Sandli – A tradition that would bring families closer after a long, tiring day. The old customs and traditions of Peshawar are tales that are worth telling twice. The picture dates back to a time when houses were small but the hearts were big, when little things amounted to something.
In the city of Peshawar, the custom of “Sandli” was quite common. The entire family would sit in a circle, wrapping themselves in one large quilt, around a table. The quilt was ample enough to accommodate the table in the middle. To prevent the quilt from tuckering out, the middle of the quilt would be sewn with a wooden board under it.
People would put lighted coal inside the table. The coal would be adequate to keep the feet warm and not burn them. All the family members would sit around the table, stretched in a way that their feet reached the table where they would feel the warmth of the coal, day in and day out.
Sandli was the spot for the entire family to escape from the wrath of cold in winter. Be it homework, dinners, or spending leisure time with families over a cup of green tea, Sandli was the place for it.
The tradition of Sandli is still alive in some parts of Peshawar. In a world where social media and mobile phones have distanced and alienated people from their families, it is a tradition like Sandli that brings people closer again. After all, what can be better than having a good laugh by the end of the day with the people that we share the bond of blood with?