Happy Teej 2009!

Teej is an important Hindu ritual observed by Hindu women. Teej in Nepal is observed on the third day after the new moon in the Hindu month of Bhadra or Bhadrapada. It is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva and is observed for three consecutive days. This Teej is widely known as Hartalika Teej in India. In 2009, the Teej festival in Nepal begins on August 23. The last day of Teej is observed as Rishi Panchami.

A fast is observed on the Teej day by married and unmarried women. There is a belief that those unmarried women who observe fast on this day will get good husbands. Married women undertake fasting for a happy and prosperous married life. The importance of this fast is mentioned in several Puranas and it is also said that Hindu women observe Teej to commemorate the intense austerity observed by Goddess Parvati to get Lord Shiva as husband.

In Nepal, Teej is also the period when married women visit their parents. The night before Teej day is known as Dar khane Din and women prepare different varieties of food and have a lavish dinner. On Teej day, many women go without food the whole day.

The day after Teej is Ganesh Chaturthi and special prayers are held. Women also break the fast on this day. The next day is Rishi Panchami and special prayers are offered to the Sapta Rishis.

Lanjana, GD Designer, Gets Married!

Greeting guests with her mother (right) and sister-in-law


Erin enjoying face time with the bride.


Guests at the Party Palace


Congratulations, Lajana. Best wishes.


Erin with Ajit, GD producer, Sharada, from Federation of Women Entrepeneurs Associations of Nepal, and local designer.



Global Daughter Lead Designer and production whiz, Lanjana was married this week in Kathmandu. Her wedding lasted one full week (yikes, right?) with one day for an engagement party, then two days later a wedding party and then two days later the actual wedding. Her wedding week included many traditional rituals. She comes from an ethnic group, Newars, who have a unique style of marriage ceremonials. It is a quite an experience to witness the pageantry of weddings in Nepal!


I was so excited to attend and support Lanjana during her wedding party. Newaris love a good time and eat the tastiest food! That meant loads of buffalo dishes and local spirits (roxi). This marriage was arranged by her parents (they chose her husband) and she is looking forward to living the life of a married woman. She will continue to work (yipppeee!) with Global Daughter as well as with a felt workshop in the Valley.

Nepal's take on Christmas....

President, PM extend Christmas wishes
Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 - President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday extended wishes to all the Nepalis following Christianity living in the country and abroad on the auspicious occasion of Christmas.

President Yadav said the Nepalis have the rights to celebrate their practices and festivals in an independent manner. He further added that the respect to every religion, religious tolerance is the main core of secularism.

In a statement issued by the President’s Office today, President Yadav expressed his wish to create peaceful, prosperous and progressive Nepal following the path showed by Jesus Christ.

Likewise, PM Dahal expressed his hope that the people all round the world will get inspiration on increasing humanity, brotherhood, sympathy and secularism for the betterment of the humans on the occasion.

Also today, the Nepali Congress (NC) issued a statement today and extended wishes on the occasion of Christmas. The NC also expected that the occasion will inspire the youths to solve the national problems through mutual understanding and cooperation.

One of the biggest festivals of the Christian religion, Christmas is celebrated on December 25. The government has declared this day a national holiday.
People start making merry from the evening before Christmas also known as the Christmas Eve. Christians believe that Santa Claus riding a reindeers’ chariot comes at mid-night to gift a Christmas presents. Most Christians decorate homes with Christmas trees, coloured lights and paper or plastic decorations around the rooms.

*Isn't it interesting to hear a Hindu Country's interpretation of what Christmas means? I wonder how many misconceptions we have about traditions and customs practiced around the world....

Kathmandu Marathon/ 5K Kiddie Run

So I didn't actually do the marathon, or even run with the grown-ups, but I did have a great time in the kid's 5K division! My friend was running with kids from her orphanage, so I hopped in and had a go. My practice regime consisted of late nights, San Miguel beer, loads of tandoori and long walks behind the tail pipes of city buses. I was in no condition, but as a former runner, I thought I would dust off the old Nike Air Max 95s!


In total Nepali fashion it was disorganized, late and included a little spice of vandalism. The race was so poorly managed that organizers could not determine the winners of a few of the events. Some runners in the half marathon, full marathon, and 5K did not even reach check points and some rode on motorcycles to complete the race. There were only a few water stations along the route for the marathon runners, leaving them waterless for long stretches. Runners furious at the mismanagement of the event, resorted to vandalism at the national stadium- where all the races finished- shattering podiums and chairs. You know you are in Nepal when....

They did not block the roads so during one stretch of the race about 1,000 people were smashed onto the tiny sidewalk while buses, trucks and vans whizzed by, nearly clipping the heels of runners. I almost got ran over by one of the "volunteers" on his motorcyle. I also saw people cutting through the course along the way. There was no one directing runners, so it was a free-for-all. I was shouting to the kids, "Don't take the short cut in life!" and as I was getting passed by 5-year olds in pig tails and torn-up Ked sneakers, I realized that this marathon was a metaphor for Nepal and its future. Without going into it, I am sure you get it.

Anyways, it was a nice event, full of hilarity and that special touch of Nepali lawlessness. I can't imagine anything else I would like to be doing more at 5am on a Saturday morning.

The RED Festival

Teej or 'Haritalika' is a festival of fasting, dancing and elation, celebrated by the Hindu women in Nepal. It takes place in early September every year. This event is a riot of red, with women donning red- head to foot -and enthusiastically displaying emotion in public.

Teej serves as a great opportunity for women bound to their homes to get a much welcome break from their daily chores and duties to relax with friends, family and neighbors. The married women are happily welcomed back to their paternal homes after the finish of the rice-planting season. Only women/girls who have reached puberty participate in the festivities. By participating in this festival and fasting for 24hrs, unmarried women/girls believe they will find a good husband, and the married women believe the longevity and prosperity of their husbands will be secured.

Legends say the Goddess Pavati, Divine Mother, worshipped at length to get Lord Shiva, The Supreme God, as her husband. It took her 108 rebirths to get Shiva. Finally, he was touched by her devotion and love and married her. It is said that to commemorate her achievement, Parvati promoted the festival from then on among women, promising them happy married lives and longevity for their husbands.

Teej also represents a retreat with one's friends. Legends say that Parvati's father wanted her to marry Vishnu, The Preserver, but Parvati refused and ran away with the help of her friends. Then she underwent intensive Tapasya (deep thought) to win-over Shiva.

The first day of Teej is "Dar Khane"- a day to enjoy delicious traditional Nepali dishes. Married women visit their parental homes, visit temples, and get together with other women and dance until midnight. After which, a 24 hour fast commences.

The second day is the fasting day or Nirjala (fasting even without water or liquids). This tradition of women spending the whole day without food or water is practiced in the villages and even in the urban areas of Nepal. They gather at crossroads or Shiva temples decked out in red saris, similar to the style of a bride. This event gives women, old and young, the chance to dress like a bride again (or for the first time).

Pashupati Temple receives tens of thousands of women devotees on this day. Worshipping of the Shiva Linga, the phallic symbol of Shiva, with flowers, oil lamps, is the major event of the day. The third or last day of the festival is Rishi Panchami when women pay homage to Sapta Rishi (seven holy stages) by giving donations and bathing in the holy waters of the Bagmati River.

Teej songs openly reflect the discrimination and suffering women face in Nepal. For most women it is still the only day they have to voice their sadness and rebellion without fear of reprisal or judgement from society. Some emotions displayed in the songs have lyrics that, when translated, are disturbing and not at all hopeful: "How and what to sing when I have agonies; Teej has arrived to add tears to saddened hearts; streams of blood can be seen dancing and singing around; The sound of musical drums has been replaced by bomb and guns; we landed at a brothel with a life from hell; the notorious traffickers should be punished as severely as possible."