TEEJ AND ITS ORIGIN?
The
origin of this festival, as per the Hindu legend, Teej is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati for
her union with Lord Shiva. Teej is celebrated by Nepali women, as well as girls
without eating anything or even drinking water. Married women fast for the long
life of her husband and for a happy relationship in the family. Whereas, girls
fast to get a decent and kind husband, just like “Lord Shiva.” It is the most
popular festival among the Nepali woman.
WHY IS TEEJ CELEBRATED?
Teej in Nepal is
dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, marking her union with Lord Shiva. Teej is
celebrated for the well-being of husband, children, and the whole family.
Nowadays, Nepali women celebrate this festival as a way to be united and having
fun while praying for the well-being of the husband and the entire family. It
has also become a way to bring women together of different class and celebrate
the festival as one. The celebration of Teej implies the ultimate sacrifice a
woman makes for her husband.
As per the legend
of Hindu, Goddess Parvati was accepted by Lord Shiva as his wife in her 108th
birth, which means Goddess Parvati had to take birth for 108 times and keep
unsparing fast in all her life live before being granted by the wish of being
Shiva’s wife by Lord Shiva himself. That is why, Goddess Parvati is also known
as “Teej Mata,” meaning “Goddess of Teej.”
HOW IS TEEJ CELEBRATED?
In Nepal, Teej is a three-day festival.
However, Teej is celebrated in different ways and in different ways in other
countries like India. This festival is celebrated in total three days that
combine sumptuous feast as well as rigid fasting where women don’t even drink a
drop of water. Teej is celebrated all across the world by Nepali Hindu women.
Teej is a vibrant festival that has been more popular since the start of this
festival, however, in these recent years, this festival has influenced many
Nepali women residing all over the world. Women in red attire sing and dance in
the street, going to temple in the holy and fasting mood. Usually, women get
called or collected by their parents or brothers, where she celebrates Teej
with rest of the family members and siblings. Let us look at the three days of
Teej in Nepal.
First Day: The Feast Day
The first day of
Teej known as Dar Khane Din (feast day). In this day, women come together in
one particular place wearing their most elegant dress and jewelry. These women
embellish themselves in sorhasingaar- dressing up and using makeup to the full
extent. Together they are singing devotional Teej song and start dancing. Along
with that celebration, a feast takes place which is very grand with a variety
of foods and desserts.
This day is a
probably the only day of the freedom of expression to Nepali women who work and
dedicated herself to her husband and family only for the entire year. This
particular day, they enjoy their time with friends and eats delicious dishes.
The feast is hosted by the ladies together, or the men host the feast. Women
also get invited by their parents or brothers for the grand feast.
Women also
express their pains in the song they sing while dancing. But, with the change
in time and advancement of communication and awareness, these days Teej is an
occasion to voice their concerns about social issues and discrimination against
women. The feast and celebration go till midnight and after that 24 hours fast starts.
Second
Day: The Fasting Day
This day is the
day of fasting. The fast is very strict and rigid. Some women prefer to have
fruit and liquid, while some keep this fast without food and even drops of
water. There is no restriction for keeping this fast as both married and
unmarried women can take the fast. Married women keep this fast abstaining
themselves from food and drinks with the belief that their devotion to the god
will be blessed with long life, peace, and prosperity of the husband and whole family.
Unmarried keep the fast with a hope of getting a good husband in the future.
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. After that, they join in the singing and dancing with other women. The
very important part of the puja is the oil lamp which must burn throughout the
night. It is in the belief that the light of an oil lamp all night will bring
and peace and prosperity to the whole family.
Third
Day: Rishi Panchami
The last day of
Teej is Rishi Panchami. This day is dedicated to the SaptaRishis (seven sages).
After completing the puja of the previous day, women worship seven sages. They
offer their prayer to the deities and take bathe with red mud found on the roots
of the sacred datiwan (holy tree) bush, along with its leaves. The bath ritual
is very important in this day as it is believed that this final ritual of Teej
is an act of purification which discharges women for their sins.
The third day
ritual of Teej is done as an act of seeking the forgiveness. Rishi Panchami is
practiced by both married and unmarried Hindu women and girls who have
experienced their first menstruation cycle. As per the Hindu belief, the
menstruation period is impure, which abstains women and girls from practicing
any religious acts, entering or cooking, making any contacts with the family
members, mainly male and several other rigid rules which must be followed
during the menstruation period. The fasting on this day is kept by Hindu women and
girls to ask forgiveness from the seven saints for any mistakes by them during
the time of their menstruation.
WHEN IS
TEEJ CELEBRATED?
Teej usually
occurs in the month of Bhadra according to the Nepali calendar (August to
September in Solar Calendar) and last for three days.
This year Teej
will be celebrated from Bhadra 4– Bhadra 7 (August 20-24). If we want to
witness this joyous festival of Nepali women, then do not forget to visit the
nearby temple of Lord Shiva.
WHAT ARE
OTHER TYPES OF TEEJ?
Teej can be
observed in different ways in a different country. Teej means “third” day that
falls every month after the new moon and the third day after the full moon
night of every month. There are three different types of Teej, Haryali Teej,
Kajari Teej, and Hartalika Teej; these are mainly practiced in different parts
of India.
Hariyali
Teej
Hariyali Teej is
celebrated to remember the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, the day
when Lord Shiva accepted Parvati as his wife. It is believed that Lord Shiva
accepted Parvati after many austere and fasting in her 108 birth. That is why
Goddess Parvati is also called as Teej Mata.
Kajati
Teej
Kajari Teej is
celebrated by singing folk songs which are known as kauris. The lyrics of the
song focus on separation expressing the pain of women for her beloved parents’
home, where she has been sent to celebrate Teej or waiting in hope to be called
by her brothers to celebrate Teej. This Teej is also known as Kakali Teej.
Women who observe this Teejkept fast without any food or water and broke the
fast by eating sattu (flour consisting mixture of ground pulses and cereals).
This Teej also involves praying the moon. This Teej is somewhat similar to the
Teej of Nepal, where women are collected by her parents or brothers to have a
feast in Dar Khane Din.
Haritalika
Teej
The word
“Haritalika” is comprised of two words “harit” and “aalika”, “harit”
means “abduction” and “aalika” means “female friend.” Haritalika Teej is
celebrated as a remembrance to the Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva union. As per
stories, Goddess Parvati’s father made a promise to marry her with Lord Vishu
against her wish. Parvati told this to her friend, and she took Parvati to a
thick forest where Parvati’s father couldn’t find her, and she won’t have to
marry Lord Vishnu. Goddess Parvati prayed to Lord Shiva by making a Shiva
lingam from her hair. Impressed by her devotion towards him, Lord Shiva married
Parvati and since then the day is referred as Haritalika Teej as Goddess
Parvati’s friend (aalika) abducted (harit) her so she could achieve her goal of
marrying Lord Shiva. The Teej which is practiced in Nepal is Haritalika Teej.
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