TEEJ:

Teej(Haritalika) whice is exclusively a woman's festival,falls on the bhadra shukla Tritiya(the third day after the full moon day of Bhadra).At this festival women obseve fast for the hole day the fulfilment of their wishes.They do not take even water.according to a legend, parvati, the daughter of Himalaya, observed this fast and performed the pooa to et mahadev as her husband.Her desire was fulfilled. since then this festival is celebrated by woman.Unmarried women also celebrate this festival for a suitable husbasnd and married woman perorm it for the loner life and prosperity of their husband and children.A night befor the fistival, women eat'dar' alond with the family members.it is a heavy meal of chicest dishes of sweets, curd, fruit etc.Married daughters are called in form their in law's house. if they are unable to come all these things alongwith other gifts are sent to their houses.in order to celebrete the fistival, women et up early in the mornin wash and wear ed bocade,clothes and a 'tilahari'.they
use cosmetis and deck themselves with ornaments. then they go to the siva temple and perform booja. those who are unable to go to the temple install a shivlinga at home.The pashupati temple in kathmandu is heavily crowded. there they sing dance and make merriment for the whole day.the tradition was not to take even a drop of water but these days some women have started takin milk or juice.After completin uttarang pooja they take food the other day or chauthi.Then comes rishi panchamion the fifth day the full moon day of bhadra. This day too is the fistival of the women. it is celebrated by the girls who have obtained puberty or after their first menstruation.they fast throughout the day and perform the pooja in the evening. Early that morning they visit different pilgrimaes smear cow dung and soil and then they bathe.they brush their theeth with 360'apamargs' or datiwans. They worship saptarishi along with arundhati, feed the priest and then take their own meal. they swarm to rishishwar mahadev. these twodays are holidays for women.