Jitiya festival marked

By Jaya Krishna Yadav,Inaruwa, Oct. 7: Women from the Madhesi and Tharu communities, including those of Dewanganj Municipality of Sunsari district observed the Jitiya festival.   This festival holds a special significance for the women of these communities.

Jitiya, which commenced on Thursday, saw women observing a fast on its second day. On the third day, Saturday, they will break their fast with fruits. To mark the Jitiya festivities, Jitabahan Baba Mela Samiti in Dewanganj’s ward 6 organised a cultural event. 

Dumar Lal Mehta, a local resident, said that this event saw the participation of numerous women and  other locals. An integral part of the celebration, the ‘Kalash Yatra’, had participants take the Kalash from the Jitabahan Baba Temple, go through Dewanganj to the Budhikhola near Barju village, fill the Kalash with water, and return to the temple to place it.

This festival is enthusiastically celebrated by women in the Tarai region and Tharu women, primarily wishing for their children’s long life.  “Though the essence remains the same, the manner of celebration varies from place to place,” said Mehta.

Spanning three days during the Ashwin Krishna Paksha, the festival is observed on Saptami, Ashtami, and Nawami Tithi. Saptami is marked by ‘Nahae Khaeke’ (women eat food only after taking bath), Ashtami by fasting (Upawas), and Nawami by ‘Paran’ (breaking fasting).

On Saptami, devotees bathe in nearby rivers using mustard seeds. Before bathing, these seeds are placed on Luffa Gourd’s leaves and set afloat in the river. The oil from these seeds is also traditionally applied to their children.

On Thursday, women started their fast by taking a bath in the nearby ponds, lakes, rivers and listening to the story of Jitabahan.  The fasting is done wishing for the well-being of their children and it also involves the tradition of not even swallowing the saliva.

In acknowledgment of the Jitiya festival, several regions in Sunsari, such as Inaruwa, Gadhi, Koshi, Barahakshetra, Itahari, Harinagar, Devnaganj, and Bhokraha Narsingh have declared a public holiday.