NEPAL, we have hundreds of different festivals celebrated in different ways, times, and places by different communities. Among those festivals, Teej is one of the most celebrated festivals in Nepal. The Teej festival is also have other names and they are Haritalika Teej or Haryali Teej. And it’s a Hindu festival it is festival for women. And is primarily this festival will celebrated by girls and married women as well. This festival celebrates on the base on Hindu religion and its religious faith so it’s dedicated to the goddess Parvati.
During this festival, married and unmarried women will visit the lord Shiva Temple nearby to worship. Married women pray for the good health, long life, and well-being of their husbands and unmarried women will pray to find a good husband in the future. The main ways of celebrating this festival are by fasting and going to temples for the glorification of the men. While fasting they even put a drop of water or any food in their mouth for the day long.
Because of the special occasion, women will get more freedom, their offices will close, and at home, they don’t need to work like normal days. So they enjoy it fullest way during the Teej Festival. On the occasion of Teej, women will wear mostly red outfits as they put red sarees, Mehandi in their hands, necklaces, and other colorful items. Therefore this day they look really gorgeous and these all things represent the role and beauty of women in society.
Teej Festival celebrates for 3 days. The first day is Dar Khane Din it’s the kind of day to have a great party with friends and families. In Nepal at the Dar Khane Din ladies will get off from the work and they will attend different kinds of celebrations. They share their sadness and happiness via songs and dance with everyone. However, nowadays it become a kind of fashion and going out of track then it used to be. Because people are doing whatever they want.
The second day is all about worshiping and fasting. Today married women will fast because of the wishes that God will bless them with prosperity, longevity, and peace in their families and especially their husbands. On the other hand, unmarried girls will fast because they hope and wish that God will bless them with a good husband in the future. All of them go to the Shiva shrine to worship. In Kathmandu, most of the women go to the Pashupatinath Temple. So that on the occasion of the Teej Festival there will be a big line of women in beautiful dresses.
The last day of the Teej festival is a very important day for the women who celebrate Teej. This day will celebrates as the Rishi Panchami. During this day the women will offer or donate something to seven saints or sages. It’s believed that when they do this it will purity all the sins they did without knowing sometimes in their life. While they offer something to the saints. At first they perform a kind of Puja to the different deities to clear the ways.
Teej Festival has its faith and values in Nepali society and culture. So that this festival is known as the one of the biggest women’s festivals in Nepal. Each year between August and September this festival will celebrate with love and joy. If you wish to witness this festival you have to travel to Nepal during the summer season.
