With the advent of industrialization after partition, there arose a gradual change in tht total outlook of the women. Life in cosmopolitan cities was a big leap forward as more and more women started working and coming in contact with the western world. This led to big change in the pattern of life style which included the dressing, the food, the home environment etc.
The general trend is to wear confortable and fashioned clothes which do not hinder in work. More and More Sindhi ladies have opted for Salwar-Kurta, skirts, midis and sarees in preference to the Parho, Koti cholo and suthan. Irrespective of age and marital status, the preference is for salwar-kurtas of various styles like the dhoti salwar, the patiala salwar, harem salwar, contrast coour dresses, jaipur-bandhini dresses, mirror work, embroideries, sequences work, also are the midis of gypsy style and the golden belts etc. As compared to many other ladies, Sindhi women are more of consious fashion tend to dress in the latest styles.
Ladies of the older generation prefer to wear sarees amd salwar suits. It is no longer compulsory for widoes to wear white all the time. They also opt for light printed punjabi suits and sarees. Silk and cotton materials are prefered to other materials. Though Sindhi ladies were fond of amber, susi, kanawes, bakhamal, kundi and voil etc. Now-a-days imported materials from Japan, Singapore, Dubai, Taiwan, Korea yet they are more in fashion as these are easy to wash and wear. The ethenic is preferred. For wedding morgirls are opting for CHANIYA CHOLI whereas Sindhi ladies in Sind in early fifties, opting coloured rustle, shocking pink i.e. khuinbo where as today ladies prefer various shades of pink, maroon and red. Through this is time of the women in cosmopolitan cities, there is also a gradual awareness among the women in smaller towns. Though they may not wear skirts and jeans, they too are opting for sarees and the more comfortable salwar kameez.
Gone are the days of Nath, Bulo, Panzeb and Chher Diamond nose studs are more in vogue today ladies are more intrested in ear studs double and triple even. The mangalsutra is now taken to be a sign of married lady. Diamond and Gold sets are preferred for parties and social gatherings. As for working women, they prefer to wear artifitial and American Diamond jewellery, as it is cheaper and safe. Glass bangles, toe-rings, payals (both gold and silver) bracelets and chains, laxmi mala, Motian ji mala Jhumika, Dura, Phuli are still in fashion and are part of Sindhi women's dress today. Preference is also for matching jewellery and this includes plastic brass, silver and shell jewellery.
More and more importance is being attached to belts, scarves shoes and bags, which go a long way in complementing a Sindhi woman's dress. The latest fashions include silk shoes, leather shoes, sandals, net shoes, evening pursesand also fansy stone-studded ones, for casual wear Kolhapuri chappals of various kinds are todays demand and sre easily available.
As comapred to easy-going pace of the yesterdays', todays' Sindhi women have to keep pace of todays modern world. they try to maintain a harmonious balance between their home life and outside world. Many of them are working women, who have to look after their homes and children as well as do their jobs. They tend to keep their weekends for socialising, kity parties also become a part of life for many Sindhi ladies. This is goood to a one certain extent for one develops contacts. Video movies, television, going to restaurants for meals, cocktail parties, playing cards, chinese foood are some of the modes for entertainment in today's world. Everything within limit is permissible; but after a certain extent it becomes artificial.
Most sindhi women have realised this and try to maintain a life style which includes prfrence for homelife and family; but at the same time fulfilling their social needs.
There has been diamitrical change in the food habits of the Sindhis. What with the fast pace of life, one no longer has time to cook delicacies like Kok Palo and Kumbhi Beeha over coal fires. Today is the day of fast food and the microwave oven and the cooking range. People are also very health concious and avoid fatty foods and spices. Thus they avoid 'Koki'and Malpurha for breakfast. These are eaten on holidays or special occassion. Also, with the entermingling of the various culture and nationalities, food habits have also being influenced. it is not unsual to find a sindhi lady cooking chinese or continental maels, idlies and dosas, hamburgers and pizzas to suit the varied tastes of her family members. Today's breakfast usually consists of toast and eggs with tea or coffee where as then in Sind, we were fond of Sayoonpatata with Ambiruyan-jo-Achar, Sache gheeji kutti, Dal pakwan, Malpurha,malai wara malpura, mungan ji dal jo seero, mani seyal, masale wari koki ain dahi, Juar jo dhodho ain lassi, chilo, patate jo phuliko, moori jo parantho ain papar, chhiro phuliko, penho(mitha ain chahira), methi masale wari puri, kachori,jalebyoon.
Today we take very light as well as dry lunch depending on the person's work. Where as then in Sind we use to eat Besani bhaji(seyal aaniyoun, phote mein, laag mein besan milho), saai bhaji-methi-a-me chanwar, Beehan ji bhaji(Seyal and dag mein), gogiroo(thome mein), Pali,Lunak, Karhichanwar, Took patata, Dadhiri, Suran(Seyalain kofta), Variyoon patatan ji bhaji, Gobi(chithyal, tariyal, Tooriyoun. Ganaran jo saag), Daal(Kukaman wari, singin wari, chanan ji, masur ji, te dali with thoom jo tirko), Sero(Gajjurun and pethe jo), Karela(Masale mein, triyal, seyal), Mariaro, Bheendiyoun(triyal, seyal, patate vangan sa), Meha(triyal, seyal, our mein), Vangan(triyal, seyal, bharito), Sunhajirho, Varyoon(Pulav, patate mein), Munga, Mattar etc.
In the evening we us to take some light snacks, hot pakora with Thado phuliko. These pakoras are favourite for almost all the Sindhis then i.e. Vangan, Patata, Meha, Gobi, Basaran-ja-sanha pakora, Palak, Kadu, Mirch, Besh etc. Sambosa, Patate ji tikki, Golgappa, Fota - Satpaida(Chanan-ja-bafiyal), Dal, cholla, dabal(bread), Kunhe ja beeeha, Bafiyal lorh, Lahori gajjar(Mithi obariyal(Boiled), Faruaan, Burani etc
In the cold season we used to eat Mazoon, Manih jaladoon, Doonghi-a-ja varho khakhas waro, Kuti-a-ladoon, Layoon, were very famous then. Now a days we use to eat Panipuri, Dahipuri, Behlpuri, Sevpuri, Ragda pettis, Pav bhaji, Vada pau, Idli samddhar, Vada, Dosa, Puri chole, Pizza, Frankie etc. In Sind, summer nudles season was enjoyed by Thadal, Bhanga with Badam, Jeero, Kara mirch, khakhas. In today's health conscious ladies prefer salads (russian, desert) as important part of meals. Salad - Raito - matho. Scinhajiro - Bundi - Dadhi - Vegetables.
But many sindhi ladiesa have adopted typical sindhi receipes to suit the tastes of their family, thus retaining the taste for sindhi flvours along with the other kinds of foods. Then we used to enjoy in the Dinner, Miteran ji bhaji, Variyooun kare mirch(Peeper), Fool patasha, Khumbhiyoon, Masale varoun bheendiyoonain vangan, Singyoun seyal patatan variyou, Guwar thoom mein. For non-vegetarians ghosit(mutton, Palo, Titira, Gandann(about a foot long), Palo(about 2ft), Dhambhro(about 3ft long), Morkhi or Mori(about 3ft.), Theilha(about 6 inches), Petohri(about 4 inches long), Singhi(about 6 inches).
In the night after the dinner we used to take the Khirni(Sabudana, chanwar, Saoan, dry fruits- pista, badam, khishmish, illachi and kesar).Where as in the sweets in the day or the night were eusually taken. Mesu Pak, Sonvarho, Mohanthal, tosha, Saatta, Bhugal mano, Naqal, Boondi singar ji mithai, shat rabini, Mungan ji dal jo seero, badam pistan to varho and khorak was famous so even today is common among the rich sindhi families with the lunch and dinner , we sindhis fond of kachiryoon i.e. Chanwran, Miteran, Beeham, Keralan, Tooriyan joun kachiryoon were eaten alongwith the kheecha and papad
With every thing else so much of change, it is but natural that language and mannerisms also change after coming in contact with this fast paced world. English has become most popular mode of communication followed by Hindi. Though the older generation has maintained a certain standard of spoken English the younger generatiion use slang or Indianised English phrases like 'Come on yaar, Hi, Hai' etc. It is sad to know that most of the younger generation do not know Sindhi. Some can only speak Sindhi and fewer can write in Sindhi.