Jitiya

Jitiya
Jivitputrika observation at riverbank of the Ganges, Kolkata
Observed by	Hindus
Type	Religious festival
Begins	seventh moon day of 1st half of Ashvin (Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) first moon day of 1st half of Ashvin (Jharkhand)
Ends	ninth moon day of 1st half of Ashvin
Date	September
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Jiuntia

Jitiya (also called Jiutiya or Jivitputrika) is a three-day-long Ancient Hindu festival which is celebrated from the seventh to ninth lunar day of Krishna-Paksha in Ashvin month. It is celebrated mainly in Nepal and the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Mothers fast (without water) for well-being of their sons. It is celebrated for eight days in Jharkhand from first moon day to eight moon day in the first half of Ashvin month.

Rituals

Uttar pradesh and Bihar

It is a three day long festival.

• Nahai-Khai : The first day is Nahai-Khai, where mothers eat food only after taking bath. The food has to be vegetarian, prepared with ghee and pink salt.
• Khur-Jitiya or Jiviputrika day: This is the second day and mothers observe strict fasting without drinking water.
• Parana: This is the third day when mothers break fasting. Variety of delicacies are prepared such as Curry Rice, Noni (portulaca oleracea) saag and Marua(Eleusine coracana) Roti
• In the state of Bihar and UP, a story of a jackal and an eagle is very famous. Together with the deity Jiutvahan people also offers prayers in the name of jackal and the eagle.

Jharkhand

In the state of Jharkhand, it is known as Jitiya and people celebrate it for eight days. It start on the first day of Ashwin month. Pani bharwa of the village announces the starting of the Jitiya festival in Purnima. The next day, women collect sand from the river in a bamboo basket in the early morning so that no one can see them and put eight types of seeds, such as rice, gram, corn etc. They sing songs for eight days and don't eat onion, garlics, meat. On the seventh day, they put foods for jackles and eagles on the bank of a river after bathing. They fast and eat eight types of vegetables, rice of Arua and madua roti in the evening. They fast on the eighth day. On the eighth day, they plant a branch of Jitiya (Sacred fig) in the courtyard or Akhra. They prepare Pua, Dhooska and put eight types of vegetables, flowers and fruits in a basket. They worship Jitiya branch, listening to the story of Jitvahan from Brahmin and ask Jitiya (Jitvahan) for a long life for their children. They sing songs and do Jhumar dance the whole night. On the next day, they emmerse the branches of sacred fig tree in a river or stream, bath and put flower garland on the neck of their child.

Nepal

Jitiya is an important festival of Nepali married women of Mithilanchal and Tharu woman of Eastern and Central Nepal. Nepali Tharu women observe Nirjala fast (without water) on this day and break the fast next day on the end of Ashtami. Sometimes, when Ashtami begins in afternoon, women may have to fast for two days. Since nothing, even a drop of water, is put in mouth, the fast is also called Khar Jitia. Children who escaped severe accidents are believed to have the blessings of their mother having performed this brat. It is trend or tradition to eat fish and chapatti (roti, bread) made of millet (Marua) the previous day by the Tharus. In the night prior to fast they take a meal just before the beginning of Ashtami. This is peculiar to this fasting only. Often children are awoken and fed the preparations. Tharu women also perform a traditional dance called Jhamta during the Jitiya festival.

Legend

According to a story, Jimutvahana was king of Gandharvas. He gave up his kingdom to his brothers and went to forest to serve his father. He married malayavati. Once he saw an old woman mourning. She told him that she belongs to the nagavamsha (family of snakes). Due to an oath she has to offer her only son Sankhchuda to Garuda tomorrow to feed. Jimutvahana promised to protect her only son. Next day he lay on a bed of rocks and offered himself to Garuda. Garuda came and attacked Jimutvahana with his claws. Jimutvahana stayed calm and then Garuda stopped attacking. Garuda inquired about his identity and then Jimutvahana narrated the entire story. Impressed by his kindness and benevolence, Garuda promised that he will not take any sacrifices from the nagavamsha. To cherish this legend mothers keep fast for the wellbeing of their children.

This story is similar to Nagananda (The Joy of the Snakes), a Sanskrit play written by Emperor Harsha in the 7th century CE where Vidyadara king Jimutvahana sacrifices his life for Naga to Garuda. According to the story, Jimutaketu was king of snow clad mountain country of Vidyadhara. In his house, there was a heaven-sent wishing tree, the legecy of his forefathers. He had no son, so he asked the tree for a son. Then a child was born and he named him Jimutvahana. He was full of compassion for all living beings. He spoke to his father and asked the wishing tree to banish poverty and give wealth to men. Then the tree sent gold showers on the earth and all men rejoiced. The fame of Jimutvahana extended far and wide. Even king Jimutaketu filled with hatred as the throne was firmly fixed by his son's glory. They wanted to seize the place where a wishing tree grows, bent on war. Then Jimutvahana gave up fighting for Thorne with relatives and left the forest with his father and mother for the Malaya mountains. This was the place of Siddha, the prince. He wished to marry his sister Malayavati with Jimutvahana and Jimutvahana married her. In the past life, Jimutvahana was Vidyadhara and Malayavati was his wife. Once he saw a woman crying. The son of women, Sankhchuda, tells him that they are Nagas and the serpent king sent him to the rock of death. Sankhachuda told him that the Garuda son of Vinata started to kill nagas after getting a nector from Vishnu, as in the past Kadru made Vinata a slave. Garuda started eating snakes. Then the king of Snakes, Vasuki, foresaw the destruction of serpents and made a pact with Garuda to send one snake each day. Jimutvahana placed himself on the rock of death. Then Garuda came and the earth began to tremble. Garuda bore Jimutvahana away with his beak and started to eat. Then rain of flowers started to fall from heaven. Garuda wondered after this incident and stopped eating Jimutvahana. Garuda tells Jimutvahana that he is not a snake but Jimutvahana tells him that he is a snake. Then Sankhachuda told him that he was a sanke and Jimutvahana was not. Garuda realised that Jimutvahana was not a snake but king of vidyadharas and filled with gulit. Jimutvahana told Garuda to not eat any snakes further. Then Garuda goes to bring the nectar from the heaven to heal the wounds of Jimutvahana and bring back the life of Snakes whose bones lies in rock. Then Guari came from heaven and sprinkled the nectar on the feet of Jimutvahana. The Garuda came and sprinkled the nectar and the snakes again became alive with clothes. Then all the snakes and the mother, father and wife of Jimutvahana came and praised him. Then Jimutvahana reigned Vidhyadhara.