Jitiya Festival

30 Oct 2024 11:06:18 am

Tags : Jitiya Festival

Topic: Festival

Why in the news?

Forty-six people, including 37 children, drowned across Bihar while bathing in water bodies during the Jitiya festival. Rivers and lakes have been overflowing in the State following continuous rain.

Source: The Hindu

About Jitiya Festival:

It is also known as Jivitputrika, or Jitiya Vrat.
It is a Hindu festival observed primarily in the northern and eastern parts of India, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal.
It is celebrated by mothers who fast for the well-being, long life, and prosperity of their children.
The festival spans three days, with the main ritual involving a strict ‘nirjala’ fast, meaning no water is consumed during the fast.
The fast is considered an expression of a mother\'s devotion and love, with the belief that it will bring divine blessings upon her children.
The festival is rooted in Hindu mythology, particularly the story of King Jimutavahana, whose sacrifice for the welfare of others is commemorated during this time.
The celebration begins with Nahai-Khai, where mothers take a purifying bath and eat a nourishing meal.
The second day is marked by the rigorous fasting ritual, and the festival concludes on the third day with Paaran, where the fast is broken with a meal.