Padam Gurung
Kathmandu, 27 Aug: Yesterday 26 August marked the conclusion of Teej, one of the most significant Hindu festivals for women in Nepal. Celebrated with joy, devotion, and vibrant traditions, Teej brings together women from across the country to honor Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, symbolizing love, devotion, and marital harmony.
During the festival, women dress in red saris, green bangles, and traditional ornaments, filling temples and streets with color and festivity. They gather in groups to sing Teej songs, perform dances, and share stories of womanhood and family life. The festival begins with ‘Dar Khane Din’, when women enjoy a grand feast before starting a strict fast. On the main day of Teej, thousands of women visit temples—especially Pashupatinath in Kathmandu—to offer prayers and seek blessings for the wellbeing of their husbands and families. Even unmarried women participate, praying for a good life partner.
The festival is not only a religious event but also a cultural expression of women’s unity and empowerment. Despite modern changes and critiques of extravagance, Teej continues to be a strong reflection of Nepal’s traditions, faith, and social values.
As the celebrations ended yesterday, women across Nepal carried home blessings, laughter, and renewed strength—marking the end of another Teej season filled with devotion and togetherness.
Nepali women begin feeling the excitement for Teej nearly two weeks before the festival. Preparations start early, as many arrange money to buy red saris, red lehengas, and traditional ornaments. The anticipation grows so much that, about a week before the festival, some even feel nervous or anxious, eager for the celebrations to begin.
Teej Turning into a Show of Luxury
Teej, known as the festival of Hindu women, is becoming more and more popular. Although the custom of eating and feeding dar in the name of Teej festival has been around since ancient times, now the custom of feeding dar has been growing even before the festival.
Currently, women’s organizations affiliated with political parties, various women’s groups and organizations, security agencies, and government offices have started organizing Teej programs.
The festival has been found to be distorted as the tradition of competing in organizing special Teej programs and serving expensive dishes has grown. Although the practice of observing fasting (Upasana) during traditional festivals is gradually decreasing, the tradition of organizing programs in the name of Teej even before the festival arrives and feeding the poor is having a direct impact on people’s health and economic situation.
According to the senior citizens of the society, the Teej festival is an opportunity for meeting between sisters, brothers, and family. Although it is a cultural festival or an opportunity for family reunions, the senior citizens say that the festival is becoming more like a distortion than a culture as Teej programs are now being organized in places like classy hotels and party palaces. They have also expressed concern that traditions are being lost, saying that it is a sad fact that culture is being distorted and traditions are being forgotten.
The song is not Teej related, video is taken on 26 August
Necessary to return Teej to its traditional practices
As the vibrant festival of Teej, cultural experts and community leaders have expressed concern over the increasing commercialization and extravagance surrounding the celebrations. Once a festival rooted in devotion, fasting, and cultural rituals, Teej is now increasingly marked by lavish spending on red saris, jewelry, and grand feasts, which many believe overshadows its original significance.
“Teej should reflect devotion and cultural values, not just a show of luxury,” said a cultural activist. Women, who begin preparing weeks in advance, often feel pressured to spend heavily on clothes and celebrations, diverting attention from the spiritual and traditional essence of the festival.
Experts are urging families, communities, and organizers to bring back simplicity and focus on traditional rituals, such as fasting, prayers to Goddess Parvati, and communal gatherings that emphasize unity and cultural heritage. They believe that restoring these practices will not only strengthen women’s cultural identity but also preserve the spiritual importance of Teej for future generations.
As the festival comes to an end each year, the call grows louder: to celebrate Teej with devotion, simplicity, and respect for tradition, rather than indulgence and extravagance.
In the past, young women used to sing songs of sorrow during Teej, expressing their emotions and hardships. Today, however, singing or even listening to these traditional melancholic songs has become embarrassing. Most of the music during Teej celebrations now resembles disco beats or lively party songs, with people dancing to modern rhythms instead of traditional tunes.
Experts say that to preserve the cultural essence of Teej, it is now essential for society, intellectuals, and the government to take active steps and initiatives.
