Teej being observed today

Teej, the festival celebrated by Hindu women for continued marital bliss is being observed from today across the country.

Basically a women’s festival, Teej usually falls on the third day of the bright fortnight of the month of Shrawan of the Nepali calendar.

However, this year it fell on the month of Bhadra. The festival is especially significant for married women as they observe a one day fast and offer prayers to lord Shiva for the longevity of their husbands. On this day, both young girls and married women, dressed on traditional red sari and pote, sing songs in praise of the Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati for a loving husband (in case of unmarried girls) and continued marital bliss (in case of married women). Unmarried girls receive gifts such as a dress, henna, bangles and sweets from their families and, in case they are engaged, future in-laws, and married women receive blessings from their birth parents.

The festival is also dedicated to Goddess Parvati and commemorates the day when she was united with Lord Shiva after a penance of a hundred years – making them a symbol of an ideal marriage. It is believed that invocation of Parvati’s blessings on this day results in continued marital bliss. nepalnews.com ag Sep 14 07