Chopda (journal) is a book kept to maintain the credits and debits of any business. It is an annual ceremony seeking of strength to stay honest and blessings to ever increase the credits.
Chopda Pujan (also known as Sharda Pujan or Muhurat Pujan) is a special religious ceremony performed primarily by business communities, especially in Gujarat, during the festival of Diwali. It involves the ritual worship of books of accounts, ledgers, and other business records, marking the beginning of a new financial year.
Key Aspects of Chopda Pujan:
- Significance:
- The tradition represents the closing of the old year’s financial books and the commencement of new accounts, seeking blessings for prosperity, success, and good fortune.
- Goddess Laxmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, and Lord Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, are worshipped during this ceremony.
- Timing:
- It is typically done on Diwali’s third day, also known as Lakshmi Pujan, which is considered an auspicious time for new beginnings.
- Books of Business Reconciliation:
- In the past, businesses maintained handwritten ledgers and books. Nowadays, many still perform the ritual even if they use digital records.
- Business people bring their account books, invoices, and other significant records to the temple or perform the puja at home to seek divine blessings for the upcoming year.
- Ritual Process:
- Before the puja, ledgers or “chopdas” are cleaned, sometimes covered in red cloth, and decorated with flowers and vermilion.
- The ceremony begins with chanting of mantras, offering flowers, rice, and sweets to the gods, followed by writing “Shubh Labh” (meaning “auspicious gain”) on the ledgers.
- Prayers for continued business success and protection from financial losses are also offered.
- Modern Relevance:
- In today’s digital age, many businesses still maintain this tradition, but instead of physical ledgers, they might symbolically offer laptops, files, or USB drives as part of the puja.
Chopda Pujan beautifully blends faith with finance, symbolizing the importance of ethics, prosperity, and divine grace in one’s business endeavors.
