Jivit Putrika' in Sanskrit, Jiyatiya in Hindi, and Terai Madhesi women in Nepal observe 'Jitiya' as an exciting festival celebrated for the happiness, joy, and progress of their children and it is celebrated as Jivit Putra Parva. Jivit means living and Putra means son or a generic connotation for children, be it son or daughter. Putra means son but not confined to male connotation, in general, Putra resembles the reliable and responsible children, Jitiya is a celebration of Vrat anticipating a responsible son and daughter and their wellbeing.
This festival is celebrated on Krishna Paksha on the eighth day of Ashwin. This festival is especially celebrated by mothers for their surviving sons. It has been a tradition for women to worship Lord 'Jeetmahan Gonsai' and fast for 24 hours without even drinking water.
First of all, today I start with a collection of stories based on the glory of Jitiya:
Once upon a time, on the banks of the river Narmada, there was a village called Kanchanavati, which was ruled by King Malayaketu. On the west bank of the river was a desert called Valuhata, on the same bank was a winged tree inhabited by a female eagle, under which lived a female fox.
Eagle and fox became friends and one day, like other women in the village, they decided to observe the waterless fast of Lord Jeetmahan Gonsai, but coincidentally on the same day the dead son of a rich merchant was buried underneath their shelter tree.
Although the eagle maintains the fast like other women, the fox breaks the fast by not being able to suppress the strong desire to eat the carcass. In the next birth, both the eagle and the fox are born in the same house and as sisters in a Brahmin family.
Eagle is born as Shilvati and the fox is born as Kapurvati. Shilvati marries a man named Buddhisen and his sister Kapurvati marries King Malayaketu. Shilvati has seven beautiful sons and Kapurvati's son is dead, so she is very sad and disappointed. Kapurvati is jealous of her sister, she conspires to kill the seven sons of Shilvati and telling the king to their head in a red cloth and send it to sister Shilvati. But when Lord Jeetmahan Gonsai finds out about this, he saves Shilvati's seven sons and immortalizes them by giving them nectar (Amrit). In this way, when the pot wrapped in red cloth reaches Shilvati's house, it turns into a gift full of fruits instead of human heads.
Unable to bear her sister's happiness, Kapurvati now arrives at her house and tells her everything. While saying this, Shilvati remembers the story of her previous birth where she observed the Vrat as an eagle for the grace of Lord Jeetmahan Gonsai.
From this time onwards, it is believed that mothers started the tradition of fasting in Jitiya festival for the protection of their children in a reverent manner of Lord Jeetmahan Gonsai.
This fast is a wonderful example of motherly love and motherhood, not just confined to any wealth or prosperity. On the first day of this festival, which is celebrated for three days from the seventh to the ninth of Ashwin Krishna Paksha side, it is customary to get up in the morning and take a bath in a nearby reservoir or river and offer mustard oil and 'khar'. Mothers only eat clean food on this day after bathing.
Jivitputrika's second day is 'Ashtami' and this day is also called 'Khar Din'. Khar is a type of grass and is found abundantly on the banks of the river in the Terai. It is used for various religious and social activities as well as to cover the roofs of houses in the villages. The third day is called Paran and food is eaten on this day. Sometimes mothers have to fast for three days without water especially when singular Tithi resembles for two days.
How the Tharu community celebrate Jitiya?
Similarly, Jitiya is taken with equal importance in the Tharu community. The women of Nawalparasi and Chitwan celebrate Jitiya with importance for three days, taking Jitiya as a victory. Lord Bishnu, Shiva, and Lord Surya are worshiped. Jitiya festival is celebrated with traditional attires, music, and dance songs. The worship of nature is also an important part of the victory of the Tharu community. The dance performed by the Tharu community in Jitiya is called 'Zyamta'.
This community has a special song of the water deity sung in Brahmathan which is called 'Jatsari'. There is another traditional special song sung by Tharu women after cutting the branches of the people called 'Darkatoni'. All the songs and dances are performed under the open sky at Jitia festival. In the Tharu community, the branches of the peepal are cut and the rice plants are uprooted along with Peepal branches and kept in the middle of the village. The place thus prepared is called 'That'. In our multi-lingual and multi-cultural country of Nepal, the Jitia festival brings together people from many communities, languages , and cultures.
Especially the special dishes of this festival, which is very popular in the Mithilanchal of Nepal, are 'Jhor Bhat' i.e. Jhol means soup of vegetables and ordinary rice, and 'Noniko Saag' and 'Maduwa' i.e. Kodo bread.
The taste of food may change with time and in the kitchen, but a mother's love for her child has been equally sacred and full of motherly sweetness for centuries. May all the children of the mother be protected, may all the children love the mother, may Jitia's offerings and blessings help to make the entire Nepali society strong and strong in cooperation, Jitia's best wishes!
Asthami Shradhaa
With the commencement of the Sorha Saddha may all the godlike Pitri in the Pitri realm between heaven and earth obtain salvation, may all the Pitri cross the Baitarni River, and may the ancestral love be maintained.
May the blessings of the ancestors be maintained, May goodness and good wishes are maintained, and we are the remnants of the ancestors in today's form, aren't we? Tarpan, Diyo Puja, Vishwedeva Brahman, and other pujas can be performed before the appointed time. There is a belief that if the Pinda is not donated at this time, the Pitris will not get it. Sanatana Philosophy largely acknowledges the importance of Pitri in the existence of life and the universe.
In Vedic Sanatan Sanskrit, Pitrikarma i.e. shraddha is usually performed twice, regular shraddha is performed on the tithi of death and another shraddha is performed during the period of Sorha shraddhas. May peace and happiness prevail in every family with the commencement of this year's Sorha Shraddha
Stretching from Purnima to Amavasya of Bhadrapada, this Pitri Paksha has its peculiar importance. Nepal's most downloaded mobile application "Hamro Patro" redefines you and simplifies the cultural, scientific, and social importance of every event and on this convoy, let me elaborate this Asthami Shradhha for you.
Asthami is the eighth day of the lunar month. This is the day that is highly considered to perform Shradh of those who passed away on the Asthami tithi of any month.
During these 16 days of Tithis, Hindu Sanatana followers perform the Shradhaa karma of their ancestors on the respective Tithis of their demise, irrespective of the month or Sukla or Krishna Paksha. This day is important for performing Shradhha or Tarpan of the ancestors who died on this Tithi. Blessings of ancestors who visit their descendants during this period of Sorha Shradhaa are highly anticipated and acknowledged.
Meaningful wishes.
World Heart day 
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the world’s number one killer, resulting in 18.6 million deaths a year. It has many causes: from smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, to air pollution, and less common conditions such as Chagas disease and cardiac amyloidosis.
As the world struggles to fight COVID-19, we’ve never been more aware of the importance of our and our loved one’s health. After two years of absolute loneliness and fear, gradually the year 2021 is taking us back to normal life.
For the 520 million people living with CVD, COVID-19 has been heartbreaking. They have been more at risk of developing severe forms of the virus. And many have been afraid to attend routine and emergency appointments, and have become isolated from friends and family.
The theme for world heart day 2021 is "USE HEART TO CONNECT"
The heart, that is, the heart, love, kindness, emotion, and joy are seen in conjunction with the heart. The heart is synonymous with health and mobility. The World Heart Organization has started celebrating September 29 every year as Heart Day keeping in mind the sensitivity and importance of the heart.
Today we are all at potential risk of heart disease due to busy lifestyles, excessive consumption of packaged foods, use of unhealthy foods, use of processed and chemical consumables, stressful lifestyle, unhealthy competition, and distance from nature. Today is the day to look back on it.
The healthcare crisis we’ve all been living through has highlighted an urgent need to find different and innovative ways to connect people to heart health, particularly in lower resource areas and communities.
USE HEART TO CONNECT is about using your knowledge, compassion, and influence to make sure you, your loved ones, and the communities you’re part of having the best chance to live heart-healthy lives. It’s about connecting with our hearts, making sure we’re fuelling and nurturing them as best we can, and using the power of digital to connect every heart, everywhere.
The heart, a tiny pump-like organ, carries blood pressure to every artery and cell in our chest from birth to death. The heart is also the heart of our good health. In 2012, health organizations and heads of government from around the world agreed to reduce the number of non-communicable diseases worldwide by 25 percent by 2025.
Let us also consider our responsibility to keep the hearts of our family and community members healthy, as long as the heart beats, there is only life, otherwise, it is all over.
May everyone's heart is young, may there be harmony and love within a healthy heart. Happy World Heart Day!
Budhhasthami
Welcome to Budhaastami of this New Year, this is an auspicious day to mark the coming series of festivals of this New Year. Budhaastami brings several dimensions and devotion, Lord Shiva and Parwati are especially worshiped and prayed on this day, and people observe fasting and visit temples. According to the Sanatan legend, it is believed that one who observes this day of Budhaastami, never goes to hell, after death. Observers also seek divine blessings with prosperity for wellbeing in their lives.
Devotees also worship Budha Graha (Planet Mercury) and ask for his blessings. People with Budha doshas in their planetary locations are strongly prescribed to fast and worship this day. Special Naivedya is prepared and offered to Lord Buddha on this day, devotees worship Lord Budhha's idol inscribed in silver or on the gold coin, water-filled Kalash and green unpeeled coconut is placed atop, several rituals are performed to appease Lord Buddha. The observer of this Vrata is believed to gain freedom from his/her sins and also escapes from going to hell.
Happy Budhhaastami.
Suyog Dhakal
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