Teej Festival in Nepal
Teej is the fasting festival of women in Nepal. It falls in the month of August or early September. Married women observe Teej fast to honor Lord Shiva and for long and healthy life of their husband. Unmarried girls also observe fast on this day for a good husband. Teej celebrations lasts for three pious days. Traditional dances and songs form an important feature of Teej celebrations. Red color is considered auspicious for women observing Teej fast and so most of them dress up in red or bridal clothes.
Teej Celebrations
Teej is an annual festival of Nepali women. The festival is celebrated with utmost dedication and love by the women in Nepal. Preparations for the festival begin well in advance. Fabric stores, sarees and suit outlets are stocked with the bridal red color fabric. Women spend most of the time shopping when Teej is near.
Teej festival celebrations are carried further with sumptuous feasts and traditional performances. On this day, women dress up beautifully. They clad themselves in red colored apparels, wear glass bangles, heavy ornaments and apply henna. Teej gives women an opportunity to dress like the newly wed. They worship the epitome of divine marriage - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, for longevity and prosperity for their husband and family.
Three Days of Teej
Teej is a three-day-long festival in Nepal and each day has its own significance.
1. First day is called 'Dar Khane Din', the day to make merry.
2. Second day is a 'fasting day'.
3. The third day is called 'Rishi Panchami' in Nepal which is a day to
perform Teej Puja.
Dar Khane Din
The first day of Teej in Nepal is called the 'Dar Khane Din'. On this day, the womenfolk dressed in the finest clothed gather at one place and perform traditional dance and sing devotional songs. A special food called 'dar' is eaten. Celebrations continue till midnight after which the 24-hour-long fast begins.
Fasting Day
The second or the fasting day of the Teej festival is dedicated to pujas and prayers. The holy Pashupatinath temple is thronged by women in red sarees to offer prayers to Lord Shiva. Women gather in the temple and circumambulate the Lingam (phallic symbol of the Lord) adorned with flowers, sweets and coins. The beautifully decorated idols of Shiva and Parvati are offered fruits and flowers to seek blessings of the divine spirits. Lighting of an oil lamp is very important part of the puja ceremony. It is said that the oil lamp should be kept lit all night to avoid bad omen.
Rishi Panchami
The third day of the Teej Festival is called Rishi Panchami. On this day, the seven sages of the Hindu pantheon are worshiped by women in a belief that it will cleanse all sins of the previous year. Womenfolk take a holy bath with red mud found on the roots of the sacred Datiwan bush, along with its leaves. After three hours of rigorous cleansing, they come out purified and absolved from all sins. After this they sit in a semicircle while a priest sitting in the middle chants devotional prayers.
Teej Celebrations
Teej is an annual festival of Nepali women. The festival is celebrated with utmost dedication and love by the women in Nepal. Preparations for the festival begin well in advance. Fabric stores, sarees and suit outlets are stocked with the bridal red color fabric. Women spend most of the time shopping when Teej is near.
Teej festival celebrations are carried further with sumptuous feasts and traditional performances. On this day, women dress up beautifully. They clad themselves in red colored apparels, wear glass bangles, heavy ornaments and apply henna. Teej gives women an opportunity to dress like the newly wed. They worship the epitome of divine marriage - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, for longevity and prosperity for their husband and family.
Three Days of Teej
Teej is a three-day-long festival in Nepal and each day has its own significance.
1. First day is called 'Dar Khane Din', the day to make merry.
2. Second day is a 'fasting day'.
3. The third day is called 'Rishi Panchami' in Nepal which is a day to
perform Teej Puja.
Dar Khane Din
The first day of Teej in Nepal is called the 'Dar Khane Din'. On this day, the womenfolk dressed in the finest clothed gather at one place and perform traditional dance and sing devotional songs. A special food called 'dar' is eaten. Celebrations continue till midnight after which the 24-hour-long fast begins.
Fasting Day
The second or the fasting day of the Teej festival is dedicated to pujas and prayers. The holy Pashupatinath temple is thronged by women in red sarees to offer prayers to Lord Shiva. Women gather in the temple and circumambulate the Lingam (phallic symbol of the Lord) adorned with flowers, sweets and coins. The beautifully decorated idols of Shiva and Parvati are offered fruits and flowers to seek blessings of the divine spirits. Lighting of an oil lamp is very important part of the puja ceremony. It is said that the oil lamp should be kept lit all night to avoid bad omen.
Rishi Panchami
The third day of the Teej Festival is called Rishi Panchami. On this day, the seven sages of the Hindu pantheon are worshiped by women in a belief that it will cleanse all sins of the previous year. Womenfolk take a holy bath with red mud found on the roots of the sacred Datiwan bush, along with its leaves. After three hours of rigorous cleansing, they come out purified and absolved from all sins. After this they sit in a semicircle while a priest sitting in the middle chants devotional prayers.
As the growth in gender equality and feminist approach. Today teej is not only limited till woman but also man do celebrate. Some small majority of man also do fasting. With the increasing influence of westernization and glamorization in each and every life of eastern people, teej also can't go away from this influence. These days Teej has become the show off and way of get-together rather than religious and cultural practice. To give the teej its real essence, we Social Work Student of St.Xavier's College Celebrate Teej in our College. Here i will be showing you some of the Colourful snaps of Teej Festival.
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| Kritika and Isha posing during Teej Dance. |
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| Students of Social Work Dept. dancing with Sr.Lydia Kim |
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| Shantosh, Bibek and Shailendra are getting into Teej |
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| Dance of 3rd and 2nd Year |
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| Pratap Adhikari is busy in taking photograph of beautifully dress lady. |
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| 2nd Year girls on their pose |
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| Teej Celebration with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Year Students. |
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| Bibek Pandi, Puja Adhikari, Me (From Right) |
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| Bibek Pandi, Presca Udas, Shailendra Sah, Me, Suvekshhya Pradhan (From Right) |
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| Ranju Thapa, Durga Pudasaini, Niyanta Shrestha (From Right) |
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| Kritika Pradhan, Suvekshhya Pradhan, Presca Udas, Isha Shretha, Kusum Mahat (From Right) |
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| Boys are singing Teej songs for the ladies. |
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| Aashima Budal and Shriju Aryal (From Right) posing in colorful teej dress. |
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| Dancing and Singing Competition between boys and girls |
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| Daar Khaney Celebration on the occasion of Teej Festival |
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| Girls with their home made food. |
Happy Teej !!!!!!!!!
