Teej is a festival of Nepali women, which celebrates a happy marriage, prosperity and family values. On this day women visit temples to play for well-being of their husbands and children and for purification of their own soul.
Dressed in scarlet clothes, women of all ages visit Pashupatinath, the temple of Lord Shiva in Kathmandu. The red colour is traditionally worn by brides in Nepal, and it also symbolises power. On this day, all women look especially pretty in their best outfits—red sari with gold ornaments and green bead necklaces. There is a festive spirit all around the temple as women are singing, dancing and celebrating.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati reunited only after she went through 108 incarnations. She fasted and prayed a lot to be with her husband again. Like Parvati, Hindu women are supposed to fast on this day for their prayer to be heard.
The day before Teej is called ‘Dar Khane Din‘. That's when married women return to their parents' home to feast. There is a lot of singing and dancing. But the next day is all about fasting and praying. On the third day—‘Rishi Panchami‘—women pray for forgiveness for their sins.
