Tharu community demands to declare Jitia as a national festival

There has been a demand to declare Jitia as a national festival and to make it a national holiday on the Ghurheri days of Yamosa and Phaguva festivals of the Tharu community including Jitia.

Jitiya festival falls on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Asoj. This time, this date has fallen on October 8, 9 and 10. On the first day, women eat sweet food. On the second day, they fast and listen to the story of Jitbahan. On the third day, Jitia ends. Tharu women dance 'Jhamta Naach' in Jitia. The women form a group and go around in a circle, all of them sing songs and beat each other to make a rhythm.

'Jitiya festival and its religious, cultural, ethical and practical aspects and values ​​should be included in the school curriculum', the manifesto states. In the manifesto, it is demanded to create a law by establishing the right of the Tharu community on Jitia festival and the traditional dress, dance, song and handicraft materials used by the Tharu community protected by the Tharu community.

The non-Tharu community tried to earn money by using songs, dances, handicrafts and traditional clothes of the Tharu community. The approaching Jitiya festival has been called upon to be celebrated with joy in all Tharu-dominated areas and the local, state and federal governments have been requested to provide budget for this.

Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha Chitwan branch president Lalit Chaudhary and Tharu Mahila Chitwan president Manju Chaudhary jointly issued the manifesto. The opening program of the gathering (Kachhari) held to issue the manifesto was completed under the chief hospitality of Kalika Municipality Mayor Vinod Regmi. Mayor Regmi assured that he would personally talk to the Chief Minister of Bagmati Province for the holiday.

According to the 2078 census, 10 percent of the total population of Chitwan are Tharus. After Brahmins and Chhetri, the Tharu community is on the third place here. In terms of population in Chitwan, which has seven municipalities, Tharus are the first in Khairhani and Madi municipalities and second in Ratnanagar municipality. In Chitwan, which has a population of 719,859, the number of Tharu community is 72,658.