Teej is a fasting festival for women. It's a 3-day long celebration to pray for marital bliss, the well-being of one's husband and children, and for purification of their own bodies. Traditionally on Day 1, women (married and single) gather and have a huge feast. They eat until midnight. Day 2 starts with rigid fasting of Hindu women. Women wear their finest attire and dance and sing en route to Shiva Temple, where they make offerings of flowers, sweets, and coins. Their oil lamps stay lit all night. Day 3 is the completion of puja, and women pay homage to various deities and bathe in red mud, which supposedlycleanses them from all sins. Just like Christmas for us, the holiday has many modern traditions and adaptation, but the meaning is still there. Our didi said last night she stayed up very late to cook food for everyone, and they woke up and ate before going to bed again. Today they are fasting.
The embassy had a large celebration and it was neat to watch their Nepali dance and to see women in flowing red celebrating their traditions and culture.
A huge highlight for me was again celebrating Teej with my kids. I'll refer to them often, as if they're mine, but we just met last night. Already I feel such a strong connection with them. They are part of the youth I will be teaching soon through the Access scholarship program, and they put on their own festival last night. It was mesmerizing, especially considering their backgrounds. More on that another time. These youth have blossomed in this program in just a few short months. They sang, danced, performed, recited poetry they had written, and cheered each other on. I felt such hope and optimism among them, and I can't wait to go back.
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