Kathmandu, 14 Sep: The great Hindu festival of Haritalika Teej began on Sunday with the traditional Dar feast. Nepali women traditionally eat Dar on Sunday and observe a day-long fast on Monday, praying for the happiness, prosperity and well-being of their husbands and families.
Since women observe a foodless fast on the day of Teej, they traditionally consume nutritious food on the previous evening to build up their strength. There is also a longstanding tradition of women being invited to their maternal homes by their parents and relatives for the Dar feast.
Traditionally, Dar was eaten only at the maternal home. In recent years, however, the practice of organizing Dar feasts has spread to Kathmandu and other areas, with some celebrations beginning as early as a month before Teej. This year, however, the festivities have been subdued following the Bhotekoshi floods.
Nutritionist Dr. Aruna Uprety has advised women to avoid foods that could adversely affect their health during the Dar feast, including inedible items, artificially coloured sweets, and fruits and vegetables contaminated with pesticides. She has suggested celebrating Teej by eating fresh, home-prepared dishes rather than relying on heavily decorated sweets and fruits.
During Teej, parents and brothers traditionally invite their daughters, sisters and other female relatives to their maternal homes and serve them the Dar feast. Astrologer Bishal Gautam said religious scriptures prescribe that the Dar meal should be completed before the night advances too far.
Teej is also regarded as a festival through which women express the hardships, sorrow and difficulties they have experienced throughout the year. Women often use Teej songs to express their joys and grievances and share their experiences.
According to astrologer Gautam, the Teej festival formally begins with the Dar feast and continues until Rishi Panchami. The Haritalika fast is observed on Tritiya, Lord Ganesha is worshipped on Chaturthi, and the festival concludes on Panchami with a ritual bath and the worship of the Saptarishi, or seven sages, along with Arundhati.
Religious Significance of Teej
According to Hindu tradition, Goddess Parvati observed a strict fast and performed penance to attain Lord Shiva as her husband, and her wish was ultimately fulfilled. Based on this belief, unmarried women observe the Teej fast praying for a suitable husband, while married women fast for their husbands’ good health, longevity and prosperity.
During Haritalika Teej, hundreds of thousands of women visit Shiva temples across Nepal, including the revered Pashupatinath Temple, to worship and offer prayers to Lord Shiva.
Preparations at Pashupatinath
Meanwhile, the Pashupati Area Development Trust has made special arrangements to facilitate devotees visiting Pashupatinath Temple during this year’s Haritalika Teej festival. Four separate queues were arranged to make it easier for fasting women to access the temple.
The trust said all necessary preparations had been completed to make the festival safe, orderly and convenient. The four entrances to the Pashupatinath Temple were opened at 3:00 a.m. on Monday to facilitate devotees arriving for darshan.
As in previous years, arrangements were also made for special worship and special darshan during Teej. To facilitate devotees, transparent barriers were installed along the northern, eastern and southern entrances from the time the temple opened on Monday morning, allowing devotees to proceed through the designated routes for darshan.
Security arrangements were strengthened to manage the large crowds. Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police established separate command posts to manage the festival area, regulate the routes used by devotees and ensure their safety.
According to the trust, the policy generally restricting male entry into certain areas during the Teej rush has also been continued this year, taking into consideration the privacy and dignity of women observing the fast.
