Sindhis celebrate Sindh Cultural day worldwide every year on first Sunday of December, by wearing Ajrak & Sindhi Topi. On that occasion, the musical programs and rallies are held in many cities to mark the day with zeal. Major hallmarks of cities and towns are decorated with Sindhi Ajrak to highlight the cultural values of Sindh. The people across Sindh exchange gifts of Ajrak and Topi at various ceremonies. Even, the children and women are dressed up in Ajrak, assembling at the grand gathering, where famous Sindhi singers sing Sindhi songs, which depicts love and progress of Sindh. The musical performances of the artists compel the participants to dance to Sindhi tunes and everyone shout this slogan with full zeal and commitment ‘Jeay Sindh Jeay – Sindh Wara Jean’ (Long Live Sindh & Sindhi People).
All Political, social and religious organisations of Sindh, besides the Sindh culture department and administrations of various schools, colleges and universities, organise variety of events including seminars, debates, folk music programs, dramas and theatrics performances, tableau and literary sittings to mark this annual festivity. Sindhi culture, history and heritage are highlighted at the events.
Ekta (Unity) day is observed to display solidarity among the Sindhi-speaking masses, the event is celebrated not only in Karachi, but throughout Sindh. The province’s culture and unity day was celebrated for the first time on December 6, 2009 (as the Sindhi Topi Day) as a backlash to the comments of anchorman Dr. Shahid Masood who had criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for wearing a Sindhi cap on his foreign tours. People across the Sindh province condemned Masood’s comments via SMS, which ultimately resulted in the announcement of celebrating the Sindhi Topi Day. Moreover, the Sindhi Media Groups had started issuing a call for observing a unity day, and a large number of people responded to the call and started celebrating the culture and the unity days. Ever since, Sindhi media groups have started to celebrate the day as ‘Sindhi Cultural Day’ or ‘Ekta Day’. The Sindhi language TV channels including KTN, Sindh TV, Awaz TV, Mehran TV and Dharti TV broadcast special programs on the culture of Sindh, besides these media outlets separately arrange the mega-musical events, which also attract large audience to celebrate the Culture Day every year. The Sindhi language TV channels and Political Parties of Sindh, first time celebrated Sindhi Cultural Day (Ekta Day), together on December 8, 2013.
For the past eight years, people across the province of Sindh have gathered on December 13 to celebrate their caps, clothes and culture. Mach Katcheries [campfire assemblies], musical programs and rallies were held across Sindh to mark Sindhi Culture Day this year too.
A large number of people wearing traditional Sindhi caps and clad in Ajrak took to the streets, while dancing to the tune of Sindhi folk music. People of other ethnicities also took part in the celebrations, expressing their love for their province.
People thronged the streets of all the urban and rural towns in every part of Sindh. They went as far as to decorate their cars and motorcycles with Ajrak and other decorative handicrafts. Every major intersection and road echoed with nationalist songs, which kept energising the rollicking participants of the rallies.
This day evokes the affinity with the traditions and culture of Sindh of Sindhi people. People reminded their cultural identity.
People celebrating it pledged to protect the Sindhi culture and the history of Sindh. They also pledged to fight against those who demanded the division of Sindh.
The day also boosts sales for the manufacturers of Ajrak and topics, which make record sales due to the event.