Sindhi Community Celebrates 40-Day Festival in Ulhasnagar

Mumbai: Sindhi speakers around the globe are currently observing 'Chaliha Sahib', a significant 40-day period of austerity and devotion dedicated to Bhagwan Jhulelal Saeen, the revered god of water. The heart of the celebrations is the Puj Chaliha Sahib Jhulelal Mandir located in Sector 5 of Ulhasnagar, which houses the Akhand Jyot, a sacred flame brought by refugees fleeing Sindh during the 1947 partition. This year, the festival aligns with the Hindu month of Sawan, running from July 22 to August 19, and is steeped in the mythology of Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean. In Mumbai, the Ulhasnagar temple commenced its festivities on July 31, with celebrations set to conclude on September 10. Prakash Gvalani, a local resident, highlighted the dietary restrictions observed during this period, where devotees consume only satvik food, abstaining from meat, fish, and certain vegetables. Many followers also refrain from cutting their hair, shaving, or using leather, opting for a single meal of fruits in the evening while practicing celibacy and temperance. Devotees participate in rituals by offering akho, a blend of raw rice, cardamom, turmeric, and sugar, to the water deity. Those committed to the 40-day observance wear a sacred thread known as 'saggro' on their wrist. Bharatkumar Jumb, a local singer of devotional songs, noted that the sacred flame from the Puj Chaliha Sahib temple has inspired the establishment of new shrines across the country, reflecting the festival's growing significance.