Dancing and Singing in Red: Teej in Nepal

[Guest guest]

Dancing and Singing in Red

The Nepalese festival of 'Teej' is for women only

Rupa Kharel

OhmyNews, August 27th, 2006

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=313600&rel_no=1

or

http://tinyurl.com/o87em

 

In Nepal Teej is a great festival that makes women feel

stronger. It is also known as the grand party of women.

Teej generally occurs at some point between mid Aug.

and Sept. This year it fell on Aug. 26.

 

Today I woke up early in the morning at 3 a.m., bathed

and got ready to go to Pashupatinath with my friends

thinking that no one else would come so early. However

we were wrong! Even though it was so early the temple

of Pashupatinath was covered with a sea of red. The

temple premises were filled with women wearing red

saris.

 

We waited in line for about two to three hours to get into

the temple. We were laughing, singing and dancing to

pay homage to Lord Shiva. Then our turn came to enter

the temple. Chattering like brightly feathered birds,

other women also trooped into the temple of

Pashupatinath to worship Shiva Linga, the phallic

image, of Lord Shiva, and beg for their desired wishes.

 

Inside the temple there were no men to be seen except

Brahmans, volunteers and police. After worshipping and

begging for my desired wish, I decided to interview

different women to prepare this article for OhmyNews.

 

I asked a woman named Gayatri dancing in the temple

premises why she was dancing especially on Teej. In

reply she said:

 

"If I dance covering as much space as I can, I will get

that much land in heaven."

 

Women believe that if they dance today, they will get as

much land in heaven as that which they covered while

dancing. Special songs are made for Teej and some

traditional Nepali dances are only ever seen on Teej.

 

 

I asked my neighbor named Ramita who was also

waiting in a queue:

 

"Do you find any difference in this Teej than before?"

 

She said: "Before, in Nepal, mother-in-laws used to be

so cruel to their daughter-in-laws, not letting them to go

to the maternal house during this great festival, but now

this type of cruelty is not seen in our society."

 

It's true, in past years mother-in-laws used to be cruel to

daughter-in-laws. That's why songs full of grievances

used to be sung particularly often during Teej. But now

a mixed range of songs are sung. For the most part songs

sung to fast music are particularly popular because they

are good for dancing.

 

An old aged woman fainted because she was weak from

the fasting that we do on Teej. She ignored our advice

that she should drink water. She said:

 

"I don't want to be widow, so don't force me to drink

water but place me somewhere in a shady place." All her

offerings like flowers, coins, and rice to Lord Shiva

scattered on the ground when she fainted.

 

Mostly, Teej is celebrated by showing devotion to

families and the divine role of the Goddess Parvati, wife

of Lord Shiva.

 

Long ago, in the legendary period, the daughter of God

Himalaya named Parvati fell in love with Shiva. She

was offered to marry God Vishnu but she ignored that

and devoted herself to Shiva only. Shiva wanted to be

alone and went to meditate on the summit of Mount

Kailash, ignoring Parvati.

 

Knowing that Shiva was ignoring her, she changed her

fine robe into simple clothes and began a long fast to get

Shiva as her husband. Such sacrifice by Parvati made

Lord Shiva rise from his meditation. Finally the

devotion and endurance of Parvati won Shiva's heart and

she became his wife.

 

A woman wearing the latest fashionable red sari came

into my field of vision. So I went to her and asked:

 

"Are you really making a fast for the long life of your

husband?"

 

She said, "I don't believe that the age of my husband

will be made any longer by fasting, but also I don't want

to eat anything on this day. I think that this is our

tradition and I have to follow it."

 

My friend Gauri is also making a fast today. I asked:

"You didn't fast on the Mondays of Shrawan so why are

you fasting today?"

 

She replied: "Five days fasting on the Mondays of

Shrawan is equal to this one day to get a suitable

husband."

 

When I spoke to one married women of 35 years of age

naming Goma, I was reminded that an impressive U-turn

can be seen in some houses on this day. She said:

"Everyday I have to be in the kitchen and doing other

household work, however, today knowing that I am

doing a fast for him, he cooked food for the children."

 

On the day before Teej we celebrate Dar Khane, which

means "not having a fast." On this day we eat as much

food as we can to prepare for the fast the next day. Isn't

it amazing eating a lot food one day and having a fast

the next day?

 

On this day married daughters also come to the maternal

home and have a great feast. With all the family

members gathered around, this day is celebrated with

lots of entertainment until late at night.

 

In conclusion, we can say that Teej is not only a festival

for showing respect and begging desired wishes in front

of Lord Shiva, but also an important day to express the

grievances and sorrows of women through songs.

 

Related article:

 

Videos of Teej celebrations in Nepal with commentary:

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=&no=313623&rel_no=1&back_url=

or

http://tinyurl.com/zcx94