Jhiri Mela is a fair, which is celebrated annually to honour a farmer named Baba Jitu. This fair is celebrated every year during Kartik Purnima, which falls in the last week of October and early November.
History related to Jhiri Mela
Jhiri is a village that is situated 20 kms from Jammu, on the Jammu-Akhnoor highway. A farmer named Baba Jitu lived in this village some 500 years ago. During this age, the feudal lords known as Zamindars tortured the farmers and demanded a major share of the wheat crop from them. Owing to the constant oppression of the Feudal lords, this honest farmer preferred sacrificing his life instead to giving in to the demands of the Zamindars. They demanded a major share of the wheat crop from Jit, who was a poor farmer. Since the peasant had slogged hard to cultivate the crop, he did not want to succumb to the unjust demand. Rather than parting with his crop, he preferred to take the extreme step of ending his life over the stack of wheat. He has ever since been honoured as Baba Jittoo and is sacred for standing up against the injustice and unfair action meted out to the peasants during the feudal times.
Celebration of Jhiri Mela
Every year, the fair is held to pay homage to the father and her seven year old daughter Bua Kouri who set herself on fire with her father Baba Jitu. A temple has been built at the place of martyrdom of Jit and his daughter to honour their sacrifices. The villagers and their descendants attend the annual fair to be remorseful for chipping in the blood strained grains and for not coming forward to support him. This Fair is held to honour the courage of a farmer, his sacrifice for the emancipation of the farming community. This fair commemorates honesty, incorruptibility, meekness and stands for valour, traditions and candour. Lakhs of tourists from all over the World gather during the Jhiri Mela to pay tribute to the Samadhi of this legendary farmer.
In addition to being a religious affair, the mela also grants marketing outlet to the local sugarcane growers. As the area is famous for sugarcane crop, most visitors to the fair comes here to purchase sugarcane. During the fair, exhibitions are organized that provide assorted variety of articles ranging from pottery, vases, utensils and toys to books on Baba Jitu. For the people coming from all over India, one important ritual during the Jhiri Mela is to take a holy dip in Babe- da- Talab' which is known to have therapeutic powers to cure skin diseases. Jhiri Mela is celebrated for seven days with great zest and fervour. This is one of the most important and major festival celebrated in Jammu.
History related to Jhiri Mela
Jhiri is a village that is situated 20 kms from Jammu, on the Jammu-Akhnoor highway. A farmer named Baba Jitu lived in this village some 500 years ago. During this age, the feudal lords known as Zamindars tortured the farmers and demanded a major share of the wheat crop from them. Owing to the constant oppression of the Feudal lords, this honest farmer preferred sacrificing his life instead to giving in to the demands of the Zamindars. They demanded a major share of the wheat crop from Jit, who was a poor farmer. Since the peasant had slogged hard to cultivate the crop, he did not want to succumb to the unjust demand. Rather than parting with his crop, he preferred to take the extreme step of ending his life over the stack of wheat. He has ever since been honoured as Baba Jittoo and is sacred for standing up against the injustice and unfair action meted out to the peasants during the feudal times.
Celebration of Jhiri Mela
Every year, the fair is held to pay homage to the father and her seven year old daughter Bua Kouri who set herself on fire with her father Baba Jitu. A temple has been built at the place of martyrdom of Jit and his daughter to honour their sacrifices. The villagers and their descendants attend the annual fair to be remorseful for chipping in the blood strained grains and for not coming forward to support him. This Fair is held to honour the courage of a farmer, his sacrifice for the emancipation of the farming community. This fair commemorates honesty, incorruptibility, meekness and stands for valour, traditions and candour. Lakhs of tourists from all over the World gather during the Jhiri Mela to pay tribute to the Samadhi of this legendary farmer.
In addition to being a religious affair, the mela also grants marketing outlet to the local sugarcane growers. As the area is famous for sugarcane crop, most visitors to the fair comes here to purchase sugarcane. During the fair, exhibitions are organized that provide assorted variety of articles ranging from pottery, vases, utensils and toys to books on Baba Jitu. For the people coming from all over India, one important ritual during the Jhiri Mela is to take a holy dip in Babe- da- Talab' which is known to have therapeutic powers to cure skin diseases. Jhiri Mela is celebrated for seven days with great zest and fervour. This is one of the most important and major festival celebrated in Jammu.