Jitiya Festival Sequence and Fasting Period
On Ashwin Krishna Saptami, those who observe Jitiya bathe and purify themselves. The fast begins with the start of Ashtami. When Navami arrives, worship is performed and the festival ends.
In the latter half of Saptami, fasting women do Onggathan. The night before the fast, they eat curd, flattened rice, sweets, and similar foods. This family meal is called “Onggathan,” and everyone eats together.
If the tithi shifts, the fast can extend up to 36 hours. There is a belief that even saliva should not be swallowed while fasting. This time, the fast begins at 3:00 a.m. on Monday and ends at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, about 29 hours in total.
On Saptami, people bathe in a water body, offer water to the Sun, and take the vow for the festival. On the same day, fasting women eat finger-millet bread and fish. Widows eat Aruwa–Aruwain. Before this, those observing the fast bathe in a nearby pond and place pina (khair) and oil on a sponge-gourd leaf as an offering to Jimutvahana. They also make the festival vow.
Because this festival falls during Pitri Paksha, Maithil Brahmin women invite a Brahmin woman of another gotra on Saptami and offer her a compulsory meal for the moksha of their departed mothers-in-law and mothers. The woman who eats is called “Pitarain.”
Table of Content
- Jitiya Festival Sequence and Fasting Period
- Why Jitiya Is Celebrated
- Why the Fast Is Strict
- Who Jimutvahana Is
- What Happens on the Fasting Day
- The Jitiya Story
- Where and How It Is Celebrated Today
- Jitiya—Then and Now
- How Many Days the Fast Lasts
- Special Foods During Jitiya
- What Is Worshipped in Jitiya
- Observance by Other Communities in Cities
- Why Only Married Women Observe Jitiya
- Why Three Days of Nirahar Fasting
- How to Preserve the Jitiya Tradition
Why Jitiya Is Celebrated
Jitiya is observed by mothers who pray for the long life of their children and protection from untimely death. This belief comes from long tradition. The festival is mainly observed by married women. Many visit the maternal home to eat “dar.” It is similar to Haritalika Teej. Friends and sisters spend time together. The day also helps keep harmony, goodwill, language, and culture alive for the next generation.
Why the Fast Is Strict
Mothers keep a strict fast in devotion to Jimutvahana to protect children from untimely death and to seek long life for them. In the Bhavishya Purana, Parvati asked Mahadev which fast or penance prevents the untimely death of children. Mahadev said that if one keeps the Jimutvahana vow with discipline and devotion, children will not face untimely death.
For this vow, an image of Jimutvahana is made from kusha grass and installed on a kalash. In one’s courtyard, a small pond shape is made. A branch of the pakari tree is fixed on its bank. Figures of a kite (eagle) and a vixen are made on that branch and worshipped with proper rites. Mahadev told Parvati that by doing so, children’s adverse planetary influences are reduced and they are protected from untimely death.
Who Jimutvahana Is
According to the Bhavishya Purana, Jimutvahana was the son of King Shalivana and enjoyed Mahadev’s boundless grace. Because Mahadev granted him a boon, Jimutvahana is worshipped during Jitiya to save children from untimely death.
In Hindu practice, several animals and birds are given special importance and are worshipped. Cows, pigeons, crows, dogs, geese, tigers, and mice are worshipped. In this festival, the vixen and the kite (eagle) are worshipped.
What Happens on the Fasting Day
On the day of the fast, women bathe in a water body and offer arghya to the Sun. At home, a dali (basket) is filled with fruits, sweets, and a coconut, covered with new cloth, and placed at the worship area. After the festival is completed, on Navami, worship is performed. The cloth is removed by the children, and the contents are received as prasad.
Women also gather to listen to the Jitiya story. After returning home, the courtyard is plastered with cow dung, and Jimutvahana is worshipped according to the method Mahadev told Parvati.
The Jitiya Story
As described in the Bhavishya Purana, a pakari tree stood on the bank of the Narmada in the center of Kanakavati. A vixen stayed at the base of the tree and a kite (eagle) on its branch. They were close friends. One day, women observing Jitiya bathed in the Narmada and sat beneath that tree to recite the Jitiya story.
Hearing the importance of the festival, the vixen and the kite decided to fast. That night, the funeral of a merchant’s son took place on the riverbank. After most of the body had burned and the relatives had left, the vixen wanted to eat the flesh. Without telling the kite, the vixen ate some and hid some. The kite saw this.
After they died, both were born as daughters in the house of a Brahmin named Bhaskar: the kite as Shilavati and the vixen as Karpuravati. The elder, Shilavati, married into a wealthy home. Karpuravati married into a royal family. Shilavati had seven sons. Karpuravati had sons, but they died one after another.
Because of this, their relationship cooled. Later, Shilavati told Karpuravati about the events of their previous lives and said that, because the fast had been broken, her sons did not remain alive. For this reason, the festival is observed with discipline and without interruption for as long as one lives.
Where and How It Is Celebrated Today
From Jhapa in the east to the districts of Western Nawalparasi, Tharu women celebrate Jitiya with enthusiasm. Tharu women in the Kathmandu Valley also celebrate. Since 2060 B.S., Jitiya has been observed in the Valley as a national festival.
Jitiya—Then and Now
The way Jitiya is celebrated has changed over time. In childhood, festivals meant new clothes and special meals. Today, some old customs are fading. In villages, the festival has a distinct charm. In cities, modern life has changed practices.
On Jitiya, people used to wash hair with pina. In cities, this is difficult. In villages, people still bathe at taps and ponds. Festivals are now marked with larger events, which many enjoy, but tradition and customs still need care.
How Many Days the Fast Lasts
The fast is observed for three days from Saptami. It falls in the Krishna Paksha of the month of Ashoj and sometimes in Bhadra. The tithis are Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami.
On Saptami, one bathes and eats “dar” in the morning, bows to the deities, offers curd and flattened rice, and then begins a nirahar fast. One keeps the fast without drinking water for 24 hours.
On the first day, fasting women go to a local water body, bathe, and offer pina (khair) and clay on a sponge-gourd leaf. On the second day, Ashtami, they remain nirahar and gather to listen to the story of Lord Jitvahan and sing devotional songs. On the final day, the day of paran (conclusion), they again bathe in a river, pond, or water body, prepare prasad of curd and sugar at home, offer it, and conclude the festival.
Special Foods During Jitiya
A prasad of curd and sugar is prepared. In the past, people said even water should not be taken during the fast. Nowadays, many eat fruits. Food choices are personal. Practices are changing. Health matters most.
What Is Worshipped in Jitiya
In Jitiya, the kite (eagle) and the vixen are worshipped because they are seen as companions. Having heard the story of Jitvahan, they kept the fast for the long life of children—this is the belief. Their story is detailed.
This festival has its own religious meaning and practice, so ways of observing it can vary by place. The rites and tithis remain the same. Other communities also observe it. Many communities in the Tarai celebrate it. It is celebrated in India’s Bihar, and the ancient story is linked to Bihar. In Nepal, it has continued since tradition. In Bihar, rites are said to be performed only for sons, and worship is also for sons. In our practice, all children are considered equal. Such discrimination is not present in our community.
Observance by Other Communities in Cities
People are happy to celebrate Jitiya in cities. In the past, it was mostly in villages, and many cannot travel home. In the city, everyone can come together and celebrate.
Children in cities also learn about their culture and customs. They should know these from a young age. Parents feel the need to teach the festival’s importance. Many feel the state does not fully recognize it. There is a holiday for Dashain, but not for Jitiya. The government has not declared a holiday. Since women fast for 24 hours, it is difficult. A public holiday on this day would help.
Why Only Married Women Observe Jitiya
There is a custom that only married women keep the Jitiya fast. The fast is for one’s children, for peace in the home, and for the husband’s long life. Scholars say the religious and traditional observance is meant for married women.
Why Three Days of Nirahar Fasting
Because of the joy and excitement of Jitiya, hunger is not felt as much. Many count the days until the festival. Faith and devotion give it deep meaning. Fasting for the happiness of one’s children and family does not feel difficult. It is also a time to visit the maternal home, meet sisters, and share joys and sorrows. For these reasons, the fast does not feel uncomfortable.
How to Preserve the Jitiya Tradition
Earlier, Jitiya was celebrated in a simple way. Now it has become more showy in some places. Times change. As much as possible, the festival should reflect the Tharu community’s originality.
In recent years, programs have been organized to preserve it. Such programs should be dignified and courteous. To keep culture alive, traditional clothing and ornaments are worn so that children do not forget them. Flashy trends are common, including in songs. Even so, everyone should work to protect art and culture so that the festival keeps its true character.
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