Jitiya festival in 2024

The Jitiya festival, also known as Jivitputrika, is a three-day-long Hindu festival that is celebrated from the seventh to the ninth lunar day of Krishna-Paksha in Ashwin month.

The Province 2 government has announced that Wednesday September 29th 2021 will be a public holiday for all women in the province.

The government says a public holiday for women was being declared on the occasion of the Jitiya festival, celebrated for the wellbeing and long life of their children.

Wishing all women on the occasion of the Jitiya festival, Chief Minister Lal Babu Raut announced there will be a holiday for women on Wednesday.

The three-day Jitiya festival started on Monday. Mothers of the Terai region fast for almost two days to pray for the long lives of their children.

Legend of Jitiya

Jimutvanhan was a king of Gandharvas. He gave up his kingdom to his brothers and went into the forest to serve his father. There he saw an old woman mourning. She told him that she belongs to Nagvanshaki (family of snakes). Due to an oath, she has to offer her only son to Garuda, the king of the birds.

Jimutvanhan promised to protect her son. On the next day he lay on a bed of rocks and offered himself to Garuda. Garuda came and attacked Jimutvanhan with his claws. Jimutvanhan stayed calm and then Garuda stopped attacking. Garuda asked who he was, and Jimutvanhan told him the entire story. Impressed by his kindness and benevolence, Garuda promised that he will not take any sacrifices from Nagvanshakis. To cherish this legend mothers fast for the wellbeing of their children. 

The three days of Jitiya

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 the fast.