Jhulelal Yuva Sangha, a social organization formed by the Sindhis of South Kolkata, New Alipore are active in service for the community & humanity. Every year they organise Cheti Chand, Sant Kanwar Ram Varsi and other various festivals, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Diwali, Navratri, Holi get together, social gathering and round the year social & Community activities.
This year too they celebrated Sindhi New Year at the Hindustan Club Ground, where the Sindhis of South Kolkata have been residing nearby since an eternity now. They take part in various other festivals of various religions & believe in diversity. Jhulelal Yuva Sangha is represented by President Shree Vishan Sadhwani, Vice-president Shree Rupa Attlani, Shree Mahendar Sadhwani & Shree Vineet Khem; Treasurer Shree Shankar Jeewani, J t. Treasurer Shree Kapil Sai, Secretary Shree Pappan Jagwani & Shree Hardu Khettry; Jt. Secretary Shree Inder Madnani.
The event was followed by live performance of Sindhi Folk Songs, Dance, Music, which told stories of ancient times, which left a nostalgia feeling to the older members while educating the younger ones about the history & culture. Modern Indian Family are forgetting their roots of culture and at Jhulelal Youth Sangha they have a clear goal to protect and integrity culture and beliefs. The event had a great turnout of 500+ people and lived above the expectations of the people who attended the event and the members are really excited to do more such events in coming future.
This year Cheti Chand was celebrated on 22 March 2023. It also marks the beginning of the Sindhi New Year Cheti Chand (Sindhi: Moon of Chaitra) is a festival that marks the beginning of the Lunar Hindu New Year for Sindhi Hindus. The date of the festival is based on the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, falling on the first day of the year, in the Sindhi month of Chet (Chaitra). It typically falls in late March or early April in the Gregorian calendar on or about the same day as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in other parts of the Deccan region of India.
The festival marks the arrival of spring and harvest, but in the Sindhi community, it also marks the birth of Jhulelal (Uderolal) in 1007, The Sindhi community celebrates the festival of Cheti Chand with major fairs, feast parties, processions with jhankis (glimpse stage) of Jhulelal an avatar of (Varun dev) other Hindu deities and social gathering.
On this day, many Sindhis take Baharana Sahib, a representation of Jhulelal, to a nearby river or lake. Baharana Sahib consists of Jyot (oil lamp), misiri (crystal sugar). fota (cardamom), fal (fruits), and akha. Behind is kalash (water jar) and a nariyal (coconut) in it, covered with cloth, phool (flowers) and patta (leaves). There is also a Murti (statue) of Pujya Jhulelal Devta. Cheti Chand is a major festival of Sindhi Hindus in India, Pakistan & also celebrated by the Hindu Sindhi diaspora around the world.