Decline of Jhijhiya in central Terai worries locals

By Shiva Shankar Mishra

Bara, Sept 30 : Bada Dashain once used to mark the beginning of the merry festival of Jhijhiya in the rural areas of central Terai. 

Up until a few years ago, Ghatasthapana would signal the beginning of the 10-day festival celebrated by women and girls by placing a lit lamp inside an earthen water vessel Ghaito and going around villages performing the folk dance known as Jhijhiya.  The ladies would carry the vessels on their head and move from locality to locality singing traditional songs and putting everyone in a festive mood.

Women would form groups, sing cultural Bhojpuri songs like ‘Khaibe ta kho daini kotra machariya na khaibe kotra chibaibe apan bhatara’ and ‘Chalchal ge dainia kadam tar tora betake khewau brahmatar’ to insult witches and prevent them from casting spells on their families and neighbours during Dashain. 

“But now, all that sounds like a fairytale,” lamented Ram Prasad Sah, an expert of Bhojpuri language. “The festival is in rapid decline.”

“This provided an occasion for women to enjoy themselves,” said Radhika Devi Brahmani, a resident of Khajani, Simraungadh Municipality–6. “Women and girls in rural Terai used to dance the Jhijhiya dance every night from Ghatasthapana to drive away evil spirits, witches and black magicians.”

“But soon, it may all become a thing of the past,” Brahmani expressed with sadness.

“Once upon a time, countless women from many localities would participate in the festival. But now, we hardly see anyone,” worried Sakkali Devi Yadav of Bagdampur, Mahagadhimai Municipality–5. “If this trend continues, Jhijhiya might disappear altogether in a few years.”

Binod Prasad Sah, mayor of Kalaiya Sub-Metropolitan City, also expressed concern that the culture was now limited to stage programmes and mass media.

Women rights activist Niva Singh shared that the women would ask for rice and money from the households of their village while performing Jhijhiya and used them to make sweets and buy vermillion. “They would then distribute the sweets among themselves and also give them to the donors,” she said.