Hindu women in Nepal observe Haritalika Teej with fasting, worship of Lord Shiva

Kathmandu, Aug 26 (PTI) Hindu women across Nepal on Tuesday celebrated the festival of Haritalika Teej with fasting, prayers, and worship of Lord Shiva, seeking well-being, prosperity and longevity for their families.

Married women marked the occasion by adorning themselves with red saris, glass-beaded necklaces (Pote), gold ornaments (Tilahari) and Sindoor (vermilion), symbols of good fortune. Many unmarried girls also kept fasts, praying for a suitable husband.

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli greeted the people on the occasion, describing Teej as a festival rooted in “devotion, restraint and self-discipline.” Taking to social media, he said Teej symbolised reverence, courtesy and kindness, and reflected the fragrance of Nepal’s joint family culture. He also wished for harmony in society and happiness in family life.

Major Shiva temples, including the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, witnessed massive gatherings of women devotees, many of whom danced and sang throughout the day.

Observed on the third day of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of Bhadra, the three-day festival began with Dar -- a feast of rice pudding, fruits, sweets, curd and other delicacies -- on the eve of Teej.

On the main day, women observe fasting, take ritual baths in the morning and perform evening worship dedicated to Lord Shiva, lighting oil-fed lamps and staying awake through the night.

The festival, widely seen as a celebration of womanhood and sisterhood, is marked by jubilant singing and dancing as sisters gather at their parental homes. PTI SBP SCY SCY