Abstract
Having their physical and psychological struggle with frequently happening pandemics like malaria for many centuries until the new settlement plan from the government, Tharus, the indigenous people of central Nepal, Chitwan, have long attachment, recognition, and consideration to nature; and despite the issues of cultural hegemony over nature in environmental studies, they have the eco-culture to respect, preserve, implore, and eulogize nature. Now, after the formal migration, they live with cultural diaspora among many cultural values, but they have their own cultural values, distinct from non-Tharus, however, majorities of their religious functions resemble with traditional Hindu culture. Jitiya festival, distinct from rest of Hindu communities, is an example on how Tharu people, especially, women stay Vrata, and primarily worship nature and identify nature as the source of harmonizing all human and nonhuman environment. Their cultural respect to nature signifies their belief on the value and greatness of nature. The paper analyzes Tharu patterns of eco-culture in Jitiya, the cultural festival, and Jitiya Pawani, their Mythical literature.
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Glossary
- Amrit:
-
elixir
- Ashmin Krishna asthami:
-
a day in the month of Ashwin (September–October)
- Badahaw:
-
a Tharu song
- Bel:
-
wooden apple
- Bhinsaharuwa:
-
song of the dawn
- Bhumiputra
-
sons of the earth
- Chitwania/n:
-
of Chitwan
- Fagupurnima:
-
a Hindu cultural festival
- Guietha:
-
wood made out of cow dung
- Janai Purnima:
-
a Hindu cultural festival
- Jhamata:
-
a Tharu dance
- Jit:
-
victory
- Khar Jitiya:
-
strong Vrata of Jitiya
- Lahakai:
-
first day of Jitiya
- Mithilanchal:
-
a place of Mithila region
- Nirjala:
-
without even taking water
- Paran:
-
last day of Jitiya
- Parwa:
-
festival
- Peepal:
-
a kind of tree
- Phool Lorhoni:
-
song for plucking Bel
- Pradosh:
-
faulty time
- Raptodun:
-
a government commission
- Tharu:
-
aboriginal caste living in different places of Tarai
- Upabas:
-
fasting
- Vrata:
-
fasting
- Yamosa:
-
the festival of Tharus to remember their forefathers.
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Chalise, K.R. (2021). Jitiya: Tharu Inherence to Eco-Culture. In: Niglio, O., Lee, E.Y.J. (eds) Transcultural Diplomacy and International Law in Heritage Conservation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0309-9_8
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