157.34.43.12 at 16:57, 14 May 2021

2021-05-14T16:57:50Z

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{{Hinduism}}
'''Chalio''' / '''Chaliho''' also called '''Chaliho Sahib''' is a forty-day-long festival celebrated by [[Sindhi Hindu]] community.<ref name=a>[http://www.festivalsofindia.in/Chaliho/ Chaliho festival] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.is/20130218051616/http://www.festivalsofindia.in/Chaliho/ |date=February 18, 2013 }}</ref><ref name=b>[http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PUN-sindhis-celebrate-chalio-festival-2272672.html Sindhis celebrate Chalio festival]</ref><ref name="d">[http://www.thesindhuworld.com/chaliho.html Sindhi Festivals > Chaliho] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425020539/http://www.thesindhuworld.com/chaliho.html|date=April 25, 2012}}</ref>

==History==

Mirkshah, a [[Muslim]] ruler of [[Sindh]] ordered all Hindus to forcibly convert to [[Islam]] or face persecution. The Hindu representatives then requested a forty day grace period from the ruler for their reply.<ref name=a/> During this period of time, the frightened Hindus of Sindh prayed to their river God [[Varuna]] to help them.

For forty days, the Hindus underwent penance. They neither shaved nor wore new clothes, praying, fasting and singing songs in the praise of [[Varuna]]. They beseeched him to save them from the hands of their persecutor.<ref name="a" />

On the fortieth day, a voice was heard from Heaven: "Fear not, I shall save you from the wicked Mirkshah. I shall come down as a mortal and take birth in the womb of Mata Devki in the house of Ratanchand Lohano of Nasarpur". Ratanchand Lohano was a Hindu that belonged to the [[Lohana]] caste.

The Sindhis were relieved and rejoiced at this [[Akashvani (term)|Akashvani]]. Shortly after, the couple announced birth of [[Jhulelal (Hinduism)|Dariyalal]] (Jhulelal), who later taught a lesson to Mirkshah and his Muslim Followers, absolving the Hindus.

Henceforth, Sindhis worshipped Jhulelal as their [[Ishta deva]]. They started to observe forty days of fasting with full faith and devotion known as Chaliho Sahib. Those who observed this fast had to follow the following obligations:

* Not to sleep in a bed, only on the floor

* Observe [[Brahmacharya]]

* Not to eat fried eatables, non-vegetarian food, onion and garlic, white items like milk, curd, rice

* Not to shave or cut hair and nails, not to use soap and oils

* Wear simple clothes and not to wear leather shoes or leather belts

* Not to use tadka in any dish, etc. living a purely simple life

On the last day, they perform [[Puja (Hinduism)|''Pujas'']] offering an earthen pot to the Darriya River. They offer ''akho'' [raw rice sugar flowers] to Darriya. Sindhis keep this fast avoiding non-veg, even garlic and onions.

==Festival==

The 40-day-long festival is observed every year in months of July to August, dates vary according to [[Hindu calendar]].<ref name=a/><ref name=b/> This is a thanks-giving celebration in honor of Varuna Deva and [[Jhulelal (Hinduism)|Jhulelal]] for listening to their prayers.<ref name=a/><ref name=b/>

To keep this tradition alive, all [[Hindu]] [[Sindhis|Sindhi]], even today, celebrate the event by keeping forty days of penance.

While some people fast only on the first and last day of Chalio, others fast for the first nine days or for 21 days.<ref name=b/> Sindhi men and women dance in front of the idol of Jhulelal in their temples to the tune of their folk music and ''[[bhajan]]'', the devotional songs. Sindhis make a symbolic representation of their God Jhulelal in each and every household, which is known as [[Bahrana Sahib]].

Baharana Sahib consists of ''jyot'', sugar candy, ''[[cardamom|phota]]'', fruits, clove and ''akho''. Behind is an earthen pot with a coconut in it, covered with cloth, flowers, leaves and idol of God Jhulelal.<ref name="c">{{cite web|url=http://www.festivalsofindia.in/chetichand/ |title=Cheti Chand | Sindhi Festivals | Chaliho Sahab | Baharana Sahib | Festivals |publisher=Festivalsofindia.in |date=2011-10-13 |accessdate=2012-08-26}}</ref><ref name="d" /> A sweet dish named ''akho'', made from rice and sugar is offered during morning prayers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mywebastrologer.com/chaliho.asp |title=Chaliho, Chaliho Festival, Festival of Chaliho in India |publisher=Mywebastrologer.com |accessdate=2012-08-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830031249/http://www.mywebastrologer.com/chaliho.asp |archivedate=2012-08-30 }}</ref> For forty days, they worship it, offering ''[[prasad]]'' and sing ''[[aarti]]'' to Bahrana Sahib. On the 41st day Baharana Sahib is taken to a nearby river or lake and immersed among singing and dancing of devotional songs,<ref name="b" /> marking the festival's end.

==References==

{{Reflist}}
{{HinduFestivals}}

[[Category:Hindu festivals]]
[[Category:Sindhi culture]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Sindh]]
[[Category:July observances]]
[[Category:August observances]]
[[Category:Religious festivals in India]]

Chalio - Revision history

157.34.43.12 at 16:57, 14 May 2021