Say Teej
AUG 30 -
Finally, the day is here to end, alas, not to end forever. The day of red saris and bangles for Hindu women is ending today. Nevertheless, the rest of the day is just about to unfold happy faces, a joyful environment and numerous songs and dances. Unmarried Hindu women considered this annual festival a blessing empowering a good life partner, and married women prayed sincerely for their husband’s long and healthy life.
The festival, which is important to both married and unmarried women, has been taking a different turn culturally, traditionally and conceptually year by year. When I was in grade three, I hardly knew what the word Teej actually meant. After asking a respective subject teacher for more information, she told me it was a festival of red worn by women. At that time, too young to understand everything meant by it, I reckoned it as a festive season of red where it is mandatory for them to wear red like at a theme party.
As I grew older, I saw not only the red theme parties of fun, but I came to know the true meaning behind it and a vital festival especially reserved for women to gather and celebrate. I accepted the fact of the country’s richness in terms of culture and traditions. As years come and go, this festival of red has changed along. One of the major changes is the songs. The songs marketed these days are more a pain and less a relief. Teej songs need to be soul-touching and provide relief to women. But the songs these days have less meaning and more laugh riots.
I have also come across songs where instead of praying and wishing for the well being and good of one’s husband, asking something precious like gold in return has become more important. The songs have supposedly created a bad impression by comparing gold and husbands. Most songs are unhealthy, producing bad vibes; and many others unimpressive to hear altogether. Additionally, in the name of the festival, women engage in a competition to wear the most expensive clothes.
Showoffs have played their part in starting arguments between husbands and wives.
However, there are other good changes in the festival like fasting. Fasting being really important, women in the villages don’t even swallow saliva. Swallowing it is considered to be swallowing the blood of one’s husband. This belief is kind of prehistoric and rather superstitious in the modern world. Today, city women are drinking water, and in some cases, they also eat fruits to avoid fainting in the middle of the day. This change for and made by women is quite surprising.
The bottom line is that whatever changes in the years to come, women have this particular day to celebrate with. Like in other festivals, Teej may also have some unacceptable flaws and changes. Whatever, let’s hope that it won’t bring arguments between a husband and wife!
Posted on: 2011-08-31 09:47
Finally, the day is here to end, alas, not to end forever. The day of red saris and bangles for Hindu women is ending today. Nevertheless, the rest of the day is just about to unfold happy faces, a joyful environment and numerous songs and dances. Unmarried Hindu women considered this annual festival a blessing empowering a good life partner, and married women prayed sincerely for their husband’s long and healthy life.
The festival, which is important to both married and unmarried women, has been taking a different turn culturally, traditionally and conceptually year by year. When I was in grade three, I hardly knew what the word Teej actually meant. After asking a respective subject teacher for more information, she told me it was a festival of red worn by women. At that time, too young to understand everything meant by it, I reckoned it as a festive season of red where it is mandatory for them to wear red like at a theme party.
As I grew older, I saw not only the red theme parties of fun, but I came to know the true meaning behind it and a vital festival especially reserved for women to gather and celebrate. I accepted the fact of the country’s richness in terms of culture and traditions. As years come and go, this festival of red has changed along. One of the major changes is the songs. The songs marketed these days are more a pain and less a relief. Teej songs need to be soul-touching and provide relief to women. But the songs these days have less meaning and more laugh riots.
I have also come across songs where instead of praying and wishing for the well being and good of one’s husband, asking something precious like gold in return has become more important. The songs have supposedly created a bad impression by comparing gold and husbands. Most songs are unhealthy, producing bad vibes; and many others unimpressive to hear altogether. Additionally, in the name of the festival, women engage in a competition to wear the most expensive clothes.
Showoffs have played their part in starting arguments between husbands and wives.
However, there are other good changes in the festival like fasting. Fasting being really important, women in the villages don’t even swallow saliva. Swallowing it is considered to be swallowing the blood of one’s husband. This belief is kind of prehistoric and rather superstitious in the modern world. Today, city women are drinking water, and in some cases, they also eat fruits to avoid fainting in the middle of the day. This change for and made by women is quite surprising.
The bottom line is that whatever changes in the years to come, women have this particular day to celebrate with. Like in other festivals, Teej may also have some unacceptable flaws and changes. Whatever, let’s hope that it won’t bring arguments between a husband and wife!
Posted on: 2011-08-31 09:47
P.S. : Once again! This blog article is on print on Nepal's English Newspaper, The Kathmandu Post titled as Say Teej .
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