Mithila Nagri

 There’s a common saying that the roots will never change, no matter how much surroundings try to change a person. Earlier I never understood this, as I always thought that we are bound to change ourselves according to the places we live. But after experiencing almost 3 decades, now I understand the value of “origin”.

I feel so proud that I came from the land of Mithila, also known as Janakpurdham, an ancient cultural and religious hub located in the southern part of Nepal and the northern part of the Indian state of Bihar. I am sure, most of the people don’t even know about the various facts of Ramayana, that actually happened on this holy land.

There are several facts, customs, folk songs and foods that I want to highlight today, which make me a member of true Mithila family, and I am so honored that I get to write my experiences here, taking reference from Mithila Nagri:

• In our families, we cherish folksongs and are sung on every festive occasions like Durga puja, Ramnavmi, Kali puja, hindi new year, Jur-Shital, Chatt, Satyanarayan puja, Madhu-shravan, marriages, Upanayana, Vat-savitri puja, and many more uncountable small functions too. I remember Maa ( my grandmother) used to maintain a diary of all the folk songs, categorized as events, and instructed me to sing with her with the same tone and pitch. I literally admired her art, as she was so perfect in remembering everything. All the ladies respected her as a head. She was a know-it-all lady. If you want to get the glimpse of these ethnic music, let me know I will sing for you 🙂

• We always cherish the art of food and its varieties for various celebrations. We have a special dish called “Ram-ruich” which means ‘the dish which was liked by Ram when he visited Mithila’. And this dish is mandatorily cooked in our traditional feasts. Fish is considered as ‘sacred’ in our traditions and also a symbol of pride for married women. My grandmother was an epic cook, not only because she cooked well, but also the way she explained the dishes with its cultural relevance to us. Whenever I used to visit home on my vacation days, she always made sure to pack me a ton of home-cooked snacks for my hostel like gujiya, namkeen, thekua, pickles etc.  I can count so many dishes made by her love in my memories. Few of them are “arikanchan”, “mustard fish curry”, “karela bharwa”, “irhar”, “upma”, “dosa”, “baigan fry”,”biriya, “kumrauri”, “tarua” and so much love 🥺

• The famous art symbols of “Mithila paintings” and “Aripana” are known in every Maithil family. Women use to draw beautiful patterns(aripana) on the floor using wet-grinded rice flour and then beautify with a token of sindoor all over it. This is done on almost every puja, and the patterns are different for every occasion. I am so drawn to mithila painting too that after my 10th exams , when students generally enjoy their long-awaited vacation, I have painted the whole bedsheet and pillow with mithila painting.

• Mithila has produced notable poets, scholars, and writers who have contributed to Maithili literature. Vidyapati Thakur, a medieval Maithili poet, is one of the most celebrated figures, known for his love poetry and devotion to Lord Krishna. My grandfather-in-law, Pandit Shree Govind Jha, is also a renowned author of Maithili literature and is awarded numerous regional as well as national awards for his contributions. My grandfather was also a die-hard fan of the poetry world and has written so many poems and songs in Maithili. I don’t know much about the Mithila script, but I love to read stories and listen to songs of mithila, that keep me rooted with our land. 

• There are many architectural references which make this land stand out in the world. Janakpur, where King Janak lived a prosperous life, has many temples which contribute a significant role in Ram-Sita marriage. I too have visited that place and encountered the magnificent “Vivah Mandap”, where after the swayamvar they tied a knot of togetherness. 

These are just a small world that I have experienced through my family and festivals. But there must be so many other references too. Similarly, everyone has their local treasure to hold on to life. These are the only things which make us unique with the rest of the world. And that’s how we can define our existence in this universe. 

Let me know too about your local traditions.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023