Four-day Teej festival begins today
Summary
The four-day Teej festival begins today with Nepali women eating dar before observing the Haritalika fast. Religious scholars and sociologists have also raised concerns that early dar feasts and extravagant celebrations are distorting the festival’s traditional culture.
Key Points
- Nepali women eat dar today, marking the formal start of the four-day Teej festival ahead of Monday’s waterless fast.
- The festival is traditionally a time for women to express their hardships through songs and rituals, while families host daughters and sisters for the feast.
- Experts say early dar feasts, expensive jewellery, and excessive celebrations are distorting Teej’s traditional meaning.
- The festival runs until Rishi Panchami and includes Haritalika fast, Ganesha worship on Chauthi, and ritual bathing and worship of the Saptarishis on Panchami.
