Chaliya Mahotsav 2023: Every society has its own festivals. Similarly, Chaliya Mahotsav is the biggest festival of Sindhi community. During the Chaliya festival, Sindhi people offer special prayers to Jhulelal in the temples. Programs of special folk music-bhajans and devotional songs are organized in the temples. Lord Jhulelal is also known as Bahrana Sahib.
More than 5 lakh people of Sindhi society live in Ulhasnagar city adjacent to Mumbai. There is a temple of Chalia Sahib in this city. Lakhs of devotees come to this temple during the festival of Chaliya Mahotsav to have darshan of Lord Jhulelal. This temple is very beautiful in itself, where a small pond has been built along with the temple. Here during this festival devotees offer a plate of flowers in the name of Lord Jhulelal. "Ayo lal sabhai chow jhulelal" Saying this the people of Sindhi society worship Lord Jhulelal.
Experience shared by service holder
Praveen Gopichand Chugh, as a content creator in social media, told ABP News that he is a great devotee of Jhulelal Bhagwan, serving the temple and promoting the specialty of Sindhi society. Through social media, he is making VLOG everyday for 40 consecutive days. Through this vlog, he explains his daily routine and also explains the importance of Chalia Festival. He makes this vlog with the help of his friends Ritika, Prem and Kishore.
40 days fast is kept
The date of Chaliha Sahib is that when Mirkshah Badshah of Sindh asked everyone to accept Islam, then Sindhis used to worship their favorite god Varun Dev on the Indus river. Then Jhulelal Sai was born and he saved all the Sindhis. In the same way even today all the Sindhi community keep fast for forty days, bring quietness in their life, refrain from worldly things, daily apologize to Jhulelal God for the mistakes done knowingly or unknowingly, perform aarti and Akha Darya Shah. I dedicate. It is believed that Lord Jhulelal is pleased by fasting for forty days and worshiping in this way. After completing the fast of forty days, they take Matki and next day in Palav they wish for prosperity in their life.
Akhand Jyoti has been burning since 125 years
Let us tell you that the specialty of this temple located in Ulhasnagar is that the unbroken light has been burning here for the last 125 years. It was brought from Sindh in Pakistan from Chaliya Sahib Temple Peergoth during partition in 1947 and this Akhand Jyoti was born in Peergoth around 1897. This Akhand Jyoti has guided many Sindhis for more than three generations. Till now this flame has been lit and kept in the same structure as was available in Sindh. Lakhs of people have been benefited by the blessings of Lord Jhulelal by praying here.
Chalia Festival will continue till August 22
In this festival of 40 days, the people of Sindhi society like young, old, newly married, newborn, family all come to this temple for darshan everyday. Prasad is given daily during this. 200 to 300 sevadharis serve everyday to make prasad. Sewadhari Raju Golani told ABP News, "Everyday all the people come together to serve the people in the temple after completing their day’s work. The last day of Chalia Festival is going to be on 22nd August. Lakhs of people will come to the temple on this last day. Langar is served on the last day. Its preparation starts 4 days in advance. 400 to 500 people cook together for the langar. It is the specialty of Sindhi society that this festival is celebrated with pomp."
The devotees follow these rules
Praveen Chugh said, "More than 1 lakh people celebrate this festival in one way or the other. All Sindhis follow these forty days of eating vegetarian food, not consuming alcohol and not bringing any new items in the house. The practice of Chaliya Sahib festival is slowly developing in more than 50 cities of India. However, this festival is very famous among the youth, that’s why they are trying to reach out to the young generation of Sindhi society through social media."
What is Bahrana Sahib?
Bahrana Sahib includes things like Jyoti (a flame), Mishri, Phota (Cardamom), fruits and cloves etc. Bahrana Sahib is worshiped with coconut, cloth, flowers and idol of Lord Jhulelal in an earthen pot.