Part 4 - Observations

The researcher makes the following observations:

1) The reason Lord Jhulelal is such an important deity:

Lord Jhulelal is a community deity of the Sindhis and Lohanas and is worshipped for more than one thousand years. He was the saviour of the Sindhi community when they were facing a crisis around the year 952 A.D. and helped them in maintaining their religious identity. He is being worshipped for hundreds of years with great Bhakti and Shraddha (devotion and belief). An important part of the celebration for Sindhi community is the birthday of Lord Jhulelal which is known as Cheti Chand along with Chaliho and Baharana, the latter two also connected to the same deity.

It would be quite true if it is said that ‘Cheti Chand’ occupies a prominent place in the list of festivals. Many other religious and cultural celebrations also form a part of Sindhi community such as Ram Navami, Janamashtmi, Maha Shivaratri, Dussehra, Diwali, Holi etc. However, the fact remains that Sindhis no matter wherever they are; either in their hometown or away from home, do not miss visiting the Jhulelal temple on this day. Therefore, he can be called as a binding force, bringing the community together, keeping them united and spreading a message of unity and brotherhood.

Cheti Chand is considered a very auspicious day for this community. This is the first day of New Year for Sindhis. It coincides with 'Gudi Padva' of Maharashtra and 'Ugadi' of South India, the new years in these parts of India, sometimes with a difference of a day or two. This day also depicts the onset of spring, bidding goodbye to winter which in some parts of Sindh and Kutch is harsh. On arrival of spring, trees acquire new leaves, mango trees bloom with flowers in preparation to bear fruits.

This is an apt time for celebrations and there is a festive mood in the air.

In a way, this deity brings happiness with his arrival on this earth and fills the lives of the people with the message of brotherhood, love and peace. It is obvious that the deity has made a paramount, leading, unrivaled and a distinguished place in the hearts of the Sindhi community.

2) Antiquity of Lord Jhulelal:

Lord Jhulelal was born in a small town of Sindh by name Nasarpur. The coordinates of this town are mentioned in chapter no.1. The name of his mother was Mata Devki and father’s name was Ratanrai. This town and the several names of Lord Jhulelal such as Uderolal, Lal Udero and Jhulelal etc. are clearly mentioned several times in the gazetteers of Sindh and Royal British gazetteers. The ruler of Thatta province of Sindh was Mirkshah around the year 952 A.D. He declared himself as the ruler are also found. The life story of Lord Jhulelal is about how he taught the principles of brotherhood, love and peace to the ruler.

The details about the travel and pilgrims undertaken by Lord Jhulelal with his cousin brother and first disciple Pugar Saheb are found well narrated in the book 'Shri Amar Katha -Shri Jhulelal Ji' having similarity to 'Purana' literature.

The above details are clearly indicative of Lord Jhulelal's existence around mid of 10^th century and it also corroborates with the period during which Mirkshah was the ruler of Thatta.

3) Lord Jhulelal, an opaque personality:

Vedic deities are of two types:

Transparent: Sun, Parjanya, Usha, Marut or Vayu.
Opaque or Mystic: Savitru, Varuna, Indra and Soma.

It is difficult to understand the exact nature of the opaque or mystic deities.

It is observed that nature Gods have been deified. However, about the Vedic deity Varuṇa and Lord Jhulelal one cannot say this decisively. Vedic deity Varuṇa is not rain, even if he is described as God of water bodies and he is not visible, in contrast to the Sun, Dawn (Usha).

Greek mythology is completely humanized, whereas Indian Gods are not so. They are always above human beings, sometimes partly (half) humanized and half being an active natural force i.e. Rain, Wind. A classic example is the Sun. He is half humanized and half natural force. The Usha (Dawn) is the beloved of Sun and he follows her. This appears to be a humanization of Sun God. When he is in forceful nature, he is not humanized, but he looks fierce. The Sun has been given twelve names and each name reveals a different characteristic, some friendly and some forceful.

As regards Vedic deity Varuṇa, the scholars have described him as mysterious and there is a feeling of awe about him due to his great powers. With his weapons like fetters, it reveals undoubtedly a mystic nature and opaque personality.

The personality of Lord Jhulelal can also be stated as mysterious and opaque because when one looks at his life history, the huge task undertaken by him to convince the ruler to treat the subject of two different faiths with equality is in itself an achievement not so simple for a child saint. In addition, the miracles attached to him create a feeling of respect and awe for the deity. The mention of a miraculous child saint is found in Gazetteers and Encyclopedias supporting the idea of a mystic and opaque personality of Lord Jhulelal.

4) The teachings of Lord Jhulelal:

The teachings of Lord Jhulelal though appear to be quite simple; there is a deep meaning in them. He simply told the ruler that th3is is the creation of one God and your God and our God are same, though we both address him with different names. The next thing he told the ruler was, that he should treat all his subjects equally without discrimination though they might be followers of different faiths.

The above teachings convey a clear message of equality and brotherhood. It also says it is the duty of a ruler or King to behold all his subjects at par without any difference even if they follow different faiths.

5) His teachings show an inclination towards an Indian Philosophy of Uttar Mimansa i.e. Vedanta philosophy:

Lord Jhulelal's teachings are inclined towards the Indian Philosophy of nonatheist i.e. the one which believes in God. Further, it can be related to the Uttar Mimansa which is also known as Vedanta philosophy. The statement of Lord Jhulelal to Mirkshah was that this is the creation of one God, therefore he should treat all his subjects equally. This shows inclination towards Vedanta philosophy. All this resulted in bringing about a peaceful co-existence amongst the subjects of the province.

6) The teachings of Lord Jhulelal relate to the present times or modern times:

Today the world is in turmoil, society is divided by the caste, creed and religion, there is a lack of understanding and people are stressed. At such times the message of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence of different faiths side by side can help in creating an atmosphere of trust and understanding. This message of Lord Jhulelal can appeal to people even today and instill the age-old values in society. India is a land of diverse thoughts and many beliefs. Therefore, this message is of great value in the present times and is applicable even today.

7) The importance and relevance of research on the topics that touch the social pattern of a particular society or community:

It is necessary that such topics are selected for research and studied in details as they play an important role in knowing the social patterns and social weaving of that community touching many facets which have hitherto remained un-noticed or less noticed and help to unfold the complex patterns.

Some objects of reverence are deeply assimilated in the society and research is needed on such persons, saints and seers, temples, monuments, places of pilgrimage and the deities. Unless and until these are studied, one cannot understand and relish the constantly changing patterns of social life and activities related to them.

Any movement, religious or social, has a certain background and till such time that is not understood properly, it is difficult to fathom the ups and downs in the social life of a community or a mass of people.

Varuṇa is known to be a powerful Vedic deity; however, it also had to step down to this earth by way of reincarnation in the form of Lord Jhulelal in Kali-Yuga. The deities gain importance with time, based on the mindset of the people in the society. There may not be a great thought process behind such a mindset. It is always not possible to give a rational explanation about them but it is certain that they are endeared to the people in the society.

8) Myths are believed to be folk tales and created by people:

Myths are believed to be folk tales and created by people. However, they are not the idea of a single mind or person. They are like poetry. They conceive and rise. They are formed especially when certain flaws are noticed in society. As per the need of society, they are conceived and develop into a firm belief of the people in society. A renowned poet ‘Keshavsut’^[1] known to have brought modern outlook which transformed Marathi poetry and took it far ahead breaking away from traditional thinking has said in one of his well-known poems as below.

‘Deva Danava Nare Nirmile He Mat Loka Kalavu Dya’ Meaning: Let the message be delivered to people that deities and demons (both) are the creations of human beings.

The message delivered by the saints and seers or the deity may appear small but it is the need of the time. A message by Sai Baba like ‘Sabka Malik Ek’ may appear tiny but it has a mega effect. It helps in creating harmony and brotherhood in the society.

The message given by Lord Jhulelal to the ruler was very small but had a deep meaning in it. His message to the ruler was that you should treat all your subjects, even though of different faiths, with equality. Your God and our God are same but we call him by different names. The message conveyed to the ruler was, that you cannot rule without the help and cooperation of the citizens of your province, who may be of different faith than yours, if you want the trade and commerce to flourish in your kingdom which will bring prosperity and make the lives of people happy and peaceful with ample opportunities for progress.

The fact is that any kingdom can flourish, only if there is revenue by way of taxes which depends upon trade and commerce, agriculture, manufacture of articles etc. An atmosphere of brotherhood, trust, and harmony amongst subjects is the base for the prosperity of a kingdom or a nation even in today’s times. The ruler might have realized that the cooperation of traders, merchants and businessmen is very valuable and therefore he softened his forceful ideas and agreed to the advice of Lord Jhulelal. The atmosphere of brotherhood resulted into peaceful co-existence of the subjects with different faiths and it benefited the people and the ruler as well.

9) Lord Jhulelal: A binding force and a guiding star:

In the times of crisis when the people of Sindh were asked to embrace the ruler’s faith and failing which they were under the threat of persecution, Lord Jhulelal came as a saviour and helped them overcome this difficult situation. He convinced the ruler not to impose his views on his subjects and he should allow them to observe their own faiths. As a ruler, it was his duty to treat all his citizens equally. As a result, there was peace and harmony amongst the people and they could follow their own faith without any fear.

After a gap of more than thousand years, the Sindhi community had to go through an extremely difficult situation when they were forced to leave their motherland and migrate to different places which were not familiar to them. It was a struggle for survival. At such times the Sindhi community reposed their faith in their ancient and age-old deity which they call Lord Jhulelal.

Faith is such a powerful tool that one can fight any battle with its help. It was the faith of the Sindhi community in Lord Jhulelal, there primordial deity of more than thousand years which helped them to overcome the crisis and re-establish them once again in the mainstream of society.

Even today they are seen following the principles of brotherhood and harmony which can be witnessed during the celebrations of the Sindhi community such as Cheti Chand. The younger generation is also seen participating actively in various events such as procession of the deity, Bhajan, Kirtan followed by musical evening. The younger generation appears to be enthusiastic to carry this rich heritage and legacy of their community deity for many more years to come. Therefore, Lord Jhulelal would always remain a binding force and a guiding star for the Sindhi community.

10) The "Post 1947 importance'':

It is well documented and the abundant proof is available about the antiquity of Lord Jhulelal. This has been mentioned at the appropriate places in this research. Therefore, the thinking or statements such as the importance of Lord Jhulelal is seen ''Post 1947'' does not go well. At the same time, it can be observed that Prof. Ram Panjwani, an eminent personality from the Sindhi community took efforts to rekindle the faith in Lord Jhulelal when the Sindhi community was scattered throughout India after partition. He helped revive the celebrations of the deity through which the community came together under one roof.

This helped the Sindhi community to find its unity and integrity. His contribution has been great for the community which was geographically scattered but reunited due to their faith and belief in their deity. After migration, even though rising from ashes, the achievements of this community are certainly praiseworthy.

If a community has rediscovered its glorious past through their deity and follows a path of harmony and brotherhood, it is, in fact, desirable. It is a great achievement not only in the history of the Sindhi community but also of the nation of which Sindhi community is an important and integral part.

11) Philanthropic acts by Sindhi community:

Despite going through the difficult times, this community has many achievements to its credit. After arrival in independent India, their acts of philanthropy in the fields of education and healthcare have expressed a high degree of gratitude and their love towards Mother India which needs to be recognised not only by their community but by the nation as a whole.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission at Pune, a well-known humanitarian service organisation connected with social work and educational activities was founded by Sadhu T. L. Vaswani in the year 1929 A.D. The noble work continues under the able guidance and leadership of Dada J. P. Vaswani. Their selfless service to the society without any discrimination of caste and creed has truly elevated Sadhu T. L. Vaswani and Dada J. P. Vaswani to the level of modern sainthood. (See plate 11).

A large number of organisations in the areas of education and health care have been established and are being successfully run by the Sindhi community in India.

12) Close Relationship between Vedic deity Varuna and Lord Jhulelal:

The concept of incarnation is known to people of India from ancient times as God Vishnu is said to have manifested him in ten Avatars. It would be obvious that certain similarities between the God and his Avatar are observed and the distinct relationship could be seen when one looks at the characteristics traits of the two.

Vedic deity Varuna and Lord Jhulelal have a lot in common. Both are called water deities. Varuna is the guardian of truth (Ruta), whereas Lord Jhulelal took up the task of showing the truth to the ruler. Both are seen as the ones who punish those who err in their duties, at the same time forgiving when found on the right path. They both have a strong connection with water and Lord Jhulelal is seen rising from Sindhu, the meaning of which is river Sindhu and the ocean as well. Varuna is considered as Master and God of horses and one form of Lord Jhulelal is seen as riding on a horse. All of the above similarities depict a strong connection between the two and support the theory of Lord Jhulelal as an incarnation of Varuna.

It may also be noted that they both belong to the same type of mythological thinking. They both are a part of the comparative history of religion and ethics.

Another possibility could be that the followers of these deities were together but scattered in the course of time. However, they look their Gods along with them.

Different forms were given to them as per local conditions of nature and geography.

13) The deity Lord Jhulelal remains less studied, the reasons:

Another question which would come to the mind is, why this important deity i.e. Lord Jhulelal has remained less studied and seems to have received less attention than warranted.

The answer would be that one requires certain stability in life, in the region one is living and earning the livelihood. The situation and social atmosphere, especially after partition were not very conducive for the thought process and deep thinking and contemplation needed for research.

The central idea about their deity, some traditions and rituals and some celebrations remained in existence. However, the research, the contemplation and the effort to seek the intricacies, study his temples, their history, antiquity, architecture, iconography and style of structure, the information about the inspiration for building of the temples etc. might not have happened due to the reasons mentioned above.

When the temple complexes are huge and monumental they would naturally attract devotees and scholars alike. However, this could not happen in the early years after migration around 1947 as the places of worship were confined to smaller sizes owing to the prevalent circumstances.

14) Lord Jhulelal: Myth, Legend or History:

The very fact that Lord Jhulelal is the Ishtadeva of the Sindhi community even after a thousand years and that he taught the ruler the principles of brotherhood and equality are sufficient to prove his greatness and his unique position in the hearts of his devotees. It is not uncommon that questions like myth, legend and history are raised for the deities, historical figures, heroes and kings not only in Indian subcontinent but everywhere. It would be difficult to find a specific answer to such queries and different people may put forth different theories to find the answers which may suit them.

According to a British historian Arnold Toynbee, history grows out of mythology and many a times the line between fact and fiction is undrawn. This statement rings true about the saga of Sindh which is a combination of legends, history, myth and folklore. (Ed. Abraham-Asrani 2013:52)

15) Importance of faith:

Even in today’s space age, ‘faith’ plays an important role in the lives of people. It is often experienced by people that when they visit a place of worship of their Ishtadeva with faith, they experience some peace of mind. It is the faith and devotion by which one can manage to remain calm in the face of difficult times.

Some people experience certain positive vibrations when they visit the place of worship which could help in removing the negativity from the mind. The serenity and tranquillity thus achieved could help to calm the agitated mind. A special issue by ‘Time’ magazine dated February 3, 2014 titled ‘Mindful Revolution’ was devoted to the health of mind and body, wherein benefits of meditation were discussed.

The science of Yoga as explained by Sage Patanjali^[2] is practiced in India from ancient times. Even today more and more people all over the world are learning Yoga, Pranayama and meditation for a healthier mind and body. Many people visit the place of worship regularly with faith and claim to achieve peace of mind.

16) Preserving the culture:

Preserving the culture plays a very important role in the history of a nation. Same holds true for a religion or a mass population of a particular province or region and as one comes down to a smaller proportion it holds true for a particular caste or creed or community. It is their heritage, which gives them an identity.

It is noteworthy and quite remarkable that Sindhi and Lohana communities largely have taken specific efforts to preserve and maintain the tradition along with the worship of their Ishtadeva by way of celebrations i.e.

1. A celebration of Cheti Chand by Sindhis

2. A celebration of Chaliho by Sindhis

3. A celebration of Chaitra Beej by Lohanas

4. A large number of Sindhi and Lohanas visiting temples of Lord Jhulelal and Dariyalal on auspicious days offering their prayer. Some people visit the temple on regular basis.

5. Use of venue where the temple is situated for various social purposes such as:

• Holding community gathering during auspicious and religious occasions of the community such as Cheti Chand / Chaitri Beej at temples.

• Holding functions and ceremonies such as Thread ceremony, Betrothal and Marriage and meetings of the community in temples

• Holding religious gatherings such as Navratri, Rama Navami, Krishna Janma on Janmashtami day and Bhajans, Kirtans and Satsang at temple and community hall.

Here one may find some similarity between the activities like Bhajans, Kirtans and Satsang carried out at temple and community hall with King Ashoka’s teachings found on his stone inscriptions that society should gather for ‘Samaj’ i.e. for religious purpose wherein activities like Satsang (discourse) are done along with celebration.

A reflection of the noble ideas from King Ashoka’s teachings is found to some extent in the activities that are carried out and tradition being maintained by these two communities.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Full name Krishnaji Keshav Damle, a Marathi poet from Maharashtra also known as Keshavsut

[2]:

Composer of ‘Yoga Sutras’ one of the most important texts on theory and practice of Yoga.