Hindu women across country celebrate Teej festival

Kathmandu, Aug. 27: Hindu women across Nepal celebrated the festival of Teej on Tuesday, observing fasts and performing traditional rituals to pray for the well-being, health, and prosperity of their families and husbands. Teej, also known as Haritalika Teej, saw women dressed in vibrant red sarees, singing and dancing to Teej songs, and gathering at Shiva temples, especially at the Pashupatinath Temple in the capital.

Officials emphasized that despite modern lifestyles, the festival continues to strengthen social bonds and preserve cultural heritage. Many women expressed joy in celebrating the day together, highlighting the spiritual and cultural significance of Teej.

Teej is no longer limited to Brahmins and Chhetris. It has now become a common festival for women from other ethnic groups as well, including Newar, Sherpa, Tamang, and others.

On the festival day, large crowds of people began visiting Pashupatinath Temple from early morning. Devotees lined up for worship, and after completing their prayers, they were seen singing and dancing. Many women at Pashupatinath also took opportunity to record TikToks after worshipping Lord Shiva.

First Lady Sabita Paudel visited Pashupatinath on the occasion of Haritalika Teej, performing ritual worship and receiving tika from the temple priests.

The Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, as well as Chairman of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), Badri Prasad Pandey, also visited the temple.

Minister Pandey expressed concern about arrangements and conditions while interacting with pilgrims. He paid special attention to ensuring a smooth worship experience and obtained direct information from security personnel deployed for peace and safety.

At this significant festival for Nepali women, a large number of fasting women devotees gathered at Pashupatinath Temple and various Shiva temples across the country since early morning.

For the convenience of devotees, the Pashupatinath Temple premises introduced a “water droplet” (cool water spray) system for the first time. This arrangement, initially tested during Teej, will continue to be used in the future, according to PADT officials.

During the summer, this system helps keep the area cool, as devotees often feel uncomfortable standing in line under the scorching sun, explained Subhash Chandra Joshi, Acting Member Secretary of PADT. He added that these arrangements allow people to complete their worship at Pashupatinath and return within one to one-and-a-half hours.

PADT stated that the four doors of the main temple opened at 3:00 AM for devotees visiting Pashupatinath. Additional arrangements included security measures, service facilities, volunteer assistance, Chandan Prasad distribution, improvements in visitor pathways, designated areas for shoes and slippers, emergency health services, and devotional music with bhajans and kirtans.

Four lines were organized to facilitate entry into the temple from the outer area of the Pashupatinath site. 

For the convenience of devotees and visitors after worship, provisions were made to distribute Chandan outside the western gate, along with small resting areas. 

Similar arrangements were provided at Panchdeval (east-southeast), Uma Kunda, Dakshinamurti, Tilganga, Bankali, Gaushala, and Jaybageshwari.

Anita Bhatt, PADT’s Information Officer, mentioned that foreign tourists who paid the entry fee were allowed to visit the Pashupati areas, excluding the temple premises.

After offering worship to Lord Shiva, several groups of devotees inside the temple were seen dancing and singing songs. The entire Pashupati Area had a different look with colourful devotees.  

Similarly, a large number of visitors thronged the Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple at Gokarneshwor, Doleshwor Temple in Bhaktapur, small Pashupati Temple of Hanumandhoka and other Shiva shrines.