The Maithil year is measured in festivals — from the kite-strung Makar Sankranti of deep winter to the sun-worship of Chhath in autumn. Follow the calendar through the seasons: spring’s colours, the monsoon vows, the goddess-nights of autumn, and the rivers and harvests that bind them. Many are led by women and found, in this form, almost nowhere else.
Magh–Phalgun · winter into spring
January – March
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~14 JanuaryMakar Sankranti (Tila Sakrait)
The mid-January harvest festival of sesame, jaggery and dahi-chura.
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January–FebruarySaraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)
The spring worship of the goddess of learning, dear to students across Mithila.
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MarchPhaguaa (Holi)
Mithila's Holi — bonfires, colour, jogira songs, and a table of malpua and mutton.
Chait–Baisakh · spring & the new year
March – May
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March–AprilRam Navami
The birth of Rama, kept with special feeling in the land that calls itself the home of his bride, Sita.
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~14 AprilJur Sital
The Maithil new year — a festival of cool water and fresh sowing in mid-April.
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April–MaySita Navami
The birth-day of Sita, especially dear to her own land of Mithila.
Jeth–Sawan · summer & the monsoon
May – August
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May–JuneVat Savitri
Married women fast and circle the banyan, praying for their husbands' long life.
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July–AugustNaag Panchami
The monsoon worship of serpents and the snake-goddess Manasa.
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July–AugustMadhushravani
A fortnight-long festival of newly-wed Maithil women, of nature-worship and the Bihula legend.
Bhado–Aaswin · early autumn
September – October
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September–OctoberIndra Puja
The worship of the rain-god Indra for a good harvest — surviving almost only in Mithila.
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September–OctoberJitiya
A three-day fast in which mothers go without food and water for their children's long life.
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September–OctoberJhijhiya
A women's lamp-dance of Dussehra, perforated pots balanced and glowing on the head.
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September–OctoberDurga Puja (Dashain)
The autumn worship of the goddess as warrior, ending in Vijayadashami — and, across the border, in Nepal's Dashain.
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OctoberKojagara
A full-moon festival, almost unique to Mithila, honouring newly-wed grooms and the goddess Lakshmi.
Kartik–Aghan · late autumn
October – December
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October–November (and March–April)Chhath Puja
The four-day sun festival of Mithila — devotion, fasting and offerings at the river ghats.
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October–NovemberSama-Chakeva
A winter festival of clay birds in which sisters pray for their brothers' long life.
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November–DecemberVivaha Panchami
The re-enactment of Rama and Sita's wedding, celebrated in great splendour at Janakpur.