Terai-Madhesh celebrates Judshital festival with traditional fervor

Siraha. With the arrival of the New Year, the Judshital festival is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in Siraha and other districts of the Terai-Madhesh region today. This two-day festival, observed to mark the beginning of the Bikram Sambat New Year, saw 'Satuwain' celebrated on Tuesday, while the main rituals of Judshital are being performed today, Baisakh 2.

The festival reflects coolness, health, and closeness to nature. A key feature of the festival today involves the eldest members of the family sprinkling water on the heads of younger ones, blessing them with longevity and a happy life.

On the first day of Baisakh Sankranti, there is a tradition of offering seven types of grains and jaggery sherbet to family deities. On the second day today, after worshipping the deities, it is customary to prepare and consume special dishes like yogurt, drumstick curry, bari, and kadhi. The use of easily digestible foods to keep the body healthy during the summer season is considered the scientific aspect of this festival.

In this festival of religious and cultural significance, Maithil youth are preparing to have fun by splashing dust, soil, and mud on each other at noon, wishing for a prosperous season. This play with soil and water is seen as a mark of respect for nature. Furthermore, on the occasion of Judshital, people water the trees and plants in their fields, wishing for moisture to be maintained throughout the year.

Celebrated equally by all castes and communities in the Mithila region, this festival conveys a message of mutual harmony, reconciliation, and cooperation. Local experts state that the festival is celebrated with the primary objective of ensuring favorable conditions for agricultural work at the start of the New Year and seeking protection from nature. A distinct vibrancy of Judshital has been observed since early morning, particularly in areas including Golbazar of Siraha.