The Tharu people of
Nepal celebrates the JEETIYA festival that falls on August/September
of ever year . In this festival tharu women take a bratha(promise to festival)
for one day/night with water and fruits only. They worship to the mahalaxmi
devi(God) for their future and prosper life.
Jeetiya festival is the reputed festival of tharu community. In this
festival tharu women celebrates by taking bratha for mahalaxmi for one day and
night.On the first day morning, they used to take darr that includes variety of
food items like chichar, fish item, meat items, vegetables and fruits. After
that they take bratha(promise for festival) for one day and night. They did
not take any things except drinking water. The whole day they enjoy by singing
jeetiya songs, dancing, and singing jhamta. The jhamta dance is the unique
dance performed by tharu people of Nepal. They wear different tradition customs
which reflects the identity of tharu community of Nepal. Their traditional
customs attracts millions of internal and foreign tourist to visit their
villages in order to see their traditional dance and culture.
In this occasion, the
girl who were married return to their mothers home and get together with their
origin family members. The married and unmarried girl take part in this
festival for taking bratha. When the bratha(promise for festival) day passed,
then at evening all the villagers of this community gathered at one place to
listen JEETBAHAN story.
The jeetbahan story is a
story of success though there are different obstacles on the way during moving
towards to the destination. There is one story teller in their village.He/She
starts telling story as the success of jeetbahan a little boy.
After that he told about
the importance of this festival that if you take this jeetyia bratha(promise to
festival) in proper way then the GOD will satisfied and ultimately your life
will be prosper and healthy life.
He told another story
about two sister who were taking bratha in this festival. It is the story of
two young sisters siriniya(elder sister) and chila didi(young sister).
Once upon
time in a tharu village of Nepal, there are two young sisters called Siriniya
and chila didi who lives in small tharu village with traditional life style.
They used to visit jungle to collect foods and vegetables to make dish. They
are involve in farming for paddy, wheat and maize. They love each other and
their mom and dad. As the days are passing and the jeetiya festival arrive.
Then they take a bratha(promise to festival) in jeetiya (jeetbahan festival).it
is the festival of tharu women, so they take a bratha and there is a rule to
follow while taking the bratha in this festivals that no one should take meal
for one day and night except water. When the day passed then at evening they
are preparing for the JEETBAHAN story.( A story of successful boy).
They are gathering in a
one place of their villages where thousands of tharu women get together to
listen JEETBAHAN story. After listening this story they went to their home.
Both sisters are ready to sleep in their room. After some hour, Siriniya sister
went to the village and collect the meat of wild life for meal.
Siriniya sister : oh! I
got a lot of food and meat for my delicious meal. Lets have it, then she took a
meal.
Chila didi: Sister what
are you doing in your room? The good smell is coming from your room and sounds
as well.
Siriniya sister: I am so
hungry that’s why when it was very difficult to sleep. so, the sound is coming
due to tired and hungry body.
Chila didi: Sister don’t
take any meal ok! It’s against JEETIYA bratha(promise to festival). If you take
some thing except water then your future will be curse.
Siriniya sister: Ok
sister. But she had already took some meal without informing to her sister.
Chila didi: it’s ok.
Let’s sleep. Good night!
Siriniya sister: Good
night!
In the next morning both
sisters wake up and went to river for their traditional worship to the
mahalaxmi devi(God). After 20 years, the two sister have their own family members
with husbands and children. The elder sister Chila didi was very rich and
living high standard life style with her family member but Siriniya sister was
living poor life with her family members. This is due to improper way of taking
jeetiya bratha(promise to festival) said by elder sister Chila didi. While
taking jeetiya bratha Siriniya sister did not follow the rules and regulation
of this bratha. So, she is suffering from trouble in her life.
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| Jhamta dance in jeetiya festival with traditional customs |
The government of Nepal
has declared the Tharu community as indigenous group with distinct culture,
tradition, customs and festivals.So, the jeetiya festival is the unique
festival of this community and declared as national festival of Nepal.
Source:
Tharu jeetiya festival
story
Tharu kalyan kari sabha
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