they ask me where i am fromand i do not know how to answerbecause how do i tell them the story of my truthswhen the all the sentences attached to themhave been conveniently buriedbefore they could reach the mouths of those we cherishbefore they could trickle down our sensesfall between our lipsfind a home within our tonguessettle into our taste budsso we could breathe them into new lives
in 1947 one of the world's largest mass migrations occurredthe colonial British began dismantlingtheir carefully curated empire in South Asiasplitting a nation enriched by a myriad of cultures languages and religions into twocarving borderswhere there were nonefourteen million people were displacedacts of mass violence took placewhere once people lived in harmonynow there was rage
my ancestors came from a province called Sindh you seeback then it was a part of all of Indianow it is only in Pakistanand i say i am Indianbut i am no more Indian than i am Pakistani
they ask me where i am fromand i still do not know how to answer
i am from the ridges between mountains that don't fitthe in betweens of catastrophesthe stories lying underneath sand that dwindledbetween breaking oceansi am from the suitcases that were lost in silencethe blood between soilfound in fruits that grewdespite the fires that brewedi am from the photographs that burnedthrough golden frames carefully keptcautiously tucked asideburied with seeds from mango trees that once grewi am from the undivided landmy ancestors regrets
they ask me where i am fromand i still do not know how to answer
- excerpt from Hansika's poem for 'Rallying Cry'
Our Story
Hansika Jethnani, was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, where her grandparents migrated from Sindh after the partition. She felt a disconnect from her roots and her culture since her childhood, not really associating with the identity of being a Sindhi. It was when she was living in London, she met so many diaspora South Asians who seemed very connected to their culture which made her realise how little she knew about hers, her roots, her motherland. She felt a calling to delve deeper into her culture, and share her ancestor's stories. She has been writing & creating art about Sindh and Partition since 2018. Her zine A Motherland I Could Have Known has touched the hearts of many. But her interest and curiosities then led her to knowing one day that she wanted to do a larger project about Sindh…
And all the forces aligned, when in July 2025, she connected with Menka Lekhwani, another Sindhi soul, who is equally passionate about preserving the roots of Sindhi culture, to share what has been lost, forgotten, hidden, and keep the stories of our ancestry, and the wisdom of Sindhi roots alive. From this point, this project started taking shape and expanding.
Our Objective
We wish to build the largest living archive of Sindhi voices, across ages, geographies, experiences, and relationships to culture. A space where our shared history is documented through lived experiences, memories, ancestral wisdom, everyday stories, and the subtle ways our ancestry shows up in how we live. A collective remembrance of who we are, and where we come from.
There is a deep thread that runs through Sindhi history, one of migration, resilience, adaptation, and quiet strength. Many of our stories were never written down. They lived in kitchens, in songs, in childhood memories, in laughter, in silence, and in the pauses between generations. Somewhere along the way, through displacement, rebuilding life in new lands, and becoming a global community, pieces of our identity were scattered. Yet, our essence remains. It lives in us. This project is an effort to remember - together.
Many of us grew up without knowing much about our roots. Our grandparents rarely spoke of Partition or life before it, the pain was too deep. But the resilience they lived with has shaped our lives. Our intention is to honor them. To honor their courage. Their rebuilding. Their generosity. Their legacy. And to pass that memory forward.
Sindhis Around the World
So far, we have interviewed 30 Sindhis from all over the world,
including from India, Pakistan, Indonesia, United States.
We intend to reach as many Sindhis across the globe as possible.
This is a snippet of some of our interviews so far.
Sufism and Sindh
Sindh was once a land bustling in harmony, regardless of religion, people lived in harmony with one another. We believe because Sufism was so deeply entrenched into the land. Sufism is often mistaken with religion - but it is not. It is simply a way of living life where our heart is the center of it all.
Historically, Sindh was one of the earliest regions in South Asia to absorb Sufi influence, starting around the 8th-10th centuries. Sindh was a rich city, in wealth and in love. It thrived in community living, the doors of the Sindhi homes always open, to share food, stories, and love with each other. That's the Sufi way to live, with oneness, and in love.
The Sindhi psyche carries a kind of mystical softness, a belief that God is found through prem, longing, community, and music. That's pure Sufi fragrance.
Through this project, we also intend to trace the roots of Sufism into Sindhi culture, and bring it to the world, to share that the essence of Sindhis has always been to live with an expression of sharing, of living in a community, in love, in harmony. Because Sufism is a powerful reminder of the capacity we innately have, to live in harmony with each other and the world around us, despite differences. An important reminder during these polarising times.