Teej

                                            Teej

Teej is a festival celebrated by Nepali women, for the long life of her husband and long and firm relationship between them until the death this life and all the lives to come. Teej is observed for marital happiness, well-being of spouse and children and purification of own body and soul. Teej is  the most famous festival among Nepali women. 

The folk music and dances add more flavor to traditional values of Teej. It is fascinating to see women, in “Red” dancing and singing on the street, going to temple in holy and fasting mood. Teej is also called Hari Talika Teej. This festival is celebrated by Nepali Hindu women all across the world.

How do we celebrate teej?

The eve (first day of Teej) is called Dar Khane Din. On this day all the family members especially the women, both married and unmarried gather at one place, in their finest outfits of red (called Saubhagya) and start dancing and singing devotional songs mixed with Nepali folk and Dohori songs. 

This evening the grand feast takes place. The grand feast is called “Dar”. The fun often goes on till midnight, after midnight the 24-hour fasting starts.

On Teej, the devotees do not eat and drink the whole day. They first offer worship to Lord Shiva and spend the rest of the day singing and dancing in the temple premises. Singing Teej songs like "Teej ko rahar aayo bari lai". Indeed, women are seen mostly in holy sites on this day. Men are not allowed to enter the most of Shiva Temples on this day. 

Outside Kathmandu valley too, women gather in public places like roads and markets and enjoy the festival by singing and Dancing.

Though the women fast throughout the day - refusing to take even a drop of water - Teej brings smiles on the faces of women in the cities and villages. 

It is a rare opportunity for many married women in Nepali village to go to their mother’s home due to busy schedules in village farm works. The parents invite their daughters or send someone to bring their daughters to their home a day or two before the festival. There they contribute of the ritual food called dar before going on a fast on Teej. Interestingly, no daughter goes to her mother’s place during this festival unless they get an invitation from her parents or brothers. In case they do not get an invitation from their parents, they feel extremely sad - they say it is the saddest 

moment in their life.

The timing of the festival is practical in a rural society like ours as it falls immediately after the farm work is over. This festival takes place after the farmers finish weeding their paddy fields.

Hindu women across the country celebrate this festival with much fun, the food they eat in the form of "dar" varies from place to place. In hills of eastern Nepal they take porridge, sel roti and mutton in the form of dar whereas in western Nepal, they eat rice cooked in ghee which they call latte. In the city, pulau, sweets, mutton, fish make the main menu of dar. 

These days it is becoming expensive to celebrate Teej as the people seem to be competing in inviting relatives and friends for the dar eating and spending more for other ritual practices.