The festival of Sanjhi is celebrated from Poornamasi to Amavasya as soon as Ashwin starts. This festival is mainly celebrated in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat. The early tradition of preparing Sanjhi made of cow dung and flowers, which was practiced by the Vaishnava temples in the 15th and 16th centuries, is still practiced in the villages.
Sanjhi is the name of a goddess, which is made from cow dung and mud on the walls of the women's home. A statue of Sanjhi clay is made in which different colors, necklaces, bangles, flower leaves, Malipanna, vermilion and colored clothes are decorated.
The image is made on the first day of the nine days of Durga Puja or Navratri. Every day women from the neighborhood are invited to sing bhajans and perform aarti. Aarti is lit by a lamp of ghee during Shyam, and a folk song is offered.
On the eleventh day, on the new moon day, Sanjhi Devi is taken off the wall and placed in a pot of clay. Before that, they light a lamp of oil or ghee. Then everyone goes to see Sanjhi Devi with songs. The festival of Sanjhi ends with the immersion of Sanjhi Devi on the day of Dussehra. The idol of Sanjhi Devi is immersed in any river and pond.
Aarata e aarata sanjha maee aarata, aarata ke phool chamelee kee daalhee,
nau nau norate duraga maee ke, solaan kanaagat pitaraan ke.
jaag saanjhee jaag tere maatthe laagya bhaag, peelee peelee pattiaan sada suhaag,
saanjhee e ke odhaigee ke paharaigee, kyaanhe kee maang bharaavaigee.
syaaloo odhoongee misaroo paharoongee, motiaan kee maang bharaoongee,
soochchayaan ka jooda jadaoongee, dhoondhae kai odhaigee ke paharegee.
kyaanhe kee maang bharaavaigee, kyaanhe ka jooda e jadaavaigee,
goodad audhoongee khaadad paharoongee, dheryaan kee maang bharaoongee, lheekha ka jooda e jadaoongee.