All About Cheti Chand
Cheti Chand is the Sindhi New Year Day celebrated on the second day of Cheti month (Chaitra month). This year Cheti Chand falls on April 5, 2011. This festival is similar to other Hindu New Year festivals. Cheti Chand is celebrated as a commemoration of birthday of Sindhi patron saint Jhulelal. This festival is to give honor the birth of Water God (Varun Devta) popularly known as Jhulelal. The Sindhi community is seen wishing each other in the native Sindhi Language “Cheti Chand jyon Lakh Lakh Wadayun Athav”, which means lacs of wishes for Happy Cheti Chand. Historically Cheti Chand is the birthday of Lal Sain Amarlal hence this is the most important day for the sindhi community and celebrated with that high spirit and emotions.
How we celeberate it
As a tradition, followers of Jhulelal observe Chaliho Sahab. It suggests that for forty long days and nights they underwent ritual on the bank of Sindhu. They did not shave, nor did they wear new clothes or shoes. They did not use soap or oil or any opulent thing. They just washed their clothes, dried them and wore them again. In the evening, they worshipped Lord Varuna, sang songs in his praise and prayed for their solace and salvation. After 40 days of Chaaliho, the followers of Jhulelal celebrate the occasion with festivity as ‘Thanks Giving Day’ even till today.
On this day, many Sindhis take Baharana Sahib to a nearby river or lake. Baharana Sahib consists of Jyot (Oil Lamp), Misiri (Crystal Sugar), Phota (Cardamom), Fal (Fruits), and Akha. Behind is Kalsh (Water jar) and a Nariyal (Coconut) in it, covered with cloth, phool (flowers) and patta (leaves). There is also a Murti (Idol) of Pujya Jhulelal Devta.
Sindhis keep their shops and activities closed on this day even food is not cooked at the home and they gathered at community building (at Jhulelal Temple, where after a session of singing, worship of Jhulelal is made and procession of Bahrano is taken out. Cities Like Ulhasnagar, Ajmer, Indore, Kolhapur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat etc are famous for unique style of Cheti Chand celebration and huge gathering of sindhi people.In City of Lakes at Shakti nagar there is a temple of Jhulelal sahib where a fair is organized by the community peoples on ” Sindhi New Year Day”. Various types of treats are also available for common community peoples.
There are various places in Lakecity where this holy festival is celebrated with great spirit one of which is located at :-
- Pratap nagar –in the shiv temple
- Jawaher nagar Sindhu bhavan
- Hiran magri sector 5
In UDAIPUR the main temple of Jhulelal sahib (Sanathan Mandir) is situated at Shakti Nagar. Its main feature is a JYOT which is brought by the Ancestors of Sindhi Community after separation of HINDUSTAN (India) & PAKISTAN (1947).
In Udaipur in 2011 its celebration started two days before the “CHETI CHAND” as under
- 3rd April 2011:- Blood donation camp
- 4th April 2011:- Cultural night at Shukhadia rangmanch
- 5th April 2011:- Main event (“CHETI CHAND”) at various temples of Jhulelal Sahib
The usual tradition is that on this day Sindhis bring out procession of water God Lord Jhulelal, In the form of Bahrano Sahib from Sindhudham (Jawaher nagar) to Sanatan temple in Shakti nagar where the holy MAHA ARTI takes place . During the procession of Bahrano Sahib traditional sindhi folk dance “Chhej” is performed by all age group Sindhis. After that talented Sindhi students are awarded for their excellence in academics. On this eve of NEW YEAR a Sindhi Fair is also organized by the community people, followed by an arrangement of refreshment is made for all Sindhi Community people.
Lastly, at night there is Visarjan ceremony of Bahrano Sahib.
Here are few of the glimpses of the past years’ celebrations
ACHIEVMENTS BY THE SINDHI COMMUNITY PEOPLE:-
The people and community (“APNA SANGHATAN”) involved in making the different images of Jhulelal with the help of marbles without using adhesive were even mentioned in the Limca book of records in 2006-07 namely Mr. Surendra Arora, and Mr. Virendra Khabrani
Team UdaipurBlog greets everyone with best wishes on Chetichand
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A post by- Madhuri Tharani