Jhijhiya: A Traditional Maithili Folk Dance

Jhijhiya is an ancient folk dance that has become a marker of Maithili culture. Performed in Nepal and the Indian Maithil region during Dashain, Jhijhiya’s popularity has grown as annual festivals began presenting it as a major event.

Although some cultural scholars describe it as a dance performed according to tantric methods, there is no conclusive proof. According to cultural scholar and writer Revati Raman Lalka, Jhijhiya is a cultural folk dance of the Mithila region.

Time and Purpose of Performance

This dance is performed especially during Vijayadashami. In earlier times it was done to offer devotion to Goddess Bhawani and to protect one’s family and children from witches, so-called black magic, and negative energies.

Theater artist, film actor, and writer Ramesh Ranjan says, “During Dashain, Goddess Durga Bhawani was installed. In ancient times, some such ritual must have been underway; this dance likely emerged as its form and later expanded. The ritual of the Goddess was then considered primarily a tantric practice. Such practice may have been done to invoke positive power against negative forces. However, there is no solid evidence. It is appropriate to call this a classical method of dance.”

Songs, Tantric Hints, and Movement

Ranjan adds, “I am not a knower of tantra and mantra, but in the folk songs sung in Jhijhiya, one finds references to tantra-mantra and insults directed at witches (daini/boksi). In the movements of the dancers’ bodies and in the inner meaning of the dance, one can infer elements of tantra and folk ritual.”

On Origins and Social Beliefs

According to Dr. Lalka, “There is no conclusive basis or proof for when the dance began. But since society believed in the presence of men and women practicing black magic and charms, there was a belief around the 7th or 8th century that such tantric power was awakened in the worship of the Goddess. It is believed that the dance began to neutralize that power and to keep one’s children and family safe.”

A Social Science of Its Own

Dr. Lal says Jhijhiya has its own social logic and should be viewed as a tantric dance. In the view of writer and Sanskrit scholar Dr. Rajendra Vimal, “The pot dance (ghat nritya) of the Vedic tradition later took the form of Jhijhiya. It is fully a tantric dance and has its own distinct form.” Dr. Vimal mentions this in his book Mithila’s History, Culture, and Art Tradition (2062 BS) as well. According to him, “Jhijhiya has special importance for tantric procedure. It gradually developed as a folk tradition of Mithila.”

Yet theater artist Ranjan says, “Jhijhiya is originally a folk dance of Mithila. A folk dance popular in villages eventually reached professional stages, after which it started receiving wider attention.”

Rhythm, Music, and Iconic Props

Ranjan attributes Jhijhiya’s fame mainly to its rhythm—so powerful it compels the body to move. Its songs and tunes are melodious and easily draw audiences. The clay pot, oil lamp (diyo), and water pot (ghainta) used in the dance are indigenous Maithil objects and identity markers. Placing five to seven pots one above another on the head and dancing without hand support—the method, style, and art—are powerful in themselves and distinctly original.

From Village Tradition to Stage

According to Ranjan, villagers traditionally performed Jhijhiya every Dashain, upholding their native identity. Even today, in some places, Jhijhiya without modern staging can be seen with original singing and dancing. Its wider recognition grew after it entered modern stages.

He recalls, “The credit for bringing Jhijhiya to the modern stage goes to the Maithila Natya Kala Parishad (MINAP) in Janakpur, which organized live dance programs. Before that, I don’t know of stage presentations of Jhijhiya—this was likely around 2049 BS. Other folk dances were also performed then.

“Afterward, a team of rising youths in art and literature—lyricist Ashok Dutta, singer Sunil Mallik, Abhash Laabh, Rashmi Rani, and musician Pravesh Mallik—released a cassette of Maithil folk songs titled Geet Ghar-Gharke. It truly began to play in every household. The Jhijhiya song ‘Tohare Bharose Badam Baba Jhijhiri Baneliai Ho’ became a cult hit. Since then, most Jhijhiya songs played are those recorded at that time,” Ranjan recalls.

He notes that other recordings of Jhijhiya folk songs are rare. Only later did other artists and organizations present Jhijhiya on stage and eventually bring it to large festivals.

Night Processions and Lamps: A Living Memory

Cultural expert Lal says, “Until about two decades ago, from Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami in Janakpur, groups of women and girls could be seen dancing Jhijhiya at night while moving through villages and neighborhoods. Women would place a clay pot on the head with a lit oil lamp inside. The pot was made with many holes so the soft glow of the lamp would shine through attractively.

“According to popular belief, if witches managed to count the holes in the pot, the dancer would die immediately. Therefore, the feet of the women dancing Jhijhiya kept moving constantly; dancers danced without tiring.” He adds that there is no solid basis for this belief. The originality of Jhijhiya, however, still survives in some Madhesh villages.

In Mahottari district, dancers still sing while dancing. According to Rakesh Pisi of Jaleshwar, in municipalities and rural municipalities such as Matihani and Gaushala, local artists from the Musahar, Khatwe, Mukhiya, and Mandal communities begin Jhijhiya at various goddess shrines during Dashain and dance at each house in the neighborhood. 

As per tradition, the lady of the house first offers oil for the lamp and some alms; this continues today, and they are bid farewell with alms.

Ritual Preparation and Urban Change

According to Dr. Lalka, even now the dance begins only after completing tantric procedures. On this point, Jaleshwar resident Rakesh Pisi says, “Jhijhiya is prepared with tantric mantras.” While such tradition remains in villages, it is rarely seen in city-centered Jhijhiya.

Cultural expert Dr. Lal says, “Earlier there was a kind of fear regarding Jhijhiya. Jhijhiya was rarely shown to small children, and women would watch secretly through small openings after closing windows and doors.

“When we were young, when the women dancing Jhijhiya passed by our house, my mother would close the windows and doors—something I still remember. At that time, there was fear that black magic during Dashain could cause harm. In practice, women dancing Jhijhiya used to ask for oil from each household to add to the lamp. Only the elders of the house provided oil, some grain, and money. On Vijayadashami, after distributing prasad, the Jhijhiya dance would be concluded.” According to cultural expert Lal, women from communities such as Musahar, Chamar, and Kumhar in Mithila made and performed Jhijhiya.

Regions Where Jhijhiya Is Performed

Jhijhiya folk dance continues in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, and other districts. Maithil youth are working to preserve it. Various organizations in Janakpur and Jaleshwar have kept it alive by organizing it as a festival. Dr. Lal notes that this dance is not easy; dancers train for a long time. Even those who perform at festivals today take training and practice before participating.

Changing Beliefs and Cultural Integration

Dr. Lal says, “The new generation has stopped believing in things like witches and black magic, which is a positive aspect. With rising awareness among youth about their art and tradition, this dance has not remained confined to a tantric practice alone but has become an integral part of Maithil culture. Organizing it for various purposes and festivals has increased its reach.”

Ritesh Patil, head of the theater organization Rangdarpan Nepal, dedicated to theatrical work, says public curiosity about Jhijhiya has grown. From the capital Kathmandu to abroad, Jhijhiya is now being presented at various programs.

Patil says that in Mithila, at events related to the Maithili language, literature, and culture, it has long been customary to present Jhijhiya. Rangdarpan has presented Jhijhiya at the Nepal Academy and in almost all cities of Kathmandu and the Tarai. Calling Jhijhiya difficult, Patil says, “We provide special training to dancers and bring them to the stage only after long practice.” He is confident its popularity will continue to grow.

Preservation, Reinvention, and Concerns

Theater artist and writer Ranjan says, “When performing arts go to the public stage, one cannot guarantee they will remain entirely in their original form. Cultural revival can be considered risky. I do not oppose it, but reinvention is needed. Elements should be given new life according to time and society.” According to him, very few now perform strictly in the old folk tradition. The Jhijhiya performed today has been changing. In some places, extremely distorted and vulgar dances are occurring, against which we must remain alert. Cultural expert Lal expresses concern about the challenge of preserving the artistic quality of Jhijhiya.

Community Support and Current Festivals

Rakesh says fifteen municipalities of Mahottari district have provided financial support for the Jhijhiya festival. He notes that festivals will be organized at Shankar Chowk-1 and Durga Chowk-2 Durga Temple in Jaleshwar. Likewise, at the Durga Temple of Gaushala Municipality, a pandal is being built and shows are being held. Various ten groups of local girls and women are participating. Artists will receive financial support and saris, says Rakesh. As in previous years, this year too the Nav Mithila Foundation in Janakpur will conduct the Jhijhiya festival. The foundation’s chair, Amit Kumar, said Jhijhiya will begin from Wednesday.

The foundation says it is organizing Jhijhiya with attention to Mithila’s folk culture, folk dance, and religious traditions. The festival will be held in the premises of Janakpur Railway Station with participation from local folk singers. According to chair Amit, Jhijhiya groups from various associations as well as from schools will also participate in the festival this time.

Among them will be Mithila Jhijhiya Group, Mithileshwar Jhijhiya Group, Dhanushadham, Janakpur Academy School, and others. He said around five hundred artists will participate and that preparations are in the final stage. Cultural expert Revati Raman Lal says most places of Madhesh Province are presently filled with enthusiasm for Jhijhiya.

Nature and Meaning of the Dance

Jhijhiya is a distinctive kind of dance. From Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami, it is performed as praise of the Goddess. There is a popular belief that it is performed to protect one’s children and society from witches. In its structure and form, an accompanying ritual is believed to have been initiated to reduce the effects of charms, magic, and witches.

The lit lamp and the pot with countless holes are examples of this. Women dance with the pot on their head, moving the head to the right and left, signaling a special meaning embedded in the dance. There is a belief that if a witch succeeds in counting the holes in the pot placed on the woman’s head, the dancer would collapse. Therefore, the pot is placed on the head and, as a traditional practice, the dance is performed to seek freedom from charms and magic.

Melody, Taals, and Protective Chants

Jhijhiya has its own melody and rhythm. To those special melodies and rhythms—and to Jhijhiya songs—women dance while circling with pots on their heads. Cultural expert Dr. Revati Raman Lal says that insulting chants directed at witches reduce the impact of their immoral powers and protect offspring.

A Dance of the Entire Maithil Community

Jhijhiya is performed in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, and Parsa, and it is also presented in the Indian Mithila region. Jhijhiya does not belong to any single caste; it is a folk dance of the entire Maithil community, in which women dance with a pot full of a lit lamp and countless holes placed on their heads.

Courage, Art, and Continuity

Jhijhiya has its own originality, identity, and history. Dancing with a burning lump of fire on a pot atop one’s head is itself a sublime display of courage and art—this is Jhijhiya. With social change, folk dances have begun to disappear. Even so, yearly Jhijhiya programs are organized in villages and towns to keep it alive.

While the dance continues in villages, towns and cities have not remained untouched.

In Janakpurdham, groups of women can be seen dancing Jhijhiya every night at present. During Dashain, various clubs take the initiative to organize Jhijhiya performances.

Popular Beliefs About Witches

According to a prevalent popular belief, witches learn magic and, to perfect it, kill newborns in the village through charms and then make the dead child dance naked in the cremation ground after reviving it. Dashain is considered an appropriate time to attain witchcraft’s perfection; therefore, incidents of witchcraft are believed to increase then.

As such incidents were believed to rise, women themselves began a religious and cultural ritual—praising Goddess Durga and launching verbal counterattacks—to neutralize the power of witches by starting the Jhijhiya folk dance, which has continued to this day. The main purpose of this dance is to pray for the good health and long life of one’s dear children and family.

Another purpose during Dashain is to please Goddess Durga. Along with insulting witches, very charming songs are sung in praise of Goddess Durga while performing Jhijhiya.

In these songs, each Dashain’s special palanquin journey of the Goddess with her preferred vehicle is vividly depicted.