Teej festival in Nepal is one of the most popularly celebrated Hindu Festivals among women. It has both religious and cultural significance, especially among married women and unmarried women who have participated in its rituals. The Teej festival 2025 date in Nepal is August 23 and the celebrations generally occur in temples and homes across Nepal, but particularly in the Kathmandu Valley.
Many people ask, "what is the Teej festival and why is it observed?" Teej symbolizes the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. As per Hindu mythology, Parvati underwent a fast for many years praying for Lord Shiva to accept her as his partner. Eventually, her prayers were answered and since then, she has been Lord Shiva’s consort. Since that time, Teej has come to symbolize love, faith and marital harmony.
To answer the question of why is Teej celebrated is closely tied to Parvati's devotion. Married women keep the fast and pray for their husband's health and happiness, and unmarried girls also celebrate the occasion, aspiring for a good husband in the future.
Women celebrating Teej festival with traditional henna ceremony and colorful saris in large crowd
Teej festival traditions and rituals include singing, dancing, dressing in red, visiting temples, and taking a fast, often without water. The day before the fast is Dar Khane Din, and women gather to eat special traditional foods and get together to celebrate. In this blog we will explain what Teej means, the rules of fasting, associated rituals, and how the day is celebrated by people across Nepal.
What is Teej festival and why it is celebrated?
Teej is a Hindu-based festival that is mainly celebrated by women in Nepal. Teej is dedicated to Parvati and her devotion to Lord Shiva. The festival usually falls in the month of Bhadra. Women observe the festival through fasting, praying, dancing, and visiting temples, mainly Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.
To answer the inquiry of why Teej is celebrated, it is helpful to explore some historical information about Teej. The history of Teej comes from ancient Hindu mythology. Parvati, a daughter of the King of the Himalayas, had wanted to marry Lord Shiva, however, Shiva was immersed in meditation and was unaware of her passion. To catch the attention of Shiva and win his love, she undertook strict penance and fasted from food and drink for a total of 108 births.
In her 108th life, her prayers were heard. Shiva saw the devotion of Parvati and agreed to marry her. The story illustrates the ultimate love story, faith, and spiritual commitment. The story of Parvati and Shiva became the foundation of the Teej festival.
In our time today, women emulate Parvati, fasting and praying to express their wish for a strong, loving marriage. Teej is a religious observance and a cultural celebration of womanhood, family and devotion.
Teej festival is celebrated in Nepal in 2025, which falls on Tuesday, August 26. This is the main day when women celebrate with fasting, praying in temples, and observing many rituals focusing on the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The festivities often begin a day earlier with Dar Khane Din where women come together to sing, dance, and enjoy special meals before starting the fasting period.
Large crowd of women in red saris celebrating Teej festival in temple courtyard
Cultural and spiritual significance of Teej
Teej recognizes the profound love and faith between Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Teej celebrates their unity in marriage, representing the absolute model of a husband and wife relationship.
The festival also encourages women to remember the devotion and commitment shown by Parvati. Teej also symbolizes the fast and pray to give commitment to their husbands or seek a good husband.
With this in mind, married women observe Teej fasting to pray for the longevity, health, and happiness of their husbands, somewhat helping to strengthen the emotional/spiritual matrix of marriage.
Teej also reestablishes a cultural connection for women with rituals, songs, dances, and traditional dress while preserving the customs and heritage of Nepal.
Teej offers a chance for women to gather together, share experiences, support each other, and celebrate being women in a happy atmosphere.
Fasting of Teej is viewed as a purification of the body and the mind, for the women to practice self-restraint and be spiritually uplifted by the penance exhibited by Goddess Parvati.
Teej fasting rules beliefs and meaning
Teej fasting is a symbolic event during the festival and is an important religious act. Women follow strict fasting, not eating or drinking any water throughout the day. The fast is based upon Goddess Parvati's devotion to become Lord Shiva's wife and she conducted a fast. The fast represents self-discipline, purity, and the dedication of an interdependent union. In many families, women believe they will receive blessings, good health, and long life for their husband by taking on the fast. In some traditions, unmarried women also fast hoping to find a husband and to receive love and fidelity.
The significance of the Hartalika Teej festival is linked to the story of Parvati's penance and marriage to Shiva. Hartalika translates to "abduction of the bride" and refers to one of several legends of how Parvati and some of her friends outwitted her family so that she could get to Shiva and start their lives together. That day is deemed very auspicious, and many women visit temples, in particular, Pashupatinath, to pray and perform the relevant rituals. The religious atmosphere is augmented by the singing of Teej songs and dancing, bringing festive and happy experiences to devotion and the celebration of womanhood. Many of these primary Teej songs describe Parvati's own story, including her penance, struggles, and joy upon uniting with Shiva.
Wearing a red saree for the Teej festival signifies a powerful cultural tradition connected to fertility, marital love, and marital happiness. Red is a sacred color in Hinduism, and when Hindu women wear the red saree during the Teej festival, they are paying homage to Goddess Parvati. While applying henna on their hands is a form of creative expression, dressing up beautifully in red sarees adds a festive spirit to the occasion. In addition to dressing up in red sarees, wearing such traditional attire demonstrates respect for rituals, and it connects women with time-honored traditions.
Traditional Teej rituals and ceremonies
The celebration begins with Dar Khane Din, or feast day, which takes place the day before the fasting. Women meet with friends and family to enjoy special meals, sweet treats, fruits, and traditional dishes.
On the actual day of Teej, women fast strictly, often fasting with no food and no water, a nirjala vrat, in honor of Goddess Parvati, and pray for the long life and well-being of their husbands.
They go to temples, with a visit to the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu being important, to offer prayers and perform rituals to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Women's hands decorated with henna and colorful glass bangles for Teej festival
The puja offerings include bel patra leaves, flowers, fruits, and lamps which represent their devotion and spiritual connection to the puja.
Music is an important element of the Teej celebrations. There are traditional Teej songs and dances. Women participate by singing folk songs and dance as a group, share their feelings, share stories and demonstrate their devotion and feelings.
Married women wear red sarees with traditional jewelry, bangles, pote and sindoor, as a way of showing love, marriage, and respect to the rituals.
In the countryside wooden swings, called ping, are made and hung up by women who enjoy swinging on them while singing, adding fun and festivity to the occasion.
The day after Teej, Rishi Panchami occurs. Women use sacred herbs for bathing as a purification ritual, and pray to be forgiven for any religious mistakes during menstruation, as part of customary traditions.
Teej outfits and the importance of red sarees and bangles
During the festival of Teej, women wear different traditional clothing that often has cultural and spiritual meaning. Notably, the red saree for Teej is of great significance. In Hindu culture, red is a sacred color that represents love, purity, and marital happiness. Married women wear red sarees and bangles and sindoor to express their devotion to their husbands, while unmarried girls wear red and bangles to show their devotion to prayer that they might receive a good partner.
Women wear glass bangles, pote (beaded necklace), and traditional jewelry to show their beauty, tradition, and blessings. Each piece is not just a decoration but a clear indication of religious value.
The significance of Hartalika Teej is based on the story of Goddess Parvati. She dressed up beautifully and went into deep prayer to marry Lord Shiva. By wearing a red saree, along with red bangles and jewelry, women are honoring Parvati's devotion and following her example of love and faith. The clothing worn to the Teej festival reflects both cultural pride and spiritual connection.
Teej songs and dance in Nepali culture
Nepali culture and the Teej festival are celebrated through Teej songs and dance, which hold serious meaning and are greatly enjoyable. In Teej, women sing traditional songs and modern songs to express their feelings about love and marriage, and devotion and for their daily life experiences. During the festival, women come together in groups, dressed in red sarees, bangles, and dancing together in temples, in their homes and community gathering places to celebrate and gather strength in their togetherness and joy. During the festival, there is also a great emotional caring conveyed through the lyrics as these songs capture women's lives, struggles and aspirations. Some of the most widely played and performed songs during the festival in Nepal include:"Teej Ko Rahara Aayo Barilai," "Chhitikai Ma Yo Saas Ramro," and "Mero Hajur".
The crowd at Pashupatinath during Teej
Foods and recipes prepared during Teej
The Teej festival incorporates traditional food that is important in the celebrations. A male person traditionally hosts the women's feast the day before fasting starts known as the Dar Khane Din. The feast includes food made with goat meat (called kheema or masu), spicy lentils, and vegetable curries, as well as rice and beaten rice (chiura), and fried snacks such as aloo achar (potato pickle).
Sweets are also important to the Teej festival. Ghevar, sel roti (a traditional Nepali rice doughnut), and ladoo are examples among the sweets typically served at the festival. The sweets represent happiness, and women often share them with neighbors and relatives.
On the fasting day, women usually fast without food and water. However, before fasting and after fasting, women pour warm comfort in the tradition of sharing traditional food, which symbolizes celebration, and togetherness, embodying a rich ethnocultural heritage of Nepal throughout the Teej festival.
How is Teej celebrated in Kathmandu and other cities
The Teej festival in Nepal is one of the liveliest and most sacred festivals among Hindu women. It commemorates the dedication of Goddess Parvati to Lord Shiva and represents love, faith, and feminine power. While there are celebrations in many locations, Teej in Kathmandu is the largest and most spirited celebration with the most significant number of traditions. Kathmandu hosts thousands of women dressed in red sarees, with glass bangles and henna, all gathering at temples and community spaces for the celebrations.
In Kathmandu, Teej lasts for three days. The first day is known as Dar Khane Din, when women gather together with family and friends for a sizable meal, as part of preparing for the day of fasting. The second day, Hartalika Teej, is the day of fasting. Fasting on Hartalika Teeji is observed without food and water, sitting before an idol and praying for the well-being of their husband, or for a loving husband. Most worship is conducted at major temples like Pashupatinath. The temples are busy with women singing devotional songs, dancing, and acting out the celebration in many parts of Kathmandu, such as Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Teej is also an important festival in cities like Pokhara, Biratnagar and Bharatpur, with women gathering to sing, dance, and worship. Many women return to their maternal home, which strengthens family ties. In rural areas the spirit of the festival persists with women fasting, to further avoid food and water, singing songs of devotion, and performing rituals.
FAQs
When is Teej in 2082 BS?
Teej (specifically Hartalika Teej) falls on Bhadra 10, 2082 in the year 2082 BS, which is the same as Wednesday, August 26, 2025! This day is when most of the fasting and celebrations will be held.
Can unmarried women observe Teej fasting?
Yes, unmarried girls do generally observe Teej fasting, as a prayer for a good husband and a good married life. Teej is a significant festival for all women, married or not.
Is Teej celebrated only in Nepal?
No, Teej is celebrated in some parts of India, such as Rajasthan, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, but the customs, rituals can be different regionally.
What are some common Teej wishes or greetings?
Common greetings are "Happy Teej", "Subha Teej", and "Teej ko Shubhakamana". These greetings are shared via messages, calls, social media, or in-person.
Are men involved in Teej celebrations?
Although Teej is fundamentally about women's rituals and fasting, men participate by supporting women, organizing cultural events, and even being a part of some of the celebrations and dances.
How has Teej changed in modern times?
Present-day festivities of Teej might consist of public events, concerts, fashion shows, social get-togethers combining a traditional approach with modern cultural expressions-witness it in urban centers more than in rural areas.
Are there any health concerns related to Teej fasting?
Yes, because many women fast without food and water (a nirjala fast), it can create concern for health-maybe just one day a woman is asked to fast per year may not be a concern for the pregnant woman, elderly, or a woman with medical issues, but I think they should consult their physician before fasting.
What colors are traditionally worn during Teej other than red?
Besides red, women also might wear green and yellow to demonstrate fertility, prosperity, and happiness during the event.
How long does the Teej festival last?
In popular culture, Teej occurs over three days of celebrations with separate observations for each day, Teej ends with the main fasting experience on Hartalika Teej.
Women worshipping during Teej
Conclusion
One of the most prominent and colorful festivals celebrated by women of Nepal is Teej. Teej honors the devotion of Goddess Parvati to Lord Shiva and embodies love, faith, and marital bliss. During the festival, women gather to fast, pray, sing, dance, and wear traditional red sarees and jewelry as they spend time in community together. The duration of Teej is about three days, with the main fasting day called Hartalika Teej. On this day, women observe very strict fasting, frequently fasting without food or water, praying for the longevity of their husband or to be blessed with a good husband if they are unmarried.
Teej represents more than just a religious and cultural festival; it is also about gathering as a community of women dedicated to femininity, celebrating and honoring Womanhood, and preserving cultural traditions through songs, dances, and special foods. While the foundations of Teej are ancient, current celebrations of Teej in Nepal include large public events where community members might gather to celebrate at a civic level and location, especially in Kathmandu.
If you want to learn more about Teej or see if you can participate or help those who want to participate in it, please reach out to Himalaya Recreation. Inform Himalaya Recreation if you would like detailed guides and tours, and cultural experiences for Teej and other festivals in Nepal.
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