Special Article : Chhattisgarh ke Lok Tihar: ‘Chherchhera’ An introduction to the tradition of charity (Maa Shakambhari Jayanti)
Dr. Daneshwari Sambhakar, Assistant Director
Raipur, 5 January .
The Chherchhera festival is celebrated on the occasion of Paush Purnima in Chhattisgarh with a lot of fanfare and glee. It is also known as Chherchhera Punni or Chherchhera Tihar. It is a festival that celebrates the tradition of charity. It is believed that families that donate on this day don’t have to face any dearth of wealth. On this day, children and older people visit homes and accept donations of food, while youngsters perform Danda Nritya.
For the protection and preservation of Chhattisgarh’s culture and regarding the significant steps of the state government in the past four years, public holidays are declared on the occasion of local festivals. This also includes the Chherchhera (Maa Shakambhari Jayanti) Tihar festival. Other public festivals on which holidays are given are Hareli, Teeja, Maa Karma Jayanti, World Tribal Day, and Chhatth.
These festivals are celebrated in the state on an extensive scale and the government contributes actively to them. Important official events are organized during these festivals and official announcements are also made. Honoring the tradition, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel himself asks for Chherchhera on the occasion of Chherchhera Punni.
The folk life of Chhattisgarh has nurtured the tradition of the charity since ancient times. Farming is the lifeboat of agriculture and paddy is the chief crop. A farmer, starting from the sowing of paddy to its cutting and storage, sustains the tradition of charity. Shakambhari Devi Jayanti is celebrated on the day of Chherchhera. According to local folklore, there is a belief that in ancient times, there was a great famine in Chhattisgarh which caused a major outcry. People started dying because of intense hunger and thirst. Dark clouds looked vicious, as they spread across the sky but would never rain.
Eventually, after being pleased by the worship of the suffering people, the Goddess of food and medicine, Devi Shakambhari, manifested. With her blessings, the famine was transformed into abundance and there was happiness everywhere in the state. Moreover, it is also believed that Lord Shiva had taken the form of “Nata” to ask for food donations from Parvati. Chherchhera festival, therefore, is also a part of our history.
Mayi Kothi ke Dhan La Her Hera
On the occasion of Chherchhera, children visit homes while frequenting streets and ask for Chherchhera. While accepting the Chherchhera, children say ‘Chher Chhera Mayi Kothi ke Dhan La Her Hera’ and until the Grihaswamini (the lady of the family) doesn’t donate, they will keep saying: ‘Aran Baran Kodo Daran, Jabbhe Debe Tabbhe Taran’. This means that the children are saying, “Mother, please donate, we won’t leave until you donate”.
There is also a lesson about narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor, embedded in the tradition of Chherchhera. There is also a feeling of sacrifice in this festival which is connected to our culture. This folk festival is celebrated in the villages and cities of Chhattisgarh to strengthen social harmony.
