Haritalika Teej Festival Begins with 'Dar' Feast
Summary
Haritalika Teej has begun with the traditional Dar feast in Kathmandu, marking the start of a four-day Hindu festival celebrated by Nepali women. Scholars have voiced concern over growing extravagance and distortion of the festival’s original customs.
Key Points
- Haritalika Teej officially begins with the Dar feast on the second day of the waxing moon of Bhadra, ahead of the day-long fast observed without food and water.
- The festival is traditionally used by women to express sorrow, pain, and hardship through songs and dances, and it now has growing visibility in parts of India as well.
- Cultural experts and sociologists warn that month-long Dar celebrations, expensive jewelry, and lavish food are distorting the festival’s original cultural meaning.
- The four-day Teej observance continues through Haritalika fast, Ganesh Puja, and Rishi Panchami, with large gatherings at Pashupatinath and other Shiva temples.
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