User:Naveen valecha

TESU - JHANJHI
BACKGROUND OF THE FESTIVAL : In the Mahabharata war there was a warrior want to join Duryodhana's side named Babhruvahana (Grand son of Pandav Bhima) whose head was cut off in the war. He was so eager to see the rest of the war, however, that his head was placed on three spears on a hill. He saw the whole battle and shouted aloud whenever a warrior died in the battle. Why was his head cut off? How did his name become Tesu? Who was Jhonjhi? Why is this festival celebrated and why are Jhonjhi and Tesu married symbolically. Babhruvahana was a famous archer. One day Lord Krishna wanted to test his skill and asked him to shoot all the leaves off one tree, using only one arrow. Iirishna craftily plucked one leaf and put it under his foot. Babhruvahana's arrow pierced all the leaves on the tree and then came towards Krishna's foot. Seeing this, Krishna lifted his foot and the arrow pierced the last leaf also. Krishna realized that Bahhruvahann was a great archer and feared that he would challenge Arjuna, so he decided that Babhruvahana must be killed somehow. Krishna therefore asked Babhruvahana for a boon; when Babhruvahana gave his consent, Krishna asked for his head. Babhruvahana willingly agreed, but requested that he be allowed to see the Mahabharata war. Krishna said, " Your head will live until the end of the war." And thus Krishna put Babhruvahana's head up on three sticks of sirakan"(a kind of reed), so that he could watch the war. After Babhruvahana pierced all the leaves of the tree, Krishna told him he could ask for a boon. Babhruvahana proudly pro- tested that he was a warrior and therefore would not ask for a boon; however, if Krishna wanted anything from him, he would readily give it. Krishna then asked for his head. Babhruvahana said that he was on his way to the Mahabharata war and asked Krishna to arrange for him to sec the war and bc married before he died. Krishna arranged his marriage with a girl named Jhonjhi and his head was placed on a tree. During the war whenever one party was losing, the head would turn towards that side and laugh; immediately the losing side would begin to win again. After this had happened many times, .Krishna broke the head into pieces. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS : The social importance of the Jhonjhi-Tesu festival is that it pre- pares families for girls leaving their homes after marriage. This event causes great anxiety and grief for immediate family members and the new bride. In preparing and caring for Jhonjhi before her symbolic marriage to Tesu, girls, parents, and brothers learn to accept the girls' leave-taking with enthusiasm and happiness. (A few older men ex- pressed these sentiments to me with tears in their eyes.) Boys do not have to undergo such a traumatic transition, because they inherit family property and wealth and can remain in their childhood homes all their lives, so they enjoy this festival mostly by playing games. This is why there are fewer Tesu songs specifically associated with the festival, in contrast to the great number of Jhonjhi songs.