Teej festival being celebrated nationwide with enthusiasm

KATHMANDU: Haritalika (Teezj festival celebrated on the day of Bhadra Shukla Tritiya is being celebrated today by worshiping mahadev.

Today, the festival of ‘Teej,’ a major festival observed by Nepali Hindu ladies, is being celebrated in magnificent style throughout the country, wishing for a prosperous life and continuous luck.

Haritalika is a combination of two Sanskrit words ‘Harit’ and ‘Alika’. In which the word ‘Harit’ means deprived and the word ‘Alika’ means friend.

It is a Hindu belief that fasting and worshiping Shiva Parvati on Bhadra Shukla Tritiya will bring happiness, tranquility, and well-being to family.

The purpose of fasting, according to the theologian, is to fulfill wishes and to benefit the entire family. This fast is observed by both spiritualists and theists. Overall, the Teej fast is significant for the happiness, peace, and transcendental goodness of the family in this world.

According to custom, women fast on the third day of the dark half of the lunar month, which falls in the Nepali month of Bhadau, and wish for a successful life while celebrating the festival.

The ‘Teej’ festival is also known as the ‘Haritalika’ festival. All Hindu Nepalese women pray and worship at Pashupatinath Temple and other Lord Shiva temples throughout the country.

According to the ‘Skanda Purana (a Hindu religious source), this event was named ‘Haritalika Teej’ as it was on this day in the ‘Satya Yug’ (golden age of truth) when the daughter of the Himalayas, Parvati, was concealed by her attendants due to her refusal to marry Lord Vishnu.

Women enjoy a range of tasty foods known as ‘Dar’ at their parental home where they are specially invited for this reason a day before ‘Teej’ on the night of the second day of the fortnight in the month of Bhadau.

On the day of ‘Teej,’ the women are seen absorbed in exuberant dancing and singing in a carefree atmosphere.

Women wear bangles, ‘Pote’ (a necklace made of glass beads), ‘Tilahari’, and ‘Sindur’ (crimson powder), which are considered good luck symbols, and dress in red saris or other red garments and adorn themselves with other sorts of decorations.

Women today take ceremonial showers and offer worship in the morning, while in the evening they pay homage to Lord Shiva, light lights, and spend the night awake.

The next day, the last day of the celebration, ladies execute religious and cultural rites such as bathing in mud with 108 stems of ‘Datiwan’ (a type of sacred plant).

They also worship the fabled ‘Saptarishis’ (seven sages) and donate charity, bringing the fast to a close.

Both married and unmarried women undertake numerous ‘pujas’ (worships) and fast in order to achieve their desire for a happy and flourishing conjugal life.

According to custom, married women celebrate this festival by wishing their husbands a long life, whilst unmarried ladies who worship Lord Shiva and Parvati are said to find an eligible groom.

Devotees are flocking to temples across the country, including Pashupatinath Temple.