Teej

Teej came and I began to look for some red colored dress here and mom invited some sisters to gather at home to have food at home. I was speechless and asked mom about Teej and she told “Teej a festival of women, is celebrated in remembrance of Goddess Parvati who desired to marry Lord Shiva” .The first day of teej in this today ,we are planning to assemble at one  place in own finest dress and start dancing singing songs related to different experiences in our life which are associated to issues like maternal home, social problems and news related to women . Amidst all this, the grand feast takes place. The jollity often goes on till midnight, after which the 24 hour fast starts. I tried to explore the magazines like Saptahik,Nari and other social medias but the news about “Teej” covered the writings .Even face book has been filled up with the red dressed ladies who are introducing the essence of teej from the space they stand. Even one of my friend had sent me message his son has been going to home to have teej celebration at village and the guy remarked the same.

The preparation of teej has been appeared in markets too.The markets are full of ladies who are too busy in purchase of related items of teej and I also tried to collect necessary items.Usually ladies focus on make up items to be beautify themselves and the used of red saree ,tikas and green poet makes the Nepalese ladies so beautiful and while dancing in mid of other ladies they seem alike and it seems community of similar ladies.

One of my facebook from New Delhi pasted the status “Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work, without involvement, there is no commitment. Mark it down, asterisk it, circle it, underline it.” I commented “You are right ,the commitment is most essential from family to society .It is the charm of relationship whether they are familial ,official and social ,we are human beings are attached to each other. Absolutely, it's blood of an organization which leads to progress in short time by bringing drastic change in the environment”. His saying made me compel to think about teej too and the teej celebration reminds same sort of unification for family progress and welfare of society. The news of being strike in Kathmandu and other 6 districts made some people shock and sad which made me also confused whether strike should be allowed in such condition where many people are engaged of Teej celebration. Dad said” the strike is taken back” and I again became confused why the reporters forget to spread the news on time.

Tomorrow is the second and the day of fasting,women around Kathmandu and other areas of Nepal will gather in Shiva Temple and worship the different statues  . At the Shiva temple, women circumambulate the Shiva Linga, the symbol of the lord, offering flowers, sweets and coins. The main puja (religious ceremony) takes place with offerings of flowers, fruits, etc.,there by standing in a que managed in the temple. The important part of the puja is the oil lamp which should be alight throughout the night.

Most of the women in Kathmandu will gather in Pashupatinath and worship him .Even they gather in Basantpur and Bhrikutimandap and enjoy the dancing programs.I still remember when I was a student of Bachelor I never leave any chance to visit Bhrikutimandap and Basantpur with friends after being dressed up in beautiful sarees and ornaments.One of my friend called me and asked me to visit the village where I spent my childhood,there is a temple named “ Baba Bard Goriya “ which has a historical value in the area and the temple committee  opens a contract for teej celebration ,where interested business group organizes a fair around the temple location and manages the teej competition there and the winner group is  provided the essential prize.It is all known I was very dull in everything ,lazy in all activities ,my face and voice never helped me to participate in such beautiful competition but I never missed to see my beautiful friends participating there and observed the festival .

Last year also teej came we enjoyed food at home,we came to know the festival celebration in Okhla ,New Delhi and gathered there with family, it was raining and the arrangement was also nice .I stood near the stage and peeped the scenario, the women were dancing rapidly in group ,it was collective force of devotee women in love of their husband .

I remember one song which I really like to mention here, although I have no good voice and memory,I know it’s a description  of an orange tree around the house ,“Dailamuniko suntalako biruwaFalera fulera dali jhapakkai “ .Even the songs on “Television “and “you tube about teej in Nepal “ ,”uploaded in facebook” are making this celebration more known around the world and I began to be confused why cultural values for some people appears as shame ,I remember some people never mention their own Nepaliness in abroad and present themselves as native .Religious values are made to unite people and it is essential to introduce own culture and stands for it so “unification of religions” is possible.
Actually the clash of civilization also stands due to the feeling of “otherness” in the name of economic status, religion ,geographical and social values.

The aura of being “ other” never leaves any one in happiness infact it makes people unhappy,lonely and rebel so voice of inclusion in the name of gender ,class,status,race,ethnicity has been social need and the festival of teej carries the voice of unification through it’s songs of liberation ,social change and appeal for better lives.The “redness “ of the sarees women wear makes me feel they are energetic ,courageous ,bold in nature and knows the value of unity as red color has been  a color of unity here as it unites husband and wife in the name of “ sindur and marriage” ,it unites family members in the name of “blood “  and unites winners as teams as “ tilak”.

Mom began to describe me various things about Rishi Panchami, my mom is a religion persona and has a lot of knowledge about the books like Mahabharat,Ramayan,Geeta ,and different purans like Garurh Puran and Shivapuran and her  mythological characters became my idea of viewing the statues around the temples .

She says, “ the third day of the festival is Rishi Panchami. After the completion of the previous day's puja, women pay homage to various deities and bathe with red mud found on the roots of the sacred datiwan bush, along with its leaves. This act of purification is the final ritual of Teej, after which women are considered absolved from all their sins”. I never did but I was the mute audience of this ritual where mom deed every activities very carefully in supervision of priest.

After all ,teej came and is giving us the message to be loved and love everybody and I also wish people to be happy in the celebration of teej by ignoring unnecessary pretension and artificiality .