Teej festival in Nepal – “The festival especially for Hindu Women.”

About the Teej festival

Nepal is a culturally rich country and celebrates lots of festivals with joy and in a vibrant way. As Nepal is a multi-ethnic country, each festival is celebrated uniquely and joyously. Nepal is a land of festivals and offers different festivals with unique features. Among them, the Teej festival is one of the famous Hindu festivals celebrated by Nepalese women.

Teej festival occurs around the month of in Nepali Bhadra (August to early September in the solar calendar). This festival is also known as Haritalika Teej and lasts for three days. During this festival, Hindu women are decorated in red saree, tika, and bangles, and women sing and dance in traditional folk songs. All women in Nepal celebrate Teej.

This festival is also known as fasting. During the festival, married women fast pray the longer of her husband and for a happy relationship in a family, whereas unmarried girls fast wishing for a decent and kind husband like” Lord shiva” in the Future. This festival is also known as the festival to celebrate happiness among their close ones. Married women are specially invited to their maternal house by their brothers.

The best festival for Women in Nepal is Teej

Nepali women celebrate this festival without eating anything, not a drop of water throughout the whole day.Teej is celebrated in Nepal in the name of Goddess Parvati, for the remembrance of her union with Lord Shiva.Teej is a major festival celebrated by Hindu women. The word “Teej” comes from a small red insect that appears during the period of the monsoon season. Thus, the festival Teej is named after the particular insect “Teej.”

Haritalika Teej falls on the third day of a full moon in the Hindu month of Bhadra. It is fascinating to watch women of all age groups, old and young, dance for hours under the hot sun, without eating food and a single drop of water. Not only this, during these days they visit the shiva mandir staying in line for long hours praying about the conjugal life of their husband and their children. This shows the bravery of Nepalese women.

 

Importance of Teej

The festival Teej is dedicated to Goddess Parvati due to the historical myth that on this day, she was reunited with Lord Shiva. As the festival is also called the fasting festival, women of different ages fast for the well-being of their husbands, children, and the happiness of the entire family by the married women while unmarried women fast to get a decent husband like lord Shiva in their upcoming future.

Not only this, but this festival also increases the sisterhood among women and share happiness and love with each other. Nepali women celebrate Teej as a way to be united and have fun with their close ones. Besides, celebrating Teej has also become a way to bring women together of different classes and celebrate happily. It is said that the ultimate sacrifice of a woman on the day of fasting makes her married life successful.

As per the Hindu myth, Lord Shiva accepts Goddess Parvati as his wife on her 108th birthday, which indicates that Goddess Parvati had to take delivery 108th times. And also, she keeps unsparing fast all her life to please lord shiva for being granted the wish of being Shiva’s wife by Lord Shiva Himself.
This is the reason Goddess Parvati is known as “Teej Mata,” meaning “Goddess of Teej.”

 Celebration of Teej

Teej is usually a three-day festival with vibrant energy. During this time women are decorated with red saree, and bangles and sing traditional Teej songs and dance in the street enjoying a lot. Teej is also celebrated in India but in different ways. The first day of Teej is known as “dar day,” where all the married women are specially invited to their maternal house, or they are pick-up from their home to celebrate this joyous moment and served lots of delicious food. The next day is the fasting day, and the last day of Teej is known as Rishi Panchami day. Teej has been able to gain popularity since the day it was started.

It is intriguing to watch all ladies decked in red clothes, gathering, old and youth, sustaining the entire day without a single drop of water not caring about the hot sun, or downpour.

Let us describe the Three days of the Teej celebration  in detail:

First Day: The Feast Day

“DAR KHANE DIN”/feast day is the name given to the first day of Teej. On this eve (dar khane din), all the relatives, acquaintances, siblings, wedded as well as unmarried girls are gathered at one spot and celebrate these days with singing, dancing, and having delicious food. In this, women are decked in elegant dresses and jewelry or any best outfits red and share their happiness.
That night they sing Nepalese folk songs and Dohori songs with loud tunes and dance, forgetting all the stress of life that increases the sisterhood among them.

The elegant dress shows the woman as a princess. The dining experience of this night is excellent and enjoyable with an amazing blowout called “dar.”It is so-called as the women taking fast the next day feed themselves with an enormous amount of food called “Daro khana” in Nepali.” Daro khana” means substantial nourishment. That is why the name dar is involved. On that day, women eat till noon after that; they will have fasting for a continuous 24 hr. They get invited to their parent’s house and celebrate happiness.

Teej festival is celebrated throughout the country

The women decorate themselves in Sorhasingaar, dressing up with elegant clothes and using heavy makeup along with dazzling jewelry. They sing devotional Teej songs and start dancing to the cultural tune. With a grand feast party with a variety of foods, desserts, and beverages.  We can have desserts, Nepali food like kheer, sel roti, and other non-veg products such as mutton, chicken, etc. based on their choices.

On this day, women express their freedom that work and dedicating their all time to their husbands and family for their entire life. This is the day for women, so they enjoy their time with their close ones, friends, family, and relatives, and eat delightful dishes. The traditional Teej songs are made for women by depicting the pain in their daily lives and the struggle they have done throughout their lifetime. The feast and celebration go till midnight and after that fast start for 24 hrs.

Second Day: The Fasting Day

The second day of the Teej festival is the first day called a fasting day. The women take a very firm and strict fast without drinking a drop of water also. It is believed that Goddess Parvati has done the same for being grated as Shiva’s wife. On these days, women took an early morning bath. Afterward, wear an elegant dress with jewelry and do full makeup and go to visit the holy temple of lord Shiva. It also makes her wish fulfilled. Some women will have fruit and liquid after worshiping Lord Shiva.  while others keep their fast throughout the day without food and even a drop of water.

On this day too, women wear their best attire, especially the red sari, and visit the nearby Shiva temple, where they offer their praying with flowers, fruits, sweets, and coins. And they go dancing and singing and make fun together with other women. The majority of people visit the Pashupatinath temple on this day. While to avoid crowds, many people visit their nearest lord Shiva temple. Unmarried women keep fast with a wish to get a good husband and a happily married life in the future. On this day, wedded women cheerfully dress in red sari and lehenga, along with their Lagan Ko Pote, Nathhi, other adornments, and Chhadke Tilahari (which are considered most essential for married women) and visit a close-by Lord Shiva’s sanctuary singing and moving the whole distance.

Women keep fasting for the peace and prosperity of the family.

Married women keep this fast, keeping themselves away from food and drinks. They believe that their devotion to God will be blessed with long life. And also for the peace, and prosperity of the husband and whole family. It is in the hope that the light of an oil lamp all night will bring peace and prosperity to the entire family.

According to traditional belief, the women break their fasting after worshiping their husbands at night. It is also said that they used to drink leg water “Khutta Doko pain” of their husbands and fed by their husbands. But nowadays, this trend is not followed by many people. Some women eat fruits, drink water, and milk only on this day in the wish of completing her Teej Barta only after attending “Panchamipuja.”

Third-Day: Rishi Panchami

The final day of the Teej festival is known as Rishi Panchami, which is dedicated to Saptarishis (seven sages). Women worship seven sages after completing the puja of the previous fasting day.
On the early morning before the rise of the sun, they take bathe with leaves and red mud found on the roots of the sacred Datiwan (holy tree) bush and pray for the deities. Also, they brush their teeth with Datiwan (branches of a bush tree), hoping this purifies their body and soul.

This day is significant as it believes that taking a bath with all rituals. They act as a way of purification that discharges women for their sins. People believe this day to seek forgiveness.
Both married and unmarried Hindu women and girls who have experienced their first menstruation cycle should attend Rishi Panchami. On this day, also women take a fast until they complete their rishi Panchami puja. The fasting on this day is kept by Hindu women and girls to ask forgiveness from the seven saints for any mistakes they have done knowingly or unknowingly during the time of their menstruation.

Conclusion of Teej 

We all know that about 51% of the total population of Nepal is women. Thus, the Nepal governments declare the public for women on this day to celebrate this festival. Hence, it is one of the biggest celebrations in Nepal. Women ask for special blessings from Lord Shiva, to have a decent husband and pay for his longevity and prosperity.

However, in recent years, this festival has influenced many Nepali women scattered all over the world. Due to the recent digitalization, the show-off trend is increasing in the festive period. As rich women show off, their luxurious ornaments and post their pictures on social media. This is becoming the most significant reason to celebrate the festival.

Not only this but traditional Teej songs are also replaced by new westernized music. This is not a good way but if it goes, the day is not so far, our traditional culture will vanish. We need to respect and preserve our culture and festival.

 

Reason for celebrating Hartalika Teej

Nepal celebrates Teej as its biggest holiday because of its traditional beliefs. The celebration of Teej and Rishi Panchami was based on a wide range of religious ideals and principles.

As per Hindu mythology, Shree Swosthani Bratakatha, goddess Parvati, and her friends left their house and headed for the forest because she was worried that her father, Himalaya, would give his commitment to Vishnu and give his daughter Parvati in marriage. She then made her way to the forest and began to pray to Shiva to grant her request to marry him.

He promised to grant her desire when he stated “tathastu.” On Teej Day, Parvati finally fulfilled her lifelong dream of marrying her beloved. Therefore, single women celebrate this day in hopes of finding the spouse of their dreams, while married women celebrate it in hopes of their husbands living long, healthy lives.

Ladies fast on Teej and worship Lord Shiva in the hopes that single women will find a spouse like Lord Shiva. On the other hand, married women fast for their husbands, who will live long and fruitful lives. Since Lord Shiva and Parvati’s reunion is celebrated on Teej, it holds religious significance.

On Teej, married women adore their husbands as gods and get the first bite of food and the first sip of water from their husbands after a strict fast. They prostrate themselves at their husbands’ feet for blessing.

The festival is celebrated for the happiness of spouses and kids as well as the cleansing of one’s spirit and body. It is dedicated to Parvati and honors her marriage with Shiva. A festival is a three-day event that includes lavish feasts and strict fasting. Women celebrate Teej (sometimes spelled Tij) in honor of their husbands’ long lives and their enduring marriage in this world and all future lifetimes. On the third day following the new moon of the month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September), it is mainly honored by women from different castes in Nepali culture, specifically the Chettri, Bahun, Kiratis, and others.

Teej has ancient and modern significance as a festival of enjoying time with siblings, and in certain areas, it is known as a “festival of sisterhood.” Although it appears to be a celebration of sisterhood because married women have limited opportunities to see their birthplace sisters and friends, Similarly, brothers play a significant role in the festival, as they call their sisters on this auspicious occasion and prepare special food for them. All the girls also spend time getting ready to look their best and dancing to forget their in-laws’ discomfort, which is expressed in the form of folk dance and songs.

Method of celebrating Haritalika Teej

Women beautify themselves like brides by wearing heavy antique ornaments and bright traditional clothing. Women assemble to enjoy the meal by calling their female friends, family members, and neighbors.

They then sing and dance while taking in the festivities. They often exchange presents in order to show each other their affection and happiness.

Even though Pashupatinath Temple is where most women in Nepal celebrate Teej, some also do it at home or at a nearby Shiva temple. After paying respects to Lord Shiva, one can gather in the privacy of their own home with their sisters and friends. During Teej, married ladies are invited to their mothers’ houses. The mother and daughter might use it as a justification to spend time together and have fun.

They dance, play instruments, and sing traditional songs. During Teej, being at home with your loved ones is a source of enjoyment and joy. You may forget your tension and improve your connection with them by having fun together. Sing bhajans in honor of Lord Shiva and Parvati with them, and at night, listen to the devotional Lord Shiva’s tales to feel peaceful and committed.

Why do women wear red during the Teej festival?

In Nepal, married ladies wear red exclusively. Although everyone can wear red whenever they wish, red has special significance in Nepali culture and tradition in Teej. For married ladies, red is regarded as a “Shubha,” or fortunate color. In keeping with Hindu custom, a woman wears red at her wedding. During the marriage ceremony, the male applies red vermillion powder to the woman’s forehead. A married lady typically dresses in red, whether it is a tika, a necklace, bangles, or clothing after marriage.

As a result, they dress in red during Teej to resemble brides. Women are eager to purchase new clothing and accessories to wear during Teej. Red, yellow, and green are occasionally combined to enhance their attractiveness. Additionally, they favor applying Mehendi to their hands, another ornament for both married and single ladies.

 

Importance of Pasupatinath Temple on Teej

The Pashupatinath Temple is one of Nepal’s most renowned and historic sites. It is filled with hope and good vibes. It is also said that the deity Shiva’s avatar previously resided there. So many female worshipers of Lord Shiva come to the temple.

Married and single ladies in red, who are energetic and enthusiastic, beautify the historic Pashupatinath shrine.

This revered temple is the first choice for ladies to worship Lord Shiva during the Teej festival. On this day, red becomes the dominant color, and Nepali ladies will make an effort to be as joyful as they can be in order to catch Shiva’s eye. Pashupati, in Hindu mythology, is a representation of Lord Shiva in the form of an animal.

People come to this revered temple to worship Lord Shiva and to offer prayers for their families happiness and health. During the Teej Festival, tens of thousands of Nepali women go to the Pashupatinath temple. On the exceptional occasion of the auspicious Teej festival, they worship and dance for the entire day.

What Can Tourists See?

In Kathmandu, devotees might be seen wearing emerald-colored clothing and admiring spectacular scenery during Teej. The Goddess Parvati (Teej Mata) idol is shown throughout the ceremony. In addition to singing and dancing, a large number of ladies may be observed worshiping the deity everywhere, even on the street and in homes.

The world’s population may find these activities interesting and appealing. Nowadays, tourists are always looking for something new while trying to learn about the culture and religion of the nation. Visitors may view it and take pictures of it.

As time goes by, non-Hindus and visitors from other countries will also be able to take part in the amusing celebration. Additionally, the Gai Jatra and Nepal Kumari Festivals will likely take place during your stay in Nepal in August or September.

If you’re interested, you may join them in celebrating, which can add excitement to your trip while you’re in Nepal. The Teej festival will be celebrated on September 18, 2023, throughout Nepal.

For tourists from outside of Nepal, this is the ideal time to learn about its customs and culture. You can travel to Nepal in August or September during the holiday season if this article piques your interest and you wish to take part in the Teej festival there.

 

Dates of Haritalika Teej in Nepal

Year  Day  Month    Holiday

2024  Fri,    Sep 6    National Holiday

2023  Mon  Sep 18  National Holiday

 2022  Tue   Aug 30 National Holiday

2021  Thu, Sep 9  National Holiday

2020  Fri, Aug 21  National Holiday

 

Importance of Rishi Panchami

Rishi Panchami, there is a national holiday in Nepal as it is a traditional Hindu celebration. All women participate, as well as girls who have had their first period, asking for forgiveness for any mistakes made when they were on their periods. The dates of certain past, present, and upcoming Rishi Panchami celebrations are provided.

Year     Date    Day      Holiday

2022    31 Aug Wed    Rishi Panchami

2021    11 Sep Sat       Rishi Panchami

2020    23 Aug Sun      Rishi Panchami

2019    3 Sep   Tue      Rishi Panchami

2018    14 Sep Fri        Rishi Panchami

2017    26 Aug Sat       Rishi Panchami

2023    19 Sep Tue      Rishi Panchami

2024    8 Sep   Sun      Rishi Panchami

2025    28 Aug Thu      Rishi Panchami

2026    16 Sep Wed    Rishi Panchami

 

Rishi Panchami falls on September 1 this year. In Hinduism, Rishi Panchami is a significant holiday. Hinduism observes Rishi Panchami as a celebration and an important occasion.

On the fifth day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada, the festival of Rishi Panchami is observed. The day after Ganesh Chaturthi is the day of this event. This is how the Sapta Rishis are traditionally worshipped, and on this day, respect is shown for them.

The goal of this fast is to honor the outstanding achievements of those ancient sages or gurus who dedicated their lives to the betterment of society, as well as to express respect, thanks, and memory for them.

Kashyapa, Atri, Bharadwaja, Vishwamitra, Gautam Maharishi, Jamadagni, and Vashishtha are the seven gurus. This day is further observed as Vishwakarma Puja in various areas of Kerala. On the day of Rishi Panchami, one can obtain forgiveness for sins done consciously or unconsciously by keeping a fast. It is also important to bathe in the holy rivers on this day.

 

Worship regulations for Rishi Panchami

Men and women should both observe this fast in order to atone for any unintentional sins they may have committed. In India, the individual who is fasting should take a bath in the Ganga river or any other pond. If this is not possible, you should take a bath at home by combining Ganga water with bathing water.

Make an urn out of mud or copper water next, then clean the cow manure before creating Ashtadal Kamal. As you listen to the tale, worship the Sapta Rishis, including Arundhati, and feed the Brahmins before devouring it for yourself.

However, there is a small difference in how Rishi Panchami is celebrated in Nepal. Women bathe ceremonially in holy water on Rishi Panchami, whether in a river, pond, or other body of water.

They take a bath before the sun rises, cover themselves in certain kinds of mud, wash their teeth with datiwan herb, present datiwan leaves to the gods, and fast throughout the day. They may also do numerous additional religious practices, such as washing their husbands’ feet.

Numerous Hindu deities get particular adoration on this day. Among them are the Sapta Rishi, often known as the “seven sages,” who are said to reside in the Great Bear Constellation. On Rishi Panchami, it is possible to create images of these seven gods and other gods out of cow dung.

 

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Teej festival?

According to Indian mythology, Hariyali Teej—also known as Teej Mata on this day—celebrates the merger of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. On this auspicious day, women pray for a happy marriage and the welfare of their families.

Where in Nepal is Teej celebrated?

Even though Pashupatinath Temple is where most women in Nepal celebrate Teej, some also do it at home. They visit a nearby Shiva temple during the day to worship Shiva. After paying respects to Lord Shiva, people can assemble with their sisters and friends in the privacy of their own homes. During Teej, married ladies are invited to their mothers’ houses.

What does Teej mean?

Married and single ladies alike celebrate this Teej festival only for the purpose of obtaining Goddess Parvati’s and Shiva’s blessings. It is observed on Tritiya, or the third day of the Shukla paksha, in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada.

Is Teej for married Women?

It is said that Parvati fasted and prayed to Lord Shiva for an entire day. She pleased Lord Shiva, who took her as his wife as a result of her devotion. In a traditional ceremony, Parvati married Lord Shiva with the blessing of her father. As a result, both married and single Hindu women participate in the annual Hartalika Teej celebration. While unmarried girls hope for a perfect and devoted spouse, married ladies pray for their husband’s long life and wealth.

How can I break my Teej fast while I’m in Nepal?

Women break their fast on the third day of the festival, which is also its last day. Rishi Panchami is the name of this day. The ladies worshiped the Rishi sapta puja before breaking the fast. This tradition has been carrying on for more than 750 years. They are able to break their fast by consuming water, fruits, and cooked veg foods.