Jivitputrika
Encyclopedia
Jivitputrika
Jivitputrika
Jivitputrika also known as Jitiya is a festival in which Nirjala vrata throughout a day and night, is observed by mothers for wellness of their sons. A three day long festival is celebrated from seventh to ninth lunar day of Krishna-Paksha in Ashvin month...

also known as Jitiya
Jivitputrika
Jivitputrika also known as Jitiya is a festival in which Nirjala vrata throughout a day and night, is observed by mothers for wellness of their sons. A three day long festival is celebrated from seventh to ninth lunar day of Krishna-Paksha in Ashvin month...

  is a festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....

 in which Nirjala (without water) vrata throughout a day and night, is observed by mothers for wellness of their sons. A three day long festival is celebrated from seventh to ninth lunar day of Krishna-Paksha
Paksha
Paksha , is a fortnight in a month of the Hindu lunar calendar. Literally meaning side or period, that is either side of the Full Moon Day or Purnima...

 in Ashvin
Ashvin
Ashvin , also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the Tamil solar calendar where it is known as Aipassi and the solar India's national civil calendar. It is the sixth month of the solar Bengali calendar. It falls in the season of Shôrot, or Autumn...

 month. It is celebrated mainly in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...

 and Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

.

Jivitputrika Vrat Story

It is believed that once an Eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...

 and a Siarin living in a jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...

 were friends with each other. Once both of them saw some females performing the fast
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...

 and wished to observe it themselves too. Both of them observed the fast but Siarin became unconscious because of hunger and she ate food without telling anyone. On the other hand, the Eagle observed the fast with full dedication and completed it. As a result, all the kids born by Siarin used to dies after some days and eagle’s offsprings were blessed with long life.

Jimutavahana Story

According to this story Jimutavahana
Jimutavahana
Jīmūtavāhana was an Indian Sanskrit scholar and writer of legal and religious treatises of early medieval period. He was the earliest writer on smriti from Bengal whose texts are extant. He was a Brahmin of from ....

 was the wise and a kind king of Gandharva
Gandharva
Gandharva is a name used for distinct mythological beings in Hinduism and Buddhism; it is also a term for skilled singers in Indian classical music.-In Hinduism:...

’s. Jimutvanhan was not satisfy being a king and as a result he gave all the responsibilities of he kingdom to his brothers and went to the jungle to serve his father. He used to spend his time taking care of his father.One day while wandering in the jungle he finds an old woman mourning.He asked old woman the reason of weeping on which she told him that she belong to a family of snakes (Nagvanshaki) and has only one son. But as an oath every day one snake is offered to Pakshiraj Garuda
Garuda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...

 as a feed and today is her son’s chance to become his food. After listening to her problem Jimutavahana consoles her and promises that he will get back her son alive and will protect him from Garuda.He decides to lay down himself on the bed of rocks being presented to the Garuda for the feed. Garuda comes and holds the Jimutvahana covered with red cloth with his fingers and climbs the rock.Garuda finds it surprising when the person he has trapped does not response. He asks the Jimutvahana his identity on which he describes the entire scene to the Garuda.Garuda gets pleased wit the bravery and the benevolence of Jimutvahana and leave him and also promises not to take any sacrifice from the snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s. Due to the bravery and generosity of Jimutvahana the race of the snakes were saved and as a result since then the fasts for the son’s welfare and long life is observed.

Importance

This festival shows the great love and kind affection of mothers to their children;In which mother keeps strict fast even without water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...

 only memorizing of children.

When and where

A three day long festival is celebrated from seventh to ninth lunar day of Krishna-Paksha in Ashvin
Ashvin
Ashvin , also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the Tamil solar calendar where it is known as Aipassi and the solar India's national civil calendar. It is the sixth month of the solar Bengali calendar. It falls in the season of Shôrot, or Autumn...

 month that falls generally in september.The first day,the day before Jivitputrika is known as Nahai-khai.On that day Mothers take food only after having their bath.On Jivitputrika,Strict fast is observed. The third day,Fast neds with Paaran(taking first food of the day).A variety of food and a special festival delicacy Jhor-Bhat is prepared.
The festival is celebrated mainly in the Mithilanchal regions of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

 and Bihar,Jharkhand,Utterpradesh of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. However Also celebrated in the regions populated with Mithila and Bihari people across India and Nepal.
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