Teej festival marked with fanfare

BY BINU SHRESTHA

Kathmandu, Aug 31 : All Shiva shrines across the country were flooded with women attired in red saris on the occasion of Teej, the biggest festival of Nepali women, on Tuesday. They looked more beautiful with red bangles on their wrists, necklaces of glass beads on their necks, heavy gold ornaments, and vermillion powder. 

The government provided a public holiday for women employees so that they could observe the festival.   

Although until a few years ago, only women of the Brahmin and Chhetri castes used to mark Teej, now it has become a common festival of all people. It was evident from the growing crowds of devotees of different castes at Pashupatinath and other Shiva shrines on Teej day.   

As per the Hindu tradition, women on the third day of the dark Halfmoon of the lunar calendar of Bhadra observe 24-hour fasting.

The largest crowd of devotees was noticed at Pashupatinath Temple on Tuesday. 

The eastern door of the Pashupatinath Temple which had remained shut for 14 years was opened for Teej this year.

 For the convenience of the devotees, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has made arrangements in such a way that the devotees could enter and exit the temple from the same door, said Dr. Milan Kumar Thapa, member secretary of PADT. 

The PADT had arranged four separate lines to enter the main temple. The first line started from Tilganga, through the Rammandir Aryaghat area. 

The second line started from Mitrapark, the third from Gausala through Pingalaesthan and Panchadewal and the fourth line started from Guheshwori through Umakunda, Kailash. Volunteers were mobilized to manage crowds of devotees. 

These arrangements and the opening of the eastern door made it easier for the devotees to reach the temple without spending a long time in the queue. 

The PADT has also not issued passes as in the past, while only a few persons were allowed to perform special worship.   

Both married and unmarried women were seen dancing and singing in groups throughout the day, after offering worship to Lord Shiva.  

Thapa said that only women security personnel and volunteers were deployed on the main temple premises and males were not allowed to enter at the temple.      

According to him, 2,400 police personnel were mobilized in and around the Pashupati area. 

Similarly, a large number of devotees thronged the Chitapol of Sanga of Bhaktapur, Doleswhor, Makhendreshwor Mahadev Temple of Makhan, Gopaleshwor Mahadev Temple of Pharping, and other temples.  

The Shiva temples like Haleshi Mahadev of Khotang district and Riseshwor Mahadev of Dolakha outside the valley were crowded with Teej devotees.