Source::Rss
The vibrant Akshay Navami festival is being joyfully celebrated today in the Mithila region, marking the auspicious Kartik Shukla Navami Tithi. Known as Dhatri Navami and Ichcha Navami in Mithila, this traditional festival is distinguished by communal feasting.
According to Maithil tradition, on Kartik Shukla Navami, locals gather to share a meal at the base of the Amla (Dhatri) tree. The day is filled with preparations for group meals in the villages and towns of Mahottari, with the youth actively engaged in the festivities. As part of the tradition, families cook and enjoy food beneath the Amla tree near their homes, in gardens, or in forested areas.
The festival is synonymous with relishing shahakari food, featuring special Amla dishes such as pickles, marmalades, and chutneys. Pandit Mahesh Kumar Jha, a Karmakandi Brahmin expert in Maithil culture and tradition from Bardibas Municipality-2, emphasizes the significance of incorporating Amla into meals, especially as the cold season approaches.
Teenagers and young people play a crucial role in the festival, actively preparing for the forest feast. The increased participation of the younger generation is viewed positively by the community, with residents expressing optimism that it will contribute to the revival, development, and continuation of cultural practices.
Various forest party teams have gathered at the foot of Amla trees in forest areas near Kareghopte, Maisthan, Tuteshwar, Raimondal, Kalapani, and Gauridanda Forest Park in Bardibas city. Dr. Kishore Adhikari, Medical Officer of Bardibas Hospital, notes that the festival's emphasis on regular Amla consumption contributes to health awareness.
Kattik Shukla Navami is also known as Kushmand Navami in Mithila. According to Dr. Rajendra Prasad Bimal, a prominent writer familiar with Mithila art, literature, and traditions, legends recount that Lord Krishna circumambulated the Madhura, Vrindavan, and Govardhan mountain regions before defeating the Kushmandaka demon on this date during the Dwapara Yuga.
Hindu Maithil folklore holds that Lord Vishnu resides in the Amla tree, from Kattik Shukla Navami to Purnima. Observing Akshay Navami and worshiping Lord Vishnu on this day is believed to fulfill wishes and bring happiness to one's children. The festival, also known as Dhatri Navami, underscores the importance of Ichcha Navami and Amla (Dhatri) in wish fulfillment. Maithil youth highlight the festival's origins, rooted in health awareness, by celebrating Amla as a nutritious food source passed down by their ancestors.
photo credit: The Times of India
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