Cheti Chand 2022: AKA Jhulelal Jayanti & Its Significance

Significance of Jhulelal Jayanti

Jhulelal

Jhulelal Jayanti or Cheti Chand festival commemorates the birth anniversary of Saint Jhulelal. Sindhis celebrate this festival in honor of Saint Jhulelal. Sindhis across the globe worship the saint as a spiritual and religious tradition. As an incarnation of Lord Varuna, the Sindhi god of water, he is venerated as a saint. Jhulelal gives the message of balance, truthfulness, decency, togetherness and success.

Significance of Cheti Chand

Cheti Chand falls simultaneously or the day after the ‘Gudi Padwa’. In the month of Chaitra, Cheti Chand is celebrated on the second day of Shukla Paksha, according to the traditional Hindu lunar calendar, when the moon is visible. The day holds significance as it is believed that Varun Dev appeared in the form of a Uderolal to save the Sindhi community from the tyranny of a ruler who wanted to destroy Sindhi culture and Hinduism. It is a day to worship and thank the water god.

Legend

During the Islamic rule in the 10th century, Mirkshah threatened Sindhi Hindus to convert to Islam or face death. Sindhis appealed to the water god for protection. They sang devotional songs in praise of Lord Varuna without eating anything. The water god had promised them that a heavenly child would be born in Nasrpur who would save the community from the torments and tortures of Mirkshah. Mata Devaki gives birth to a divine child in her womb and the family of Ratan Rao Luhana of Nasarpur as “Uderolal”, later known as “Jhulelal”.

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Ceremonies and Celebrations

Cheti chand 2022

The followers of Jhulelal pray for forty days and later observe “Thanksgiving Day” followed by “Chaliho”. His devotees observe a fast. After offering prayers, they break their fast with coconut milk, sugar and fruits. Many Sindhis take the Behrana Sahib to a nearby stream or lake. The Behrana Sahib consists of an oil lamp, a water jar with crystal sugar, cardamom, fruit and Akha and coconut. A wheat flour lamp lit with five lights on a bronze plate is laden with rice grains, pure ghee and vermilion. Known as Jyoti Jagan. After immersing the Bahrano sahib in water with rice and sugar offerings called “akho”, it is customary to sing Lal Sen’s Panjra and Pallava to seek blessings.

Jhulelal remains the power and central point of unity of all social activities of Sindhi society. The Indus river takes its name from the Sindhi language. Whenever Sindhi men go to sea, their women pray to Jhulelal for their safe return. Sindhis around the world greet each other with “Jhulelal Bera-Hee-Paar”.