As part of the celebration, around 7,00,000 devotees are expected to visit the Pashupatinath temple to offer prayers on the occasion of the festival.

Teej, also known as Haritalika, is a three-day long festival mostly celebrated by Hindu women. While the married women pray for their husbands’ longevity, the unmarried observe the festival to pray for good husbands.

On the first day called Dar Khane Din, devotees eat delicious food items before midnight. Second is the main day, during which devotees observe fast throughout the day without even drinking water. Rishi Panchami is the third day, wherein, devotees break their fast after performing puja of Sapta Rishi.

Devotees celebrate this festival by observing fasts, singing devotional songs and offering prayers all through the day.

To mark the festival celebration, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has already made necessary preparations to host devotees visiting the temple and has kept the temple open since 3 AM today.

“As Teej is primarily celebrated by women, the main temple complex will be off-limits to men on the day of the festival,” Pradeep Dhakal, Member Secretary, PADT.

PADT informed that it has arranged a tight security with 2,764 Nepal Police and 1,500 Armed Police Force personnel around the temple for crowd control and security. Besides, there will be around 4,000 volunteers to support them.

The post 7,00,000 Devotees to Offer Teej Prayers at Pashupatinath Temple appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

As per the lunar calendar, the festival falls on the third day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) in the month of Bhadrapad. Teej coincides with the monsoon season and heralds the arrival of rains. During the Teej festival, married women pray for the longevity, prosperity and happiness of their husbands, while girls who are yet to tie the knot pray for attaining a happy married life. The Teej celebrations last for three days with each day having its own importance.

Day 1: “Dar Khane Din”

The first day of the festival is known as “Dar Khane Din” and is a time for merrymaking. Women dressed up at their best in red or bridal clothes gather at a common place to celebrate with traditional dancing and singing. They partake in a grand feast called “Dar” with a variety of foods that include rice porridge, yogurt, sel, puri, fruits and desserts. The celebrations continue until midnight after which the 24-hour period of fasting begins.

Day 2: The Day of Fasting

On day two, women and girls observe a strict fast without consuming even a drop of water. They visit the nearby Shiva temples and make offerings of flowers and fruits to the deities. The Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu is thronged by a large number of devotees. Lighting of the oil lamp is considered an important part of the puja and the lamp is kept lit throughout the night to avoid any bad omen.

Day 3: Rishi Panchami

Rishi Panchami is the third day of the festival when women take a holy bath with the red mud from the roots of the Datiwan bush, which is believed to purify them from all sins. The seven rishis of the Hindu pantheon are then worshipped. Karkalo vegetable with rice and ghee is consumed as the major food on this day.

This year Hartalika Teej falls on Thursday 24th August. A large number of tourists from abroad have been visiting Nepal in recent years during the Teej period to experience the grand celebrations which include Teej fairs, folk songs and colorful dances. Teej in Nepal is a period of great rejoicing and also the time for strengthening the relationships between women, couples and their families.

The post Hartalika Teej – The Festival of Fasting and Fun appeared first on Nepali Sansar.