Most of our activities have come under unfathomable difficulty in the wake of swift spread of coronavirus across the nation lately. The rate of virus infection and death toll has been rising in the country even after prolonged lockdown suggesting the viciousness of the deadly virus. The pandemic can infect a large number of people in a matter of hours and days and kill many within weeks if it is not kept under control by adopting all possible measures that science has suggested us. The spread of virus in the country has forced our authorities to re-impose lockdowns in some places and implement strict prohibitory measures in the Kathmandu Valley and a few other places where infection and death rates are soaring at present. As the COVID-19 situation is getting worse from bad, our economic, social and cultural activities have been affected quite severely.

The virus outbreak has threatened our life and has curtailed us from participating in our socialisation activities. It has also badly affected our cultural bonhomie. As the authority has laid emphasis on saving people's lives, it has prohibited people from gathering for social, cultural and religious activities. Ever since the virus-induced prolonged lockdown was imposed in the country on March 24, we have been asked not to take part in any religious, social and cultural gatherings, clearly to stop the virus from spreading. Lately, the virus has made the women's popular festival Teej and the Dar feasting on its eve, apparent victims. The Nepali Hindu women would have observed the festival with unmatchable gaiety, mirth and fun, had the authority not imposed the restriction on large gatherings of the people.

In the past years, women would observe the Teej and Dar festivals with feasting, singing and dancing. Some would even do so almost a month in advance from the actual day of the festival.  Large gatherings of women clad in red, green and yellow attires could have been witnessed at many Shiva Temples on the day of the Teej. In the meantime, a closer look at the prevailing virus situation tells us that almost all the festivals, jatras and other religious activities that fell after March 24 could not be observed in the style they used to be observed in the past. If the same situation persists, more of coming festivals are sure to suffer the same fate.

The women folks of the country deserve to be applauded for suspending to observe one of their most sought-after festivals in the wake of virus spread. They have obviously given priority to safety of their health over the festival. They have adhered to reason over their urge to observe the festival. While doing so, they seem to have realised the deadly nature of the coronavirus that spreads quickly among the people through their large congregations. The suspension of the Teej and other festivals for this year is without doubt a very sound and praiseworthy decision. We can observe our festivals whenever normalcy returns. Saving life by staving off the virus is our main objective at present and we all should adhere to this priority.