UNIT 16: CONFIRMING AND DENYING

 UNIT 16: CONFIRMING AND DENYING 

Jitiya Festival 

1. Vocabulary in use 

1. Read the text above, and find the synonyms of the following words from the text.
   luck = fortune
   harmony = good relationships
   statues = idol
   renowned = popular
   poured = flow

1. Reading comprehension

1. Read the text again, and decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. All women and unmarried girls celebrate Jitiya festival. False
2. It is celebrated all over Nepal. False
3. Married women never go to Maiti to celebrate Jitiya festival. False
4. It is celebrated for three days. True
5. Even the eagle and the jackal are remembered and offered prasad by the devotees of Jitiya. True
6. Jimutavahana is a legendary deity. True
7. Singing and dancing do not play any role during the Jitiya festival. False

1. Read the text again, and answer these questions.

1. Why is Jitiya festival celebrated?
   Ans: Jitiya festival is celebrated for the good fortune and long life for the husband, children and family members.
2. How long is this festival celebrated?
   Ans: This festival is celebrated for three days.
3. What do married women do on the second day of celebration?
   Ans: On the second day of the celebration married women fast for the whole day without even drinking a drop of water.
4. How and when do married women scrub their house?
   Ans: On the first day of the celebration, women scrub their house with cow’s dung in order to make their house sacred.
5. What is the relationship between Masabashi and the Sun?
   Ans: Masabashi is the unmarried princess and the mother of Jimutavahana. She was the blessing of the Sun. So, Masabashi and the sun are interrelated.
6. What do married women offer to Jimutavahana before they break their fast?
   Ans: Married women offer some fruits, milk and curd to Jimutavahana before they break their fast.
7. How can the celebration of Jitiya promote harmony among people?
   Ans: The celebration of the Jitiya festival can promote harmony among the people as cultural understanding strengthens the unity.

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY

1. Work in a pair. Discuss the festivals you celebrate. Write in about 200 words about a festival of your own community.

Mahashivratri, The Great Night of Shiva is the most significant event in India’s spiritual calendar. Mahashivratri is predominantly a Hindu festival, celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva, the God of destruction. Shivratri is celebrated in every month of the lunisolar calendar, in accordance with the Hindu calendar but once a year, in late winter Mahashivratri is celebrated to commemorate the oncoming summer. Mahashivratri literally translates as ‘the great night of Shiva’ and according to legend, it is on this night that Lord Shiva performs his heavenly dance or ‘tandav’.  In the Indian culture, at one time, there used to be 365 festivals in a year. These 365 festivals were ascribed to different reasons, and for different purposes of life. They were to celebrate various historical events, victories, or certain situations in life like sowing, planting, and harvesting. For every situation, there was a festival. But Mahashivratri is of a different significance.

Among all the twelve Shivratris that occur in a calendar year, Mahashivratri, the one that occurs in February-March is of the most spiritual significance. Shivratri is the darkest day of the month. Celebrating Shivratri on a monthly basis, and the particular day, Mahashivratri, almost seems like a celebration of darkness.

Shivratri is supposed to be the night of convergence of Shiva and Shakti, which in essence mean the masculine and feminine energies that balance the world. In Hindu culture, this is a solemn festival that marks the remembrance of ‘overcoming darkness and ignorance in life. Different legends, throughout history, describe the significance of Maha Shivratri and according to one of them, it is on this night that Lord Shiva performs his cosmic dance of creation, preservation and destruction. Another legend dictates that on this night, offerings of Lord Shiva’s icons can help one overcome and let go of their sins and start on the path of righteousness, allowing the individual to reach Mount Kailash and achieve ‘moksha’.

WORKS CITED

Isha Sadguru. (2021, 12). Retrieved from Sdguru: https://isha.sadhguru.org/mahashivratri/significance-of-mahashivratri/

Maha Shivratri 2021: History, significance, and celebration. (2021, March). Retrieved from Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/festivals/maha-shivratri-2021-history-significance-and-celebration-101615434959914.html

TIME FOR GRAMMAR

1. Rewrite the following sentences as in the example.

Example:

1. Tigers and elephants live in the forest. (rhino and deer)
   Tigers and elephants live in the forest. So do rhino and deer.
2. Devkota wasn’t a politician. (Parijat)
   Devkota wasn’t a politician. Neither was Parijat.
3. Rina likes folk songs. (Kalika)
   Ans: Rina likes folk songs. So does Kalika.
4. Binda did not buy a watch yesterday. (my mother)
   Ans: Binda did not buy a watch yesterday. Neither did my mother.
5. Harry will come next week. (my brother)
   Ans: Harry will come next week. So will my brother.
6. We prepare delicious food. (Shiva)
   Ans: We prepare delicious food. So does Shiva.
7. They never read English. (Santosh)
   Ans: They never read English. Neither does Santosh.
8. Muslims don’t eat pork. (Jews)
   Ans: Muslims don’t eat pork. Neither do Jews.
9. Hindus don’t eat beef. (I)
   Ans: Hindus don’t eat beef. Neither do I.
10. We haven’t been to Ilam yet. (Nilam)
    Ans: We haven’t been to Ilam yet. Neither has Neelam.

1. Study the following examples, and note how ‘question tags’ are used.

(Remember! We usually use a negative question tag with an affirmative statement. expecting the answer ‘Yes’, and an affirmative question tag with a negative statement, expecting the answer ‘No’.)

Example:

1. It’s cold, isn’t it?
2. I shouldn’t have done that, should I?
3. I’m going to clear up, aren't I?
4. Let’s get started, shall we?
5. Don’t say anything to Ananda about this, will you?
6. I’m supposed to be having lunch with Kopila, aren’t I?
7. You’d better stop gossiping, hadn’t you?
8. She’d rather have a cup of tea, wouldn’t she?
9. Prakash went to the market, didn’t he?
10. Dipa used to crack jokes in the class, didn’t she?
11. Junu had a wonderful dream, didn’t she?
12. You worked hard, didn’t you?