KATHMANDU: The Teej festival, one of the most significant festivals observed by Hindu women in Nepal, is being celebrated nationwide today with great devotion and festivity.
Women across the country are marking the occasion by fasting and praying for prosperity, marital bliss, and the well-being of their families.
Teej falls on the third day of the dark fortnight of the lunar month in Bhadra, and is also known as Haritalika Teej. According to the Skanda Purana, the festival is named after a legend from the Satya Yuga in which Goddess Parvati was hidden in a forest by her friends to prevent her marriage to Lord Vishnu, as she wished to marry Lord Shiva.
A day before Teej, women gather at their parental homes to enjoy a special feast known as Dar, which includes a variety of delicious dishes. On the day of the festival, women observe a strict fast—some without even water—and engage in singing and dancing in a celebratory and devotional mood.
Dressed in red saris and adorned with traditional ornaments such as bangles, pote (glass bead necklaces), tilahari, and sindur (vermillion), women flock to temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, especially the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, to offer prayers.
Rituals begin with early morning baths and continue throughout the day with worship. In the evening, devotees light oil lamps and stay awake through the night in devotion to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
The third and final day of the festival involves ritual bathing using 108 stems of Datiwan (a sacred plant), followed by worship of the Saptarishis (seven sages) and the offering of alms, concluding the fast.
Both married and unmarried women participate in Teej. Married women pray for the long life and well-being of their husbands, while unmarried women seek blessings to find a suitable life partner.
Teej is not only a religious observance but also a vibrant expression of womanhood, culture, and tradition in Nepal.
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