Latest news with #Sindhi
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Rings exchanged, border closure delays nuptial ties
Nagpur: Engaged to a girl in Dherki town of Pakistan's Sindh province six months ago, Mukesh Motiyani, 30-year-old finance professional, is anxiously hoping the borders open soon. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The fiancee of Dalip Kaityar's brother too is now stuck in Pakistan, though they were engaged in 2023 with plans to get married soon. Sagar Kukreja, an Indian citizen, got engaged to Rakhi in Pakistan two years ago, and was supposed to get married on June 28. But then the Pahalgam killings happened and the govt closed the borders, leaving all these marriages postponed indefinitely. Fourth-generation immigrants from Sindh, the Motiyani family had found a match for Mukesh in Pakistan through a common acquaintance. A similar link to Pakistan runs through numerous Sindhi families. The Sindh-Hindi Panchayat, a community NGO, has a thick file with documents of cross-border brides now unable to join their spouses in India. The organisation has compiled the documents of nearly 50 such cases. The govt order to close the borders with Pakistan after the Pahalgam killings has left these Hindu couples separated. The NGO plans to submit a memorandum with the papers to the Union home ministry. These will include the girls' passports and even visa applications for coming to India. A special permission will be sought for granting them a visa. "We would be requesting that, if needed, only brides should be allowed to come down, without the entire entourage. Visas will be sought for four cities like Nagpur, Raipur, Mumbai, and Pune, where the families belong," Rajesh Jhambia, the Panchayat secretary, told TOI. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Apart from the would-be brides, there are some families too that have been separated. Sagar Panjwani, a Pakistani citizen who now lives in India on a long-term visa (LTV), got married in 2017, but his wife is in Pakistan now. "After staying in India for two years, she preferred to go back. Finally, my wife is ready to come back to Nagpur, but her visa applications were rejected twice. Now, the borders have been closed," he says. If Panjwani exits, he would have to permanently leave India, which he doesn't want. A man in his sixties stood with the papers of his would-be daughter-in-law. "We want her to come down at the earliest. I heard that two girls in the neighbourhood were converted recently. It's better that she comes to India and gets married soon," he said, requesting anonymity. The engagement happened over a year ago, and the family had returned to India, he said. In cases of cross-border marriages, the families prefer to leave a cap of one or two years between the wedding and engagement. This is done considering the time need to get a visa, explain the families. "The tradition in the community is that it's the bride's family that travels to the groom's place for the marriage. That is the reason many grooms have returned to India after engagement and are now waiting for their brides," explained Motiyani. The grooms include Indian citizens and even Pakistanis living on LTV, hoping to permanently settle in India. The families prefer to get their girls married to homes in India, where they find better prospects, they say. A Muslim couple, Mohhammed Abbas from Jaunpur and Andaleep, who solemnised an online nikah before Pahalgam too remain separated, says his cousin Kashif Naqvi, who helps Muslim immigrants with their visa formalities.
News18
4 days ago
- News18
How UP Conversion Kingpin Acquired The Name 'Chhangur Baba', Twisted Followers Around His Fingers
A police intelligence source revealed that Chhangur Baba used to roam around the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai and look out for visitors from other religions Chhangur Baba, also known as Jalaluddin, is making headlines everywhere. Many are curious about his name, which he earned because he has six fingers on his left hand. ' Changur" is slang for 'chae ungli" (six fingers). Born in Rehra Maafi village in Balrampur district, he was originally named Jalaluddin. However, due to his six fingers, people soon started calling him 'Chhangur". When he styled himself as a Peer, he was quickly named Chhangur Baba. Born into a poor family, he was shrewd and quick to seize opportunities. He mingled with local politicians and activists, hoping to find luck and make quick money. While selling lockets and trinkets and riding from village to village on a bicycle, he tried to establish himself as a 'divine" Peer with supernatural powers. He sensed a political opportunity and dabbled in local politics. He was elected as the Gram Pradhan of Rehra Maafi village and later got his wife elected to the same post. His living conditions improved, and he started travelling to bigger cities, presenting himself as an accomplished Peer. Most of his travels were to Mumbai, as many people from rural Balrampur had migrated to Mumbai and the Gulf region for work. A police intelligence source revealed that Chhangur Baba used to roam around the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai and look out for visitors from other religions. It was here that he spotted Neetu Naveen Rohra, who was unable to conceive and visited various temples, shrines, and dargahs. He started giving her lockets and rings with supposed supernatural powers, promising she would soon bear a child, said the officer. Neetu, a well-educated English-speaking woman, was married to Naveen Rohra from a well-to-do Sindhi family in Mumbai. Soon, Neetu conceived and had a daughter, making the couple blind followers of Chhangur Baba. He started staying in their house during his visits to the city and eventually persuaded them to convert to Islam. The couple and their daughter travelled to Dubai and converted to Islam. Neetu was renamed Nasreen, and Naveen became Jamaluddin. Chhangur Baba has emerged as one of the biggest religious conversion masterminds operating from Balrampur in UP, with connections from Nepal to the Gulf region. He is accused of converting more than 1,500 Hindu girls and a few men to Islam through brainwashing, 'love jihad", force, and blackmail. He allegedly received over Rs 100 crore in funding from abroad and controlled dozens of bank accounts. Police sources say he was part of an international conversion racket backed by Gulf-based organisations. Not only Chhangur Baba but also his close aides Nasreen (Neetu), Naveen (Jamaluddin), and his son Mehboob received funds from abroad through NRE/NRO accounts. All four are currently under arrest. The passports of Naveen and Nasreen reveal 19 trips to Dubai, and Chhangur is believed to have travelled even more frequently, sometimes using fake passports. Police sources say preachers from Dubai visited Chhangur Baba's mansion in Madhpur, Balrampur, to train his key aides and brainwash victims. Though hailing from Rehra Maafi village, Chhangur created a new base in Madhpur village, Utraula Tehsil of Balrampur district, about 40 kilometres from the Indo-Nepal border. Here, he built a massive 40-room mansion, which served as his main base for conversions and other illegal activities. Authorities found the building illegal and demolished it with eight bulldozers. Police suspect that, apart from the conversion racket, Chhangur was also involved in anti-national activities and provided a safe house for terrorists at his Madhpur mansion. Gullible girls from Nepal were also potential conversion targets. While the UP police, ATS, and STF are investigating the case, the central agency ED has also stepped in to probe international connections and money trails. Agencies are also probing his suspected links to Pakistan's ISI. Investigators found several copies of a book called 'Shizer e Tayeeba" at Chhangur Baba's Madhpur mansion. This book is not just religious, but acts as a guide on targeting potential converts and brainwashing them. Chhangur got thousands of copies of this book printed and circulated to his followers in UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Nepal. He was also planning to print a new book aimed at discrediting the Hindu religion and its alleged malpractices, according to a police source. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
AI meets Ayodhya: How a young drama group staged Pakistan's first Ramayana
If Ram could send one tweet from the forest, what would he say? If Raavan could do a TED talk, what would it be titled? A week before the premiere of 'Ramayana' at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi on July 11, 30-year-old finance grad-turned-director Yogeshwar Karera shot off Karan Johar-style rapid-fire questions at his cast for a social media promo. This was no ordinary stage production — the Hindu epic had never been performed in Pakistan before. The cast was entirely Muslim, except for the director, and the play used AI to enhance storytelling. Despite recent Indo-Pak tensions, it sold around 1,000 tickets and generated buzz on both sides of the border. 'We weren't expecting such a response,' says Karera, surprised by the congratulatory messages pouring in for Mauj Collective, the theatre group he co-founded a year ago. He says the near-war between the two countries did not impact the play. 'The sponsors and venues had no reservations at all about staging it. Only the media has asked us these questions. In fact, it didn't even cross our minds that this might be seen as sensitive or controversial,' says Raana Kazmi, co-founder of Mauj Collective with a day job in HR. 'People from all backgrounds came, regardless of their religion. Families with kids, students, the elderly, everyone. A friend told me about how a parent explained each scene to their child,' says Kazmi, who played the role of Sita. Samhan Ghazi brought fierce intensity to the role of Raavan. Karera, a Sindhi who moved to Karachi in his teens, says his fascination for the epic tale of good triumphing over evil started young. 'I was five years old when I first watched Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan on Doordarshan. The story grabbed me from the start,' says Karera, who decided to pursue theatre full time in the middle of his finance and accounting degree. After getting a diploma at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Pakistan, Karera and two friends, Kazmi and Sana Toaha, founded Mauj Collective. The year-old theatre troupe uses tech-savvy stagecraft, social media flair and scripts that speak to a younger generation. Although some have interpreted Mauj's 'Ramayana' as a statement on religious unity, the group maintains their goal wasn't about sending a message. 'None of us ever felt like we were telling a story outside the world we inhabit. I've grown up with this story of the Ramayana. I may not belong to the community religiously, but this is a story of our subcontinent. It never felt like the story wasn't ours to tell. The values in it are universal,' says Ashmal Lalwany, who played Ram in the production. Some Sanskrit and Hindi words were adapted to terms more familiar to a Karachi audience. For instance, 'prakriti' became 'kudrat'. Sometimes, this would lead to amusing confusion. 'In one scene, Hanuman is supposed to give me a ring. Now, I know the word 'anguthi' means 'ring,' and that's it. But one day during rehearsal, Jibran Khan (who plays Hanuman) says, 'Aap is mundrika ko dekhein'. I was just standing there like, 'Where am I supposed to look? What is a mundrika?' laughs Kazmi.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Babar Mangi's 'Sanam Sopari echoes the laments of women in love
Released on July 10, Sanam Sopari by Babar Mangi has quickly climbed from 25th to 14th place on YouTube's trending music chart, clocking over 154,000 views. Featuring female vocals by Sahiban and backing vocals from Amjad Mirani and Waseem Khan, the single was produced by Mangi and Muhammad Masood and composed collaboratively by Mangi, Sahiban, and Mirani. Blending Sindhi folk poetry with rap and electronic beats, the track occupies a space that's both nostalgic and fresh. Its production — reminiscent of Coke Studio's layered instrumentation — draws you in with its bouncing rhythm and lyrical depth. Flute and string instrument interludes soften the pace just enough before plunging back into a thumping beat, giving the song a rhythmic swing that's hard to resist. It presents itself as a wedding song due to its dance-worthy rhythms and heavy female voice. It is lighthearted and relatable and would add humour to any happy occasion. It hints towards what love and longing will be like for the bride in the foreseeable future and how her feelings are universal. Mangi's thick Sindhi accent finds a perfect counterpoint in Sahiban's sharp, high-pitched chorus. The beat is intentionally repetitive, but acoustic flourishes — string instruments, flute, hand drums — keep the energy fresh. There's a hint of auto-tune, particularly in the rap segments, but it works in the song's favour, enhancing its hybrid pop-folk aesthetic. The heart of Sanam Sopari lies in its emotional storytelling. The lyrics unfold as a dialogue between a woman and her evasive partner. 'I don't want much from you. I just want peace, I'm no gold digger,' she pleads, voicing frustration over the emotional labour she invests in a one-sided relationship. She yearns for Sanam Sopari — a symbolic reference to the betel nuts traditionally distributed at a nikkah. As Mangi puts it, the song is 'a tribute to the unheard emotions of a woman.' And true to this, the male voice listens without interrupting for much of the song, surfacing only to offer quiet reassurance: 'No idea whether your father will agree or not,' he confesses. Finally, in the music video's closing moments, he hands her the long-awaited sopari, a gesture that lands with the weight of long-overdue commitment. Sindhi heritage comes through vividly in both the song's poetry and its visuals. From the traditional women's gatherings at weddings to the lyrical cadence of folk poetry reimagined through rap, the track paints an intimate picture of Sindhi cultural expression. In the YouTube comments, Mangi urges his listeners: 'Own this culture. Be thinkers. Everything is possible... We are one of the richest communities going back to Indus Valley civilisation.' Shot in the village of Badin, the music video stars Mangi and Isra. Directed by Imran Baloch and produced by Jahangir Memon, the video captures the rhythm of rural Sindh; festive, bustling, and emotionally vivid. Isra's expressive lip-syncing and Mangi's high-spirited dance sequences unravel against the backdrop of everyday village life: domestic chores, tending to animals and taking walks on farmlands. Sanam Sopari is a catchy track that resonates with both traditional and contemporary listeners. If you hear it in public, it might make you want to stand up and dance to its rhythm. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
Mint
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani become parents, welcome baby girl; fans say ‘all students now girls' parents'
The adorable couple of the Bollywood, Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, were blessed with a baby girl earlier this week. The duo took to Instagram to officially announce the same today. Congratulatory messages have started to pour in, with fans saying that all students are now girls' parents. 'Our hearts are full and our world forever changed. We are blessed with a baby girl,' both captioned the post. One of the fans said, 'Congrats u both. enjoy ur parenthood with blessing. blessed ur cutie pie.' Another commented, 'May your baby be blessed and always be happy.' A third remarked, 'We got another pretty little baby.' 'It looks like Captain Vikram Batra family completed', 'Waited for so long', "All students are now girls' parents' were some other reactions. They declared their pregnancy on social media in February 2025. At the time, they shared a heartfelt post to announce the news to their followers. Kiara and Sidharth began their romance while working on their 2021 film, Shershaah. The couple kept their relationship under wraps until their dreamy wedding in 2023. The duo tied the knot on February 7, 2023, in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Kiara was born as Alia Advani in Mumbai in 1991. She began her acting career with the 2014 film Fugly but rose to fame with hits like MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, Kabir Singh, and Shershaah. Known for her elegance and strong screen presence, Kiara comes from a well-connected Sindhi family with diverse roots, including British and Spanish ancestry. She studied mass communication at Jai Hind College and is also related to veteran actor Ashok Kumar. Sidharth was born in 1985 in Delhi to a Punjabi family. He started as a model and even assisted Karan Johar as an assistant director on My Name Is Khan before making his acting debut with Student of the Year in 2012. Sidharth has since starred in films like Ek Villain, Kapoor & Sons, and Shershaah, gaining recognition for both romantic and action roles. Unlike Kiara, he comes from a middle-class background, with his father serving in the Merchant Navy.
