Geruka Snaan Mela
HinduMadhesi / Mithila
Dates
| 2083 BS | Date to be announced | Date to be announced |
| 2084 BS | Date to be announced | Date to be announced |
Geruka Snaan Mela (Maithili: गेरुका स्नान मेला) also known as Geruka Mahakumbha Mela is a month-long Hindu religious fair held on the bank of Geruka river located at Khuttapiparadhi village of Loharpatti Rural Municipality in the Mithila region of Nepal. It is also held at some other locations in the region like Khairbani village of the Sonma Rural Municipality in the Mahottari district.
The devotees participating in the fair bathe in the river and perform worship at the shrines on the river banks. The fair of the Geruka Snaan Mela is considered as a symbol of the civilisation in the Mithila region and its cultural identity.
Legend
According to legend, the personification of the Geruka river is considered as a sakhi (lady friend) of the Goddess Sita in Hinduism. It is said that at the time of marriage, princess Sita of Mithila worshiped Goddess Gauri and immersed the worship material in the Geruka river. The tradition of worshiping Goddess Gauri and immersing worship material in the river is still alive and continues nowadays. According to the culturalist Parameshwar Kapadi, Goddess Sita blessed her friend Geruka that in the month of Adhika (Purushottam month), the praises of the glory of the Geruka river would be sung, the sins of those who bathe in this river would be destroyed and the wishes would be fulfilled. At that time, she also granted a boon to the Geruka river that all the devis and devatas would gather and bathe in the river during the month of Malmaas. According to the priest Devachandra Jha, the Geruka river is the form the beloved friend of Goddess Sita and carries divine faith. He says that performing chanting, penance, and charity on the banks of the river, is believed to yield auspicious results. Bathing in the holy waters of this religious river is considered to be fruitful. The Geruka Snaan Mela is held on every three years during the month of Malmaas also known as month of Purushottam. The fair is organised for a time span of one month. The fair is associated with the epic Ramayana. In the text Mithila Mahatmya, there is mention of Goddess Sita used to bathe in the sacred Geruka river.