By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Sept. 10: The road towards Basantapur Durbar Square from New Road gate was filled with women in red saris as they were outdoors for Teej celebrations on Thursday. Women across the country, including those employed in offices, were celebrating the festival as the government had declared the day a public holiday for women.

However, there also were some unexpected exceptions too. Some of the women were attending their regular duty while their peers were visiting temples, singing and dancing.
A woman in red sari, employed in a cooperative office was collecting money in the New Road area. “In my office, there are only three men among over a dozen employees. If all of us women stayed away for the Teej, the office wouldn’t be able to operate,” she said about her office attendance.

This is why three of us women staffers decided to come to work while others took the holiday,” said the 24-year-old woman.
All three of us decided to wear red saris like other revelers and we are organising own celebration in the office itself, she added. “Given the special circumstance, it is okay for us,” she added. Similarly, a woman security guard in her regular office duty in the area said that the security company could not grant Teej leave for all the female staffers because only male manpower could not suffice.

“Some female staffers had to attend the duty while others were given to stay home for the festive holiday. It is not only me, many of my security colleagues are on duty today,” she added.