In myth we trust

Jasmin Pannu

Centuries ago, a small, playful child jumped to his end in a pond, in obedience of his infuriated mother’s command. He was only to reappear later as a mystical snake, to bid adieu to the mortal world and request his clan to accept his reincarnation. The child deity, Baba Sodal, has been worshipped and revered at the magnificent Baba Sodal Temple in Jalandhar ever since.

With a whopping 25 lakh people visiting every year and a splendid cultural extravaganza spread over a week, the grandeur of Baba Sodal Mela is to be seen to be believed. “Such is the reverence of the fair that we were unable to do justice to the huge number of pilgrims wanting to pay their obeisance when it was a day-long affair. It is for this reason that it now goes on for full one week,” says Pankaj Chadha, organiser and president of Chadha Baradari (Society), Jalandhar. Elaborate arrangements are made for the accommodation and other needs of the pilgrims, he adds.

The event, held around the tomb of Baba Sodal, is special for mothers who pray to the child God, seeking good health and well-being for their children and families. From childless couples to terminally ill patients, one will find scores of humble devotees seeking Baba’s blessings to alleviate their miseries.

A page from history

Baba Sodal was born into the Chadha family of Khatri cast of Punjab. Folklore has it that the child waywardly followed his mother to the pond as she went about her daily chores. Troubled by his antics, she got into a rage and instructed him to jump into the pond as a penance, though she might not have meant it literally. Being an obedient son, he jumped and was never seen again. It is said that he reappeared many times later, instructing his clan, the  Chadha community, to offer him a snake made from the local flour or topa. This offering is now at the centre of Baba Sodal Mela, held on the fourteenth day of Bhadon month.

The Chadha clan follows very strict rituals during the festival, such as eating only specific type of foods and so on. Chadha says it is indeed a family tradition now. “In fact, youngsters in the family are more particular about maintaining the sanctity of the rituals and practices followed, which speaks volumes about the faith that people have in the Baba,” he observes.

The offerings and rituals of the mela too follow an intriguing and interesting pattern. Just before the fair, head of the Chadha clan is supposed to extract mud 14 times for each of the bachelor sons on the new moon night, while all members of the clan offer lumps of kneaded flour to the revered child deity. 

Extravaganza — then and now

From deserted streets in the 1960s to decked-up shops and homes, the fair has indeed gained immense popularity in the last few decades. While only a few tribal groups attended it earlier, it has now literally become the people’s fair, an event for the masses. Providing lucrative business to small-scale traders selling wares like crockery, handicrafts and other items, to providing free meals at the over 100-odd langar stalls, the fair has something for everyone. Sandeep Narang, who runs a printing press in close vicinity of the fair, says the entire neighbourhood keenly awaits the event throughout the year. 

A combination of religious reverence and cultural splendor, the Baba Sodal Mela indeed weaves a thought-provoking narrative. It stands as an epitome of faith, worship and staunch beliefs in today’s era of modernism. In an evidence-driven age, the mystical saga of Baba Sodal truly amazes with its vast cult following and family traditions upheld by the younger generation.