Jayanti

Jayanti is a term used in several Indian languages to denote a birth anniversary or commemorative day. It is derived from Sanskrit and is used to mark the birthday of a person, a deity, or a historical event. In common usage, “Jayanti” accompanies the name of the occasion to indicate the celebration. Notable examples include Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India observed on October 2 to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth; Buddha Jayanti, the Buddhist festival Vesak that marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha; and Satyanarayan Jayanti, a Hindu ritual observed on certain days to honor the deity Satyanarayan and recount a sacred story. The term is used across languages in the Indian subcontinent, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Nepali, and others.

Geographically, Jayanti is also used as a place name; there are villages and towns in India that bear Jayanti as part of their name, reflecting its common usage in toponymy. In addition, Jayanti functions as a feminine given name in some communities.

Overall, Jayanti serves as a flexible cultural marker for celebrations and anniversaries, encompassing religious, historical, and personal commemorations within the Indian subcontinent and its linguistic sphere.