KATHMANDU: Hindu women across the country are observing Rishipanchami today, marking the conclusion of the Teej festival.
The festival is observed primarily by women who have reached menstruation age, as a day of purification and devotion. Fasting and worship are performed to honor the Saptarishis—the seven revered sages in Hindu mythology—with the belief that doing so will absolve them of any sins believed to have been committed during their menstrual cycles.
On this day, devotees wake up early and bathe in nearby rivers, ponds, streams, or lakes as part of the ritual. They cleanse their bodies using 365 stems of Apamarga (a medicinal plant), as well as cow dung, sacred soil, and ash.
The fasting ritual involves a morning bath followed by prayer. Devotees then eat a single meal consisting of grains, wild fruits, kandamul (edible roots), vegetables, and guava before resuming their fast.
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