Teej - Women's Festival of Hindus

In every Hindu festival or a religious ceremony a women is an equal participant as a man. There is one festival 

which is purely and exclusively for women. This is the "TEEJ" festival when women have the whole stage to themselves and menfolk, and children are shooed away. It is the wish of every woman in the world to have the best possible life partner. In the Hindu society, this wish takes on religious overtones and women not only pray to have best life partner but also fast and pray for the longevity and prosperity of their husband once they are married.

There is a legend surrounding this festival. In the mythological past Parbati, the daughter of Himalaya Parbat, hence the name Parbati, fell for Lord Shiva who, among gods, is also referred to as divine ascetic.

He was in deep mediation and hence could not respond to her. Parbati's father too was against daughter marrying an ascetic. However, Parbati had made up her mind that she would have non other than Lord Shiva as her Husband. She adorned simplest of clothes and started her mediatation and fast and prayers to awaken Lord Shiva from his mediation and take her as his wife. Her single-mindedness and devotion ultimately fructified. lord Shiva's meditation was interrupted. Seeing her devotion he accepted her as his wife. Since then this festival began.

On this day women let their hair down and throw inhibitions to the wind and dance and sing with gay abandon. They also indulge in reckless shopping which include choicest food dishes, ornaments, and Saris. During the pre-fasting feasting women of all ages get together sit around cut jokes, sing and indulge in impromptu dancing while swinging on a makeshift swing on a tree trunk of a garden.

On this day the streets get very colorful and one can see groups of women wearing bright red saris, adorning ornaments and singing and laughing as they go to Pashupatinath temple to pay homage to Lord Shiva and his consort Parbati. At the temple they perform puja and pray for their husbands longevity and those not married pray that they should get life partner of their choice as the Goddess Parbati got hers.

When they break their ritual fast, they serve their husbands with the Prasad - food accepted and blessed by the god.