The Legacy of "Ani"

An image of Sindh.

“A-n-i.” The three letters that end my name, Sienna Tolani, are read faster than they are pronounced. “Ah-knee.” 

To most, they lack meaning, failing to create a word or even a contraction. Despite their brevity, the two syllables connect me to my Sindhi identity.

Sindh, the lost ancient state, was once a bustling metropolis of Hindu culture, prayer, and people. In 1947, British partition drew tactless lines through the Indian subcontinent, stipulating that Sindh was no longer India’s. As Sindh was absorbed by Pakistan, millions of Hindu Sindhis were left with no homeland and forced to flee. Their diaspora resulted in new Sindhi communities across the globe: Mumbai, London, New York, Jakarta, and beyond. 

Once a concentrated community, they were separated by borders, oceans, and religious persecution. Yet, there was still one thing that held the Sindhis together, that connected them: their names. Shamdasani. Kurani. Samtani. Mamdani. Vaswani. Tolani. 

In any list of names, the “ani”s stand out, indicating a lost brother or sister to reconnect with. It is a marker of resilience, pride, and success. “Ani” confirms that the Sindhis survived. 

The “ani” ending of my name is not merely an added sound, randomly selected by my ancestors. Originating from the Sanskrit word “ansh,” “ani” means to be part of a whole. Today, miles and millennia from its roots in ancient India, “ani” ensures that I, like my family that once lived in Sindh, will always be part of a whole: the prevailing Sindhi community.