Womens Festival the "Teej" 11th September

The crowds.




The Teej festival ;

From the Lonely planet

“The festival of Women lasts from the second to the fifth day after the Bhadra new moon, and is particularly celebrated at Pashupathinath. The festival starts on the first day with a sumptuous meal and party , until midnight when women commence a 24 hour fast. On the second day women dress in their red wedding saris and head for the Shiva temples across the country to pray for a happy marriage. A ritual bathing ceremony brings the festival to a close.”

From Pauline

Nepalese woman have a special festival once a year to celebrate being a woman and being married . They travel home to theirs mothers village where there is dancing, laughter and sharing . The woman who are married dress in their wedding attire : a strip of red paint in their hair starting at the forehead , gold and red wedding bangles, and their red and gold wedding sari. Unmarried woman wear other coloured saris. They dance together in pairs , alot of fine hand and arms movements , turning around in circles , stepping from side to side. This happens on and off over several days . Warm smiling happy faces celebrating womanness , as well as their husbands and praying for a happy marriage.

I read an article in the local Kathmandu newspaper about this festival and the article was rather scathing about this festival to ‘celebrate women”. It was headed " Teej festival " A charade . The writer of the article was of the opinion that the festival was about celebrating marriage , being only source of happiness and future for woman .After being at the festival and participationg I feel this is a harsh modern view on a unique festival that unites woman in many ways .

I was invited to dance at the festival. ( see photos). The crowds gathered round , smiling and laughing . taking photo's. They would let me sit down. The drums played and clapping to the beat. Then it was Marks turn.