KATHMANDU
RSS
Jitiya Parba, one of the most celebrated auspicious festivals of the Mithila zone, has begun today in Mahottari along with other Mithilanchal areas.
On the first day today, the women of the Maithili community take dips in nearby rivers or ponds and offer beaten rice, curd, mango-juice made edible items and yam leaves to departed ancestors before going for fasting.
On the second day of the festival, women fast from 4 am early in the morning and perform pooja wishing for the longevity and pursuit of family happiness. The fasts end on Friday morning.
Hundreds of devotees listen to tales of Jimutavahana on the occasion. The fast especially performed on Aswin Krishna Astami is very strict, said Kalikanta Jha, a local priest of Jaleswor.
Prof Dhruba Roy of Yalana Sanskrit Vidhyapeeth Matihani said, “This festival explores the cultural role and importance of Mithhila women”. Women offer oblation of cooked rice to the departed soul of ancestors on the occasion.
The Tharu community here has decided not to observe this year's Jitiya festival by organizing gatherings. The community has come up with a protocol to be observed during the festival that is coming up.
Because of the COVID 19 pandemic a few days ago, Tharu community leaders met through a virtual meeting on Saturday to come up with a protocol for the festival. The protocol was felt necessary considering the risk of Corona Virus pandemic.
The new protocol bars any activity that is to be carried out in group. It encourages all to observe the festival by limiting themselves within their own family members, said Chair of Tharu Sanskriti Sabha Kaman Singh Chaudhary. The protocol also applies to the upcoming festivals including Amosa, Soharai, Chhath, Badka Ekadashi among others.
ALSO READ:
