Teej

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Teej is a festival, a day of fasting for the long life of their spouses. Women folk gather in temples, worship, pray, sing and dance (to please the deity).

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Reasons for selection

Teej music and dance. Teej tops the list of specialized festivals of Nepalese women (Brahmin and Chhetri).

Area where performed

All over Nepal

Essential elements of the performing art

Music, Dance

Detailed explanation

Teej songs are sung by women folk only. A girl must be at her parents' at the Teej. A girl living away from her parents expectantly waits for her father or brother to come to her to take her parents homes where she was born and brought up. Not to be able to be at her parents' at the time of Teej is the saddest of events to break a heart.

Before the coming of Teej (one month or more)hill sides echo with sweet and lovely songs of girls gathering fodder for farm animal or collecting fire wood and so on.

The day of Teej witnesses a riot of red around temples. It is a day when no male is allowed in and around Pashupati Temple. Only women folk in red are seen everywhere.

Culturally it is most important. It is very rich in music. New songs, new tunes, new melodies are formed. New poets are recognized. The subject of these songs include incidents that happened during the year.

Publication and textual documentation

There are many.

Audio documentation

Radio Nepal, Nepal Television

Visual documentation

Nepal Television

Institution/organisation involved in preservation and promotion

does not exist

Data provider

Mr. Shrikrishna Gautam
Special Secretary
HMS/Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture
Address: Tripuresevar Kathmandu, Nepal