Cherchera (Chhattisgarh) 2027

Puja Vidhi

Who Celebrates This Festival?

• Farming Families: Farmers and households of Chhattisgarh give thanks for the new harvest and pray for plentiful grain in the year ahead (Dhan Samriddhi).
• Children and Youth: Groups of children and young people go from door to door to ask for grain, keeping alive the tradition of giving and receiving.
• Householders: Every family offers grain and food to those who come, seeking the blessings of the Goddess of food and plenty.

When Should This Be Performed?

• Morning Bath and Puja: Bathe early, during Brahma Muhurta (the pre-dawn period) or at sunrise, and offer the first prayers to the Goddess and the new grain in the morning.
• Door-to-Door Visits: After the morning puja, children and youth go from house to house through the morning and the day. Check the local custom of your village or town (some places continue until the evening).
• Community Meal: Families cook and share festive food in the afternoon, and the day often closes with songs and folk dance (including the stick dance, Dandanach).

About the Festival

Cherchera is a much-loved harvest festival of Chhattisgarh, when people give and receive new grain with joy and gratitude. It takes place on the Purnima (full moon day) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Pausha.

The Katha (The Story Behind Cherchera)

Cherchera is kept in the cold days of Pausha, when the paddy of the year has been reaped, threshed and stored in the granary (kothi). In the farming villages of Chhattisgarh, this is the season of plenty, and the festival is a way of thanking the land and the Goddess of food and grain for the harvest.

Pausha Purnima is also remembered as the day of Goddess Shakambhari, the form of the Divine Mother who feeds all living beings with greens and grain, and as a day sacred to Annapurna, the Goddess of food. Many families say that it was on this day that Lord Shiva came as a beggar to Annapurna's door and received alms, which is why giving grain on this day is held to be especially blessed.

On the morning of the festival, groups of children and young people go from door to door with sacks and baskets, calling out "Chherchhera, kothi ke dhaan la her her" (bring the paddy from your granary). The household answers by giving them a share of the new grain, and the elders say that no one who gives with an open heart will find their granary empty. In the villages, the giving is shared with song and folk dance.

Since long ago, people in Chhattisgarh have kept Cherchera in this way, as a day when there is no difference between the one who gives and the one who asks, and the harvest is shared by all. It is a festival of gratitude, generosity and community, when every home opens its door and its granary with joy.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the morning puja:

• Image / Painting: Picture or idol of Goddess Annapurna or Shakambhari, or a small heap of new grain placed as the Goddess's seat
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Roli, Kumkum, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A brass or clay Diya with Ghee and cotton wick, and incense sticks
• Harvest Grain: New paddy (dhan), rice, and pulses, set aside for giving to those who come to the door
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Freshly cooked rice, Kheer, Puri, and seasonal vegetables from the new harvest
• Devotional Accessories: Flowers, sacred thread (kalava), and a clean cloth for the altar

Puja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to perform the ritual correctly:

Step 1: Morning Preparation and Sankalp

1. Wake up early during Brahma Muhurta, bathe, and wear clean, auspicious clothes (preferably yellow, red, or new festive clothes).
2. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Divine Mother Annapurna, today I offer thanks for this harvest. Bless our home with plenty, and grant me a generous heart to give with joy."
3. Clean the courtyard and the house, and set aside the new grain that will be given to those who visit.

Step 2: Preparing the Puja Altar (Morning)

1. Clean the northeastern corner (Ishan Kone) or a clean place near the grain store (kothi) or kitchen.
2. Spread a clean cloth on a wooden stool (Chowki) and place the image of the Goddess on it.
3. Place a small heap of new paddy or rice before the image, along with a vessel of clean water.

Step 3: Performing the Morning Rituals

1. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Ghee Diya and place it in front of the Goddess.
2. Applying Tilak: Apply Roli, Kumkum, and Akshat to the image and to the heap of new grain.
3. Offering Flowers & Threads: Offer fresh flowers and tie a piece of Kalava (red thread) around the vessel of grain.
4. Offering Naivedya: Place freshly cooked rice, Kheer, and other dishes before the Goddess.

Step 4: Offering Thanks for the Harvest

1. Hold a few grains of new paddy and a few flower petals in your right hand.
2. Sit respectfully in front of the altar and recall or listen to the story behind Cherchera with deep focus and devotion.
3. After completing the story, offer the grains at the Goddess's feet and bow in gratitude for the harvest.

Step 5: Giving Grain to Those Who Visit

1. Keep the new grain ready at the door, and welcome the children and youth who come singing and calling for Cherchera.
2. Give Dhan Daan (the gift of grain) to each group with a warm greeting, along with a share of sweets or food.
3. Join in the songs and dances of the village, and share the joy of the day with your neighbours.

Step 6: Seeking Blessings and Sharing Prasad

1. Touch the feet of the elders in your family to seek their blessings (Charan Sparsh).
2. Distribute the Naivedya as prasad among your family members, neighbours, and children.
3. Enjoy the festive meal together, made from the new harvest, and close the day with thanks to the Goddess.