Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili

"Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili" (Maithili: जय मिथिला, जय मैथिली) also written as Jai Mithila, Jai Maithili is a slogan cum greetings phrase that expresses the pride of the Mithila region and its mother language Maithili.^[1][2] The slogan "Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili" translates to "Victory to Mithila, Victory to Maithili" or "Glory to Mithila, Glory to Maithili." It is chanted or expressed in written form for the salutations to the land of the Mithila region, its culture and the mother tongue Maithili.^[3][4] It is often used as a cultural and political rallying cry by Maithili-speaking people.^[5] It is also used as a greetings phrase among Maithil people in the Indian subcontinent.

The term "Jay" is a Sanskrit word having meaning "triumph," "victory," or "rejoice". "Mithila" refers to the cultural region of Mithila in the Indian subcontinent. Similarly the term "Maithili" refers to the mother tongue of the cultural region. Together, "Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili" translates to "Victory to Mithila, Victory to Maithili" or "Hail Mithila, Hail Maithili".

The slogan of Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili has been used in several movements originated in the Mithila region for the protection of its cultural identity and its mother language Maithili. It is a cultural greeting and patriotic slogan used by the Maithili-speaking community to celebrate the cultural identity of the Mithila region in India and Nepal. It binds with the common emotion of the Maithil community living in the Mithila region or all over the world.^[6][7] It helps to strengthen the Beti-Roti relation in the Mithila region between the two culturally tied nations of India and Nepal.^[8] In the region, when a Maithil leader addresses a public gatherings, the slogan of Jay Mithila Jay Maithili is used as opening as well as concluding slogan to signify the cultural identity and mother tongue of the region.^[9][10] It helps leader to binds the people of the region in an emotional boundary.^[11]

In the recent years, several Maithili songs have been composed and sung with the title "Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili" by several Maithili singers and composers.

In the Indian subcontinent, the region of Mithila has its own unique cultural identity tracing back to the period of Ramayana and Vedas. Mithila has its mentioned as the Kingdom of Videha. According to the text Shatapatha Brahmana, it was established by the King Videgha Mathava. He was the disciple of the sage Gotama Râhûgana. Similarly, according to the epic text Ramayana, Nimi of the first King of Videha. His religious guru cum advisor was the Vedic sage Vashistha. His son was the King Mithi. He was the first Janaka of this dynasty. His religious guru and advisor was the Vedic sage Gautama. The name Mithila was derived from the name Mithi of the Janaka Dynasty. From his period the Kingdom of Videha was also called as Mithila. In the region of Mithila, Sanskrit and Maithili are the two major elite languages. Sanskrit language is the major language of the ritualistic literature in the region. Similarly, Maithili is major language of the local cultural literature in the region. The term Maithili is also used to signifies name of the princess Sita of the ancient kingdom. Thus, the phrase Jay Mithila, Jay Maithili symbolises the pride of the cultural identity of the region and its mother tongue Maithili as well as the salutations to Goddess Sita of Mithila.