Jhulan and Guru Purnima

Tbe performance of Jhulan and Guru Purnima (or Vyas Puja) are observed in the months of Sravan and Asarh respec­tively. These are comparatively new sacred performances and are being observed at Janakpur since only the last few decades.

The Jhulan is performed in the light fortnight of the month of Sravan and on this occasion most of the temples, kutis, and houses, where it is observed, are decorated and the sacred cradles are hung for the rythmic swinging of the deities. The Jhulan pcrformance of the Rama temple attracts a large num­ber of pilgrims. In this connection, the Mahanth of the Rama temple reported that since last twentyfive years Jhulan is being performed here. Recently a Jhula-ghar (cradle bouse) has been built at Janakpur for this purpose. The Jhulan starts on the Tritya sukla (third day of tbe light fortnight) of Sravan and continues up to the full moon day. On the first day a special puja is offered to lord Rama and Janki Ji in the Rama temple. At about 5 P.M , the idols of Rama and Janki are placed in a palanquin made of silver and then carried to Maniparvat, a recently named spot near Rangbhum. The sacred palanquin of Rama-Janki is followed by thousands of pilgrims, ascetics, musicians, drummers etc., and the party is led by the Mahanth of the Rama temple. On the way the ascetics and the pIlgrims dance.. The pilgrims also participate in the Kirtan going on in the way to Rangbhum and back to the Rama temple, and tbe female pilgrims mostly from the Mlthlla area sing various songs like Ras, Choumasa, Barahmasa, Gowalari etc. When the procession arrives at the Manipalvat near Rangbhum, the sacred palanquin is received by the Pandits, ascetics and other lacred intelIigentsia assembled there and the idols of Rama
and Janki are placed on the Jhula (cradle) specially created there for this occasion. The idols swing there for about an hour.
Around 7 P.M. the sacred palanquin is brought to the Jhula ghar (cradle house) with the same pomp and show where ,again the idols are placed in the sacred cradle. Here the Jhula ghar is beautifully decorated and scented with ittra liquid incense, rose water etc., Flowers like those, beli, chameli, etc., are p1aced on the cradle and garlands arc offered to the idols. The Mahanth of the Rama temple sits near the cradle and starts swinging the cradle very smoothly and slowly. The pilgrims assembled on this occasion witness this celestial scene very joyfully and believe to earn punya by having the glimpse of Jhulao.
The idols of Rama aod Sita are kept in the Jhula ghar till the full moon day and on the Pratipada (the fifth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadra) the idols are brought from the Jhula ghar to the Rama temple during the morning hours. The idols are carried back in the same palanquin which h'ld been used for the outward journey. In the Rama temple when the sacred planquin, carrying the idols of Rama and Sita, reaches there, it is received by the Pandits, ascetics and other pilgrims and they say that the Bhagwan (God) has come back after Jhulan.
On the occasion of Jhulan, various sorts of socio-religious entertainments are also arranged before the Jhula ghar at Janakpur as well as in various kutis, such as the Rama-lila, the Natua-danc:, Chhakarbaji etc, Thus, the performance of Jhulan, along with these entertainment programmes, continues from early in evening to the mid of night for nearly a fortnight at Janakpur.
Like Jhulan, Guru-purnima is also a newly adopted sacred performance. It is performed on the full moon day in the month of Asarh (June;-July) when the Guru (preceptor) is wor­shipped by his disciples (sevaks). This festival is also known
as the Vyas puja or the Vyas purnirna, for Rishi Veda Vyas, who for the fint time edited the hymns of the Veda, and
categorised them in the four Vedas viz. the Rig Veda, the Yajur
Veda, the Sarna Veda and the Atharva Veda, according to their suitability and relevance. He also edited many purans and is believed to be as a divine teacher, and hence this festival begins with his worship.
On the occasion of Guru- Purnima, the sevaks or disciples
belonging to various castes, come to the kutis or the resi­dence of their Guru one day earlier, and usually bring various types of gifts both in cash and kinds to be presented to the Guru. However, they take free meals at Guru's ashram. On the day of Guru Purnima, every sevak has to worship the feet of the Guru and will take charnamrit (derived from the root word
chraran means feet and amrit means nector of Guru's feet. Every
sevak takes a little quantity of water in a copper vessel known as Panch-pat, and would bring to it near his/her Guru's feet, and the Guru would then put toe tbe of his right leg into the water, and thereafter, the sevak would first sprinkle tbat sacred water on his/her body and a few drops would be swaIlowed in. Thus, the worship of the Guru's feet, taking the charnamrit of Guru'. feet, offering arti to the Guru, and presenting gifts like dhoti, other clothes and garments, blankets etc" as well as giving some dans in cash, ranging from Rs. S/- to Rs. 100/- or even more, are the highlights of this festival. In other words, all the sevaks of the Guru, living in distant viIlages or districts, are supposed to attend this festival, and thereby the socio-religious contacts are renewed every year. Later on these socio-religious contacts help them in developing a bond of social solidarity leading to the extent of forming a social relation of "Gurubhaj" (disciple-brother) among the different disciples of tbe Guru.
In addition to these major sacred performances, which are observed at various temples, kutis. ashrams etc., of Janakpur, there are few more festivals like Chhath (worship of the Sun god), Chauth-Chand (worship of the Moon), Tila.Sankranti etc., which are observed more at the family level in the houses of the citizens of th's great traditional, city than at any shrine. These festivals rellect a Maithil style of life of the core centreas well as citizens of the city.