Tharu women observing Jitiya festival

Tharus observe their festivals with songs and dances and host numerous of them throughout the year. Feasts and festivals of the Tharus usually celebrate when they are not occupied in their agricultural works and are associated with religion, cultivation, and labour. There are different beliefs on the origin of their festivals which have been regulated from generation to generation.

Maagh

"Maagh" or "Maaghi" is one of the greatest festivals of the Tharus and is celebrated for three to four days because the new year of the Tharu commences from the Maagh. Tharus make new plans, divide tasks, and renew the tasks in the Maagh. The main day of Maagh festival falls on the first day of the Nepali month Maagh (January/February) hence the name of the festival.

The day before the main day i.e the last day of the Nepali month Poush {December/January) some family members go fishing for the feast. On this day Tharus slaughter pigs, because it is the main meat of the community. They cook dhikri, steamed rice cakes and janr which are prepared with andi (sticky) rice as well as regular rice.

On the day of Maagh, Tharus take a holy bath at the nearest river, stream or pond and offer money in the water. Couples who have no child go to sacred water places like Barhakune Daha, Laraina Taal, Rihar, Seeta Bhanrar and take a holy bath, and ask for a boon for children. After the holy bath, the males of the family go to the shrine room. They put together a handful of black lentils, rice, and salt in a separate pot to give to their sisters. The collected black lentils, rice, and salt are divided equally among their sisters. After finishing this ritual, all junior members of the family greet their elders by touching their feet or bowing in their hands for blessings. After the ritual at home, people go to each other's houses for Maagh feasts. They drink liquor, and eat pork, vegetables, and pickles along with dhikri and janr they prepared the previous day.

In the mid-day of Maagh, all the Gardhuriyan gather at Mahatau’s house and bring in liquor or beer, which they drink together. They form a group to dance and sing. Dances like Jhumra, Chhokra, and Maghauta are performed visiting house to house.

All the annual agreements between landlord and tenants are renewed on this day, neither party is supposed to break an agreement made on the occasion of Maagh.

When the Kamaiya system was in practice, servants and agricultural employees of the Tharu origin used to get a day off on this day for celebration but now the Nepal government has declared a public holiday on this day.

There is no religious myth or legend associated with this festival.

Dhurheri/Hori

Dhurheri is the festival of colour. It is also known as Holi. On this festival, fire is lit by rubbing two sticks like in ancient days. This festival falls on the full moon of Falgun (March-April). Tharus celebrate Dhurheri as a spring festival. The night before the Hori, the kitchen fire in each house is put out. The next morning, boys from the house go to a nearby forest or river shore to bring branches of Dhairo tree (Woodfordia fruticosa) and a small trunk of Semaar tree. Some of them take drums with them while others take cowbells. When returning, with those branches and the tree trunk, they play their drums and jingle the cowbells at their waist and occasionally sing certain couplets, the theme of which generally contains teasing and jokes about girls.

Before entering the village, the boys make three circumambulations (anti-clockwise) of the village and then plant the Semaar trunk in a hole dug out at a short distance from the Deuthanwa (village shrine) or near a crossing footpath. The Dhairo branches are also planted in a circle around the Semaar.

In the evening of Dhurheri, all the villagers collect wood for a bonfire known as Chirdaha. First, they go to Bhuiyarthanwa along with Mahatau where they worship god with vermillion powder, lit oil lamps and offer milk, wine, water, and Jhajha roti to deities. Then they go to a pre-determined place where Mahatau performs religious activities; lighting oil lamps, five Jhajha rotis pined in a stick and tied five times with thread. He moves 5 times around the area burning fire and pushes it on the load. Then they return with the fire of Chirdaha to their houses. It is believed as a pure fire and burn a lamp in Deurhaar, worshipped in the Phagu pooja.

They bake the bread called Jhajha from rice flour. It is customary that such bread is baked under the bamboo grove. In the evening, gods enshrined are worshipped and the pieces of bread are distributed among children as offerings of gods.

Dhurheri is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by smearing colours on each other and singing songs. Men, women, and children are seen dancing during Dhurheri. There is a lot of joy and gaiety in the villages for Dhurheri

Gurahi

Gurahi is a dragonfly festival in the month of Shrawan (July/August). Dragonfly for Tharus symbolizes the evil that threatens farmers’ livelihood in the form of vermin, disease, and wounds. To avoid such evils, dragonflies fashioned out of old rags are sacrificed on the day of Naag Panchmi festival. Young girls with their mothers make those dragonfly dolls.

Girls wear new dresses and make new dragonfly dolls and Ghughri (puffed chickpeas) for Gurahi. Equipped with these offerings, girls gather on the threshing ground outside the village in the late afternoon. They wait for the boys to come with Sonta (a whip made of fresh thatch grass). When the children gather, the village head commands them to throw the dragonfly dolls which the boys beat with the whip. Then the girls offer puffed chickpeas to the boys.

In the end, the boys collect the dolls and throw them over the roof of their house. The dragonfly dolls are used for the annual purification of the village as they are taken outside the village where the evil is beaten away.

Atwari/Barka Atwari

Atwari is a ritual performed on Sundays. Aitwar means Sunday in the Tharu language. Barka Atwari, the great Sunday is the first Sunday falling on the bright fortnight of Bhadra (August/September). It is a fasting festival observed by males only. The males observe fasting the whole day. To fast the next day, after midnight i.e. Saturday midnight, all the males devour a delicious meal (Datkattan) consisting of rice, fish, and other delicacies. All the Tharu men except younger ones, old or sick fast on the occasion of Barka Atwari.

On this day, they perform Bhewa puja, a worship to Bhewa, the Bhima from Mahabharat epic, as the symbol of power. Women can also fast with their husbands.

Men get on with their usual work until midday of Barka Atwari. They then take a bath and change into new clothes. A portion of Bahari, the outer wall of the house is plastered with cow dung. A holy fire is made there, by rubbing a dry stick of the red pepper plant against a dry place of Ganyari wood. After that, one of the fast observants puts a big pan with oil over a new hearth, where the holy fire has been tended.

When the cakes have been cooked, milk, fruit, and a little cow butter are brought in. A senior person among those fasting then takes out one cake on a separate leaf. He tears a small piece out of this cake, rolls it in butter, and offers it to the holy fire in which the cakes had been cooked. Next, he sprinkles holy water over the fire three to five times in the Prachhana manner. Other fasting men follow him too.

After that, the cakes, milk products, and fruits are divided equally among all the fasting men. Then each fasting man sorts out every item of food from his share. This sorted food is called "Agrasan" saved for the observant's sisters the next day. Fasting men then eat the remaining food. The holy fire on the hearth is left burning until the next morning when the men use it to cook Pharhaar, rice eaten with butter.

Astimki

Astimki is celebrated on Lord Krishna’s birthday, i.e Krishna Janmastami. Tharu women fast and pray to Lord Krishna. It is a women’s festival in which girls and young women participate. Astimki murals are drawn and painted on the surface of Dehri (earthen grain container) or the portion of Bahari (facade).

Astimki mural is painted on the wall of Mahatau’s house. The mural depicts the Tharus’ version of the evolution of life and is painted by a male artist only. However, girls and women are also learning the art these days to preserve the age-old tradition. The painting not only represents an art form, but the Tharu folklore and oral history also handed over from generation to generation.

First, a water source is drawn and fish are added to it. Then a boat is drawn showing Gurbaba, the creator and the first Tharu with his disciples. It is believed that the Gurbaba along with his disciples and books sailed to a safer haven and created a new world. Then a crab, a tortoise, a crocodile, and other water creatures are added along the water source. According to Tharu folklore, fish evolved first. The Gurbaba with the help of a crab and earthworm brought Ammarmati from the netherworld and created this world (Earth). A Kadam tree (Neolamarckia cadamba) takes center stage in the second part of the painting. On the tree, Lord Krishna is shown playing flute. Tharus believes that the Kadam is the favorite tree of Krishna.

On the right and top of the water source, a lily leaf is drawn and next to Barahmura (twelve-headed demon, Ravana) is added representing the bad or devil. In the middle Doli, a palanquin used to carry the bride during Tharu marriages is sketched. Two palanquin carriers are shown carrying Draupadi, the wife of Five Pandava brothers in that Doli. Above it, five Draupadis are added in one line. Tharus say, that the Doli represents the marriage of God Ram and Goddess Sita.

The characters above the Doli are the Kauravas, the 100 sons of blind king Dhritarastra from the Mahabharat epic. The topmost part of the painting has five Pandavas just above five Draupadis (or Kauravas). The Sun is added in the top right corner while the moon is in the top left corner. Beautiful triangular shapes border the rectangular painting. The animals like elephant, horse, camel, peacock, Sakhli kukniya (bitch), chickens, and trees are added to the painting too.

The Astimki artist fasts until his drawing is complete.

The Mahatau’s wife first worships the Astimki art at the night of the festival. All the characters in the painting are worshipped one by one, and tika (vermillion powder) is given to each but the Barahmura. After worshipping all the fasting women break the fast by eating fruits. Women gathered at the Mahatau’s house for the festival sing songs about creation and different religious events throughout the night.

In the morning, all the worshipping materials, including the oil lamps are submerged in a nearby river. The worshippers wish for the end of disease and wounds inflicting them to be washed away by water.

Dasiya/Dasya 

Dasiya starts with the Hindus’ Ghatsthapana. It is called the Jeunra dharna day. Tharus sow maize seeds for seedlings. For the Tharu, Dasiya does not have the same significance as the Hindus. On the seventh day of Dasiya, Dhikris are steamed. They offer these Dhikris to their deities. On the eighth day Tharus offer Jeunra, Bebri (basil) to their ancestors and deities. On the last day of Dasiya, they receive Tika from Mahatau at his house. Dasiya festival honors clan ancestors and village tutelary deities. Sakhya dance is performed during Dasiya. Girls and boys go to houses and perform Sakhya dance. Tharus do not use the red colored Tika. 

Dewari (Tihar/Deepawali) 

Dewari is a different festival of the Tharus. Nowadays they have started celebrating this festival like Hindus, lighting the candles and worshipping the crow, dog, cow, goddess Laxmi, and finally putting Bhai-Tika. They make different types of Rotis and sweet items.