو پانڌ ڪري جي آجو،

تنهن کي ٿي پڇتاءُ ته ڇا جو؟

سچ ته ڪوئي کٽي آهي

جنهن جو کُنڀ سدا ٿو لاهي

پاپ پڇاڙي، مير منن جو

اُجرو اندرآهي تن جو،

ڪوڙ وٽان جي دور ڀڄن ٿا

سي کاهيءَ مان نيٺ کڄن ٿا

جن جي رڳ رڳ رسي آهي

سچ سوا بي چسي آهي

ماڻهوءِ جي هر رهڻي ڪهڻي

توکي پيڙ پئي جا سهڻي

تنهنجا گيت اُجاري ويندي

تو۾ ڏيئا ٻاري ويندي

(There is no other rug cover like the chastity. A person can join the truth at any time by liberating himself from the shackles of falsehood. Why he does feel any remorse on it? Truth is such an expert dyer that decolouring always cleans the evil from human mind. Their inner self is very clear crystal who flees away from the shackles of false. They come out of the ditch whose sinews are like ropes and feels tasteless without the truth. All kinds of human behaviour one bears, refines the songs and lightens the lamps too)

The discussion goes on and at a stage when Dodo becomes a bit bitter in talking; he curses falsehood and looks towards Baghi. He thinks false as an illness that spreads from person to person and then society to society. Anyone who touches it has been prey to the illness. It is like leprosy and takes human mind towards disabileness. Dodo becomes unhappy when he observes his brother Chanesar to beg before aliens for power. He feels irritated on the conduct of Chanesar who was playing as a puppet in the hands of aliens. Hunger for power disables the sanity and enhances greed and people turn into beggars. Dialogue by Dodo continues:

ڪوڙا ڪانئر جا سڀ سنگي

هاج جڏهن آهي هٿ ..منگي

ڪوڙ سندس ڪچڪول ڀري ٿو

۽ پينو جنهن وقت ٽري ٿو

ڪوڙ انهي تي ٽهڪ ڏئي ٿو

تنهن چادر کي چهڪ ڏئي ٿو

جا هن منهن تي اوڙهي آهي

ڪوڙ پُراڻو ڪوڙهي آهي

اُن کي جنهن به ڇُتو پڇتايو

بيک  وتي ، جيئن ڪوڙهه پرايو

ڇا به چنيسر سمجهي هاڻي

مون جيئن هن کي ڪونه سُڃاڻي

جنهن جي ڏور پرائي وس آ

ناچ ڪندي ڪيڏو بيوس آ

چاهي ڏور ته اُن کي ڊاهي

ڇٽ ڏئي ، پوءِ پٽ تي لاهي

ٺاهي لاهي ، ڊاهي اُن کي

ناڪوليءَ کان ڪاهي اُن کي

(The companions of cowards are liars. Need compels people for begging. Begging bowl is filled with lots of lies. Falsehood laughs on beggar, as the later leaves away. It tears the covering that covers the face. The false is a chronic patient of leprosy. Anyone who touches the patient feels repentance. Begging is like leprosy. What Chanesar may think now, none knows him as I do. How much he feels powerless during dance whose strings are pulled by another person. The puller of the strings can topple after raising to the power. The puller can raise and topple and controls the stringed person by a noose.)

Listening to it, Baghi also discusses about the cowardice nature of Chanesar. Responding his sister, Dodo says that death is such an enemy that remains always with life. However, the aestheticism of nature inculcates sense of beauty among birds who fly over deep waters and embrace the scorching beams of sun without any fear. Why people feel so afraid as they become cowardice. None can avoid the grip of the death. Although the fear of death is a fact, yet the time demands much more from people. If one honours the time and lightens a light and the light remains for many years and inspires generations. The fire or light is immortal. Dodo wants to honour the demand of time and desires to light such fire:

موت ته هرڪنهن جو ويري آ

پاراڻي ۾ پاڙهيري آ

پوءِ به آهيري مان اُڏري

پاڻيءَ پاٽ مٿان سو پنڇي

پنهنجا پرڙا ڦڙڪائن ٿا

سج کي سيني سان لائن ٿا

ناهي ان جي اون انهن کي

ڪنهن تي ڪان ڪڏهن ٿو ڪڙڪي!

ماڻهوءَ کي ڇو ڊپ ٿئي ٿو؟

موت ته جهاپوءَ جهپ ٿئي ٿو!

ماڻهوءَ ۾ هي ڏر ڇو آهي؟

ڪنهن به مري هي ڄاتو ناهي

”هئه هئه ! آئون مري ويو آهيان

ٽاڻي سنگ ٽري ويو آهيان“

موت اجائي جو ڏر آهي

پر ٽاڻو جو اڻ ٽر آهي

سُڃ مٿان ڪا سانجهي ناهي

اوندهه ڪا آڳانجهي ناهي !

اُن ۾ تارا ٽم ٽم ڪن ٿا

روشنيون ٿي رم جهم ڪن ٿا

جڳ جڳ جي جهر مر آجندڙي

ڪيئي جوت جهروڪا جندڙي

جن مان روز وجهن ٿا ليئا ،

ڏاها ٻاري پنهنجا ڏيئا

جندڙيءَ جوت سدائين جلندي

آئي آ مون تائين جلندي

مون کان پوءِ به جلندي رهندي

هر پيڙهيءَ سان هلندي رهندي

جوت ڪڏهن به نه مرڻي آهي

اڄ جا منهنجي ڪرڻي آهي

تنهن کي آئون نڀائي ويندس

پنهجي جوت جلائي ويندس

(Death is everyone’s enemy. It is a hunter living in neighbourhood. Despite the looming threat of the death, hundreds of birds come out of their nests and enjoy flying and sunshine with any fear of death. Why a man is frightened by death. The death is a sweeping grip and none knows about it. Alas! The death has taken me away and pushed away me from valuing the time. The death is a fear of unknown and useless but the time is inevitable. There is no sun set over the desertedness. Darkness is not a support for people. The stars twinkle in life and enlighten to world. The life is fire and light offering glows and flames. Many wise people light their lamps from it. The fire of life has been reached to him (Dodo). It will light afterwards with every generation too. What the today is demanding from me (Dodo) shall perform positively and will light my fire in this way.)

After that discussion, the fight starts and Dodo orders his troops for attack. All the young and energetic people step in the battle. Dodo thinks about the safety and security of the ladies of Soomra family. He prepares them to vacate Rupa Palace to leave for Kachh to take refuge at the palace of Sultan Abro. However, there have been differences between Abro and Soomra yet Dodo has a great confidence in him. Dodo remembers a day when they were playing choparr game. A dice fell in the lap of Abro. Dodo demanded it to return back. Abro took his sword and refused to hand over the dice. It helped Dodo to choose the palace of Sultan Abro for safety and security of Soomra ladies. Abros can sacrifice themselves for sake of the safety and security of the refuge taking people. They are staunch value believing people. The lines of opera run as;

هو سورهيه سنڀري نڪرن ٿا

جونجهار جٿا ٿي نڪرن ٿا

۽ جيءُ هڻي ٿو جهومريون….

تيار ٿيو اي سومريون

۽ راتو واهيءَ سام وٺو

تنهن ابڙي جي ، جنهن جهڙو ڪو

اڄ ديس سڄي ۾ وير نه آ

هن وقت نديءَ ۾ نير نه آ

ڪي نيش کڻو، ارموش کڻو

ڪي پنڌ پئو ۽ پير هڻو

آ سام اوهان لئه ابڙن جي

جئن ڇانو ٿئي ٿي کٻڙن جي

هو آڏي ڍال نه ڍارين ٿا

هو راوت مرندي مارن ٿا

(The brave people come out with full preparation for fight. It makes to dance anyone. Be prepared O Soomro ladies to take refuge at the palace of Abro. He is a brave son of soil. Take some luggage and supporting people and go ahead on foot too. Safe heavens of Abro are like the trees of Jjar. They don’t keep shield before them and kill or murdered during fight.)

After it, Dodo shares his last views. He says that it is not known that who will be perished away. The troops will make crackdown on each other and Sindh may be lost away. He pledges for a strong fight till his last breath and says that the life is useful if it is utilized for motherland. There should not come the word on it so far it is alive. Chastity is loee for human being. During the discussion Dodo becomes a bit sentimental and his eyes become wet. He wishes his sister best for her well-being and safety of all the Soomro women.

ڪنهن ڄاتو آهي ڪير مري

هو ڪانئر ڪارونڀار ڪري

اڄ ايندا تنهنجي ڀاءُ مٿان

۽ شايد ويندي سنڌ هٿان

مان مرندي تائين وار ڪندس

۽ ڌارين جا سر ڌار ڪندس

هيءُ ڪنڌ ڪُلهن تي آ جيسين

هو پير ڌريندا ڪيئن تيسين

هن ڌرتيءَ تي ، جا امي آ!

هيءَ جندڙي هونءَ  نڪمي آ

شل جيجل جي ڪنهن ڪار اچي

شل اُن تي ڪانه ميار اچي

شل تنهنجو وار نه ٿئي ونگو

شل تنهنجو ڏينهن نه ٿئي ڏنگو

اي ڀيڻ سدا آباد هجين!

جنهن جاءِ هجين، تون شاد هجين!

(Dodo says none knows of survival. The cowardice enemy may crackdown on your (Baghi’s) brother and Sindh may be snatched away. Dodo assures of the fight till his life and to kill the enemies. He says that he will not allow the enemy to hold the ground till last breath of his life. He thinks the life as useless till it is not utilized for dear homeland. He prays for safety and well-being of his beloved sister)

The immortality of the character of Dodo lies in valuing human chastity and he calls the chastity as loee, a garment used by women. The word loee is derived from Sindhi word ‘lo-e’ means homeland. Loee is a covering garment like motherland. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai has also valued the Loee greatly and called it as cover for people of Dhaat. Dodo also loves truth and hates false. Any person who makes friendship with truth, becomes immortal. Falsehood is like leprosy.  Greed of power makes human being dependent like puppets. They play and dance on others beck and call. History is seemed with brave and cowardice people. Dodo views death as an inevitable phenomenon attached with the life but the time is more important than life. Call of life must be attended. The motherland must be honoured. By responding the call of time, such fire may be lit as the succeeding generations can take inspiration of light and energy from it. Providing refuge and security in difficult times is the characteristic of brave and committed people like Sultan Abro. The dialogue of Dodo ends with the best wishes and prayers for her beloved sister and other ladies of Soomro family.

Click here for Part I 

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About the Author

Noor Ahmed Janjhi is a senior educationist based in Desert District Tharparkar Sindh. He is author of several books in Sindhi and English on folk literature including two poetry books.

The post Dodo, a character of bravery, steadfastness and cultural legacy – II first appeared on Sindh Courier.