Part 5.2 - Lord Jhulelal’s Rituals: Sindhi community

The rituals connected with Lord Jhulelal that are followed by the Sindhi community are mainly of three types i.e.

▪ Cheti Chand
▪ Chaliho
▪ Baharana

Cheti Chand:

• Cheti Chand is the new year for Sindhi community. It is celebrated by Sindhis with much fervor and gaiety. This is an important festival which is also the birthday of Lord Jhulelal. It falls on the first or second day in Suddha Paksha of the month of Chaitra as per Hindu calendar. In Sindhi, the month of Chaitra is called Chet and it falls on the first day of the new moon of Chaitra month (called Chet in Sindhi). Therefore, it is known as Cheti Chand. (Hardwani, 2013:15)

• A procession marks the day with men, women and children dressed in their fine clothes with round caps and scarves usually red in colour with the words ‘Jai Jhulelal’ printed on them. The celebrations is full of singing and dancing with fun, fervour and enthusiasm. (Thakkar 2016: 56)

Importance of Cheti Chand and Lord Jhulelal:

Every year there are at least twenty-five periodicals which take out special issues on the auspicious occasion of Cheti Chand. Some are listed below:

• Sindhi Ahwal
• Akhand Sindhu Sansar
• Sant Kanvaram Patrika
• Hinduvasi weekly
• Samvad Sindhi (Delhi) English Edition
• Sindhi today (Delhi)
• Sindhi Pukar (Editor, Vinod Rohani)

During discussion about Cheti Chand, a writer and retired Professor from Sindhi community revealed that there are numerous compositions both in Prose and Poetry on Lord Jhulelal in Sindhi, Hindi, Gujarati and Kutchhi. He further added that our Ishtadeva has given us strength and confidence to face any difficult situation and he is a symbol of unity for Sindhi community.

Chaliho:

• Chaliho is the period of 40 days of penance done by people of Sindh on the bank of Sindhu. (Hardwani 2013:17)
• During this period, they observed the following rules.
• Not sleeping on the bed, but only on the floor
• Eat simple vegetarian food.
• Observe celibacy.
• Avoiding consumption of sweets
• Not shaving or cutting of hair
• Not to use soap & oil and any fragrant material.
• Wearing simple clothes.
• Not using footwear or leather goods

For a period of 40 days, they did not shave, did not wear new clothes, did not use soap or oil or any fragrant material. For forty long days and nights, they underwent rituals which included offering prayers and worshiping Lord Varuna, dancing and singing songs and Bhajans in his praise, and asking for solace and salvation from the difficult situation that was faced by them.

On the completion of 40 days of penance, a message was received by the people by way of Akashwani saying: “Do not fear. I shall come down to earth as a mortal and take birth in the womb of Mata Devki in the house of Ratanchand Lohana of Nasarpur”

At this, all the Sindhis were relieved and rejoiced. Later, Jhulelal took birth as a human being in the house of Ratanchand Lohana. Ratanchand belonged to the Lohana community.

After completion of 40 days, Chaliho is celebrated to express gratitude towards Varuna and a kind of thanksgiving in memory of the same. This is festival is also known as Baharana Sahib.

Baharana:

• Baharana is the day celebrated by Sindhi community. Baharana Sahib is taken by Sindhi people to a nearby river or a lake or a water body. The worship of water God is an age-old ritual in Sindhi community. Baharana (or Bahrana Sahib as called many times) consists of a number of things, around 35-40, some of which are listed below. (Hardwani 2013: 12)

▪ An idol of Lord Jhulelal
▪ A Jyot i.e. Oil lamp
▪ Misiri i.e. Crystal Sugar or Khadi Sakar
▪ Cardamom
▪ Cloves
▪ Fruits
▪ Dry fruits
▪ Kalash i.e. water jar
▪ Coconut
▪ Flowers
▪ A sweet prepared from rice and sugar as ‘Prasad’
▪ Beetle nut
▪ Sandalwood powder
▪ Perfume or Ittar^[1]
▪ Rice grains

Baharana is a kind of thanksgiving celebration to Lord Varuna and Lord Jhulelal for answering to their prayers. While taking the Baharana Sahib to the water body, they sing traditional songs which are called Palav or Pallo in praise of Lord Jhulelal. Both, men and women from the community dressed well for the occasion go in a procession with a decorated ‘Thal’ or ‘Thali’, (a metal tray) in which some of the above items are arranged in an attractive manner.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

An extract of essential oils obtained by steam distillation from botanical sources e.g. Rose flower