Source::RSS
RSS
MAHOTTARI
Today, Akshay Navami festival is in full swing in Mithilanchal including Mahottari. This festival, also known as Dhatru Navami and Ichcha Navami in Mithila, is celebrated on the date of Kartik Shukla Navami.
In this festival, there is a tradition of eating food at the base of Amla (Dhatru) tree In the festival, forest feasts have been organized under the trees of gardens and forest areas. It is seen that those who have Amla (Dhatru) tree in their own yard or farm garden have prepared a forest feast in this place and some under the Amla tree in the forest area. There is a tradition of making various dishes of amla in the festival.
In this festival, it is customary to cook only vegetarian food including special amla dishes (pickles, jams and chutneys). According to Karmakandi Brahmin Mahesh Kumar Jha, who is familiar with the Maithil culture tradition, the special festival has a message to increase the use of beneficial fruits in food as the cold weather is disappearing.
This morning, especially the teenagers and youths have reached various parks and forest picnics in the forest area to enjoy the picnic. According to Shiv Narayan Jha, a resident of Balwa Bazaar in the district, there is a tradition of fasting and worshiping Lord Vishnu during the day. Since the banquet is held in the evening and is attended by all the members of the family, most of the people in this region seem to organize the feast in their own backyard and in the nearby garden.
In the special festival, various teams have already chosen the place of the banquet one or two days ago at the base of the Amala tree in the forest area near Kareghopte, Mysthan, Tuteshwor, Raimandal, Kalapani and Gauridanda forest parks of Bardibas municipality. Dr. Vidhan Chandra Jha, Medical Superintendent of Bardibas Hospital, said that the tradition of emphasizing the regular use of amla in food has helped in raising awareness about the festival.
In Mithila, this festival is also called Kushmanda Navami. On the day of Kartik Shukla Navami, in the Dwapar era, Lord Krishna circled the Madhura, Vrindavan and Govardhana mountain areas before slaying the Kushmandak monster. There is a saying. In Maithili, Amala is called 'Dhatru'.
There is a Hindu belief that Lord Vishnu lives in the tree of Amla from Kartik Shukla Navami to Purnima. There is a Hindu Maithili tradition that on the day of Akshay Navami, worship of Lord Vishnu fulfills one's desires and brings happiness to one's children. Dr. Vimal says that this festival is also called Ichcha Navami as the desired wish is fulfilled. According to Maithil Yuva, the festival was started by the ancestors for health awareness as the amla is healthy and the amla grown on the tree will be completely edible. Along with the Akshay Navami festival, there is a tradition of eating amla dishes in a regular meal in Mithila.
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