President Bidya Devi Bhandari has extended best wishes to all Nepalis on the occasion of the Jitiya festival today.
Extending the message of best wishes, she wished peace, prosperity, and happiness.
Festivals like Jitiya fosters mutual respect, harmony, and tolerance in the Nepali society rich in diversity in terms of geography, caste, religion, and culture, she said. It helps to contribute to the national unity, President Bhandari added.
“On the one hand, we need to protect physical and intangible cultural heritages, and bring reform in the women-biased social practices on the other,” she stressed.
The Jitiya festival is celebrated by the women, especially of Tharu and Madhes communities, wishing for good health and longevity for their children and family.
“May the Jitiya Festival inspire all to make headway towards the elimination of social superstitions, discriminations and violence, and contribute to building a civilized, cultured and equitable society,” President Bidya Devi Bhandari said.
The Head-of-the-State in her best wishes on the occasion of the Festival wished all Nepali sisters at home and abroad peace, happiness, good health and a long life.
Women from the Madhesh and the Tharu community in the southern plains observe Jitiya wishing for peace, prosperity, good health and longevity of their children and it is one of their major festivals.
The festival characterized by a rigorous fasting followed by the recitation of mythical stories about a deity named Jimutbahan, and cultural singing and dancing is celebrated on the eighth day (Astami) of the dark fortnight of the month of Asoj (September-October).
“ As I believe such festivals observed in our nation highlight on geographical, social and cultural diversities and would help promote family and community bonding, mutual trust and the feeling of cooperation contributing to further strengthening the greater national unity,’’ the President said in the message. She said she believed that some outdated practices being followed while celebrating the cultural festivals should be revised as per the changing time.
