Cheti Chand is the Sindhi Hindu new year and the birthday of Jhulelal, also called Uderolal or Darya Lal, the patron saint of Sindhi Hindus. In Pakistan it is marked in spring by Sindh's Hindu community, at Jhulelal temples in Karachi and above all at the shared Hindu and Muslim shrine of Udero Lal north of Hyderabad. The next one falls on Thursday 8 April 2027, according to the Drik Panchang almanac; in 2026 it fell on 19 or 20 March, depending on which almanac you follow.
This guide explains what the festival is, the places most associated with it in Sindh, and how a visitor who is not part of the community should approach it.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| What | Sindhi Hindu new year and Jhulelal's birthday |
| Calendar | Second day of the bright half of Chaitra (Chet) |
| 2026 | 20 March (Drik Panchang, for Pakistan); some almanacs give 19 March |
| 2027 | 8 April (Drik Panchang) |
| Main places | Udero Lal shrine near Tando Adam; Darya Lal Mandir and Varun Dev Mandir, Karachi |
| Key ritual | Carrying the bahrano offering to water |
| Entry | Working places of worship; no tickets |
What is Cheti Chand?
The name comes from Chet, the first month of the Sindhi calendar, and chand, the moon. The festival falls on the second day of the waxing moon in Chet, just after the new year festivals of other Hindu communities such as Gudi Padwa. Because the Hindu calendar is lunisolar, the date moves between mid-March and mid-April.
Jhulelal is linked with water. In the story most Sindhi Hindus tell, a tyrannical ruler called Mirkh Shah tried to force conversions, the Hindus prayed on the banks of the Indus for forty days, and a child was born who grew into their protector. He is seen as a form of Varuna, the god of water, which is why rivers, canals and the sea are at the centre of the festival. Many Sufi Muslims in Sindh honour the same figure as Khwaja Khizr or Zinda Pir.
How it is celebrated
The heart of the day is the bahrano, sometimes written Baharana Sahib. Dawn has described it as a large brass plate decorated with flour, sweets, dried fruit, lamps and rose petals; other accounts add a coconut, sugar crystals and cardamom. Devotees carry it in procession and offer it to water. It used to go into the Indus; today it goes to whatever river, canal or shore is nearest.
Other parts of the day, according to Dawn's account of the celebrations at Udero Lal:
- Lighting the jyot, the sacred lamp
- Puja at a sacred well before sunset
- Chhando, sprinkling blessed water on the faces of devotees
- Pallav, a devotional prayer
- Chhej, a Sindhi stick dance with dandiya
Families also feast, wear new clothes, and visit relatives, as at any new year.
Udero Lal: the shared shrine near Hyderabad
The village of Udero Lal, near Tando Adam in Matiari district, holds the most important Jhulelal shrine in Pakistan. Dawn puts it about 30 km from Hyderabad. What makes it remarkable is that it is shared: the complex has a temple and a mosque, Hindus perform aarti and Muslims pray in the evenings, and a lamp is kept burning, according to Wikipedia. Muslims know the saint buried there as Shaikh Tahir. The shrine was completed in 1684.
Around Cheti Chand, devotees bring bahrano offerings from towns across lower Sindh, including Mirpurkhas, Shahdadpur and Sanghar, as Dawn reported. It is the best place in Pakistan to see the festival as a whole community event rather than a temple ceremony.
Udero Lal is an easy side trip from Hyderabad by car. Our Hyderabad day trips guide covers other places in the same direction.
Karachi: Darya Lal Mandir and Varun Dev Mandir
In Karachi, the festival centres on temples dedicated to Jhulelal and to Varuna:
- Darya Lal Mandir, near Custom House in the old Saddar and port area. It is about three centuries old according to Wikipedia, was damaged in 1965 and 1992, used for years as a transport company's office, and was restored and reopened in December 2015. Cheti Chand is its main festival.
- Shri Varun Dev Mandir on Manora, by the sea. It is believed to be Pakistan's only temple to Varuna. The current building dates from about 1917 to 1918, and it was restored in 2018. Cheti Chand and Chaliho Sahib are both celebrated there. Our Manora Island guide explains how to get across.
For the city's other temples, see our guide to Hindu temples in Karachi.
Visiting as an outsider
Cheti Chand is a religious occasion for a minority community, and the best approach is a quiet, respectful one:
- Go with someone from the community if you can, or ask the temple caretakers before joining in.
- Remove your shoes in the temple, and cover your head if others are doing so.
- Dress modestly. Loose clothes covering arms and legs are right for everyone.
- Ask before photographing people, especially during puja and at the water.
- Don't treat it as a show. Stand to the side of processions and the bahrano offering.
Udero Lal and Karachi are not on the UK government's list of places to avoid, which in Sindh covers areas north of Nawabshah and within 5 miles of the Indian border. Large religious gatherings still carry some risk anywhere in Pakistan, so check local news on the day.
Who it suits
Cheti Chand suits travellers interested in Sindh's Hindu heritage and in the shared shrines where Hindus and Muslims honour the same saint. It works best as part of a Sindh trip in spring, when the weather is still bearable. It does not suit anyone looking for a staged cultural event; there is no programme, and the community is celebrating for itself.
If you can't make the date, Udero Lal is worth visiting at any time of year. For the wider festival calendar, see our guide to festivals in Sindh and the experiences page.
Frequently asked questions
When is Cheti Chand in 2027?
On Thursday 8 April 2027, according to Drik Panchang's almanac for Pakistan. In 2026 it fell on 20 March, though some almanacs gave 19 March.
Is Cheti Chand celebrated in Pakistan?
Yes. Sindhi Hindus in Pakistan mark it, most visibly at the Udero Lal shrine near Tando Adam and at Jhulelal temples in Karachi.
Who is Jhulelal?
The patron saint of Sindhi Hindus, seen as a form of Varuna, the water god. Many Sindhi Muslims honour the same figure as Khwaja Khizr or Zinda Pir.
What is the bahrano?
A decorated brass plate of flour, sweets, dried fruit, lamps and petals that devotees carry in procession and offer to a river, canal or the sea.
Can Muslims and non-Hindus visit Udero Lal?
Yes. The shrine has both a temple and a mosque, and Muslims and Hindus both worship there. Visitors should dress modestly and follow the caretakers' guidance.