President, Vice-President messages on Jitiya festival

September 25, Kathmandu: President Ramchandra Paudel said indigenous festivals such as the Jitiya festival would promote mutual respect, goodwill and a sense of tolerance, thereby protecting the diversity of the country.

In his message on the occasion of the Jitiya festival today, President Paudel called for all to unite to preserve peculiar Nepali cultural heritage. The Head of the State underlined the need to continue the glory of such festivals to create an ideal social and cultural environment and adopt a virtuous lifestyle.

Jitiya festival is celebrated by the married women of Tharu and Madhesi communities, especially in the Mithila region, by worshipping God for the longevity, good health, success and well-being of their offspring and families. The festival falls on the eighth day of the waning moon (Krishna Pakshya) in the Nepali month of Ashwin as per the lunar calendar.

They feast on ‘Ogatan’ (delicacies) at midnight of the previous day before observing a fast that bars even the consumption of water. Prior to observing the fast, women devotees take a holy bath in nearby rivers, ponds or lakes.

Meanwhile, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav in his message on the occasion said, “The festivals we celebrate help us connect our customary values and norms to the present days. It also contributes to strengthen our family relations and consolidating social structures and unity”