HARITALIKA TEEJ
What is Teej ? When and How do we celebrate Teej ?
Occurring
around the month of August, Teej is a festival celebrated by women all over
Nepal for three days. Decked up in red sarees and red tika, bangles, women sing
and dance to traditional folk songs for days. It is specially significant for
married women, when they get a special invitation to visit their maternal home
and feast.
Following a
long feast also known as Dar, the women, sit for a 24 hour long fasting , where
most do not eat or even drink water. What is fascinating is to watch women of
all age group, young and old, dance for hours in the heat , rain, without a
drop of water or food for an entire day.
It is a sight
to behold at the Pashupatinath temple, where thousands of women draped in Red
and green throng the premises of the temple. Observers can take photos of these
women dancing merrily , where sometimes foreigners, especially women tourists
are requested to participate in the merry-making.
The
significance of such a festival is for women to ask for special blessings by
Lord Shiva, to have attain a good husband in life, and to pray for his
longevity and prosperity.
On the final
day of this three day festival Women satisfy seven saints offering them food,
money and various offerings, and also bathing with Red mud and brushing their
teeth with Datiwan (branches of a bush tree) hoping this purifies their body
and soul.
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