Haritalika Tritiya Recipes
Hindu religious books suggest that Teej rituals were first performed with great devotion by mother Goddess Parvati herself to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Impressed with her devotion Lord Shiva took her as his wife. With fasting and religious rituals of Teej, Nepali women purify their body and soul and pray for their good health, marital happiness, prosperity and long life for their husbands and children
This festival falls during late August or early September (Nepali month =Bhadra). Based on the lunar calendar, our astrologers decide when this festival falls on a particular year. The first day of Teej is Bhadra Sukla Tritiya which is also called "Haritalika" (named after one of the several names of mother Goddess Parvati). The second day is "Ganesh Chaturthi", and the third day is "Rishi Panchami". As these names indicate, 3 members of "Shiva Parivar Devata" (mother Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Shiva himself) are worshipped during Teej. Despite the fact that each day of Teej is named after separate member of "Shiva Parivar Devata", all 3 of the deities and many other gods and goddesses are worshipped in each day or event
To help themselves prepare for long fasting required for religious rituals of Teej (commonly not even drinking water), on the eve of the Haritalika, women feast on a special event called "Daar Khane" making Teej actually a 4-day long festival. On this "Daar Khane" day women are in a festive mood. Well-dressed women of all ages get together during evening hours. They sing songs (usually devotional) and dance while some of their relatives and friends prepare delicious vegetarian dishes often loaded with clarified butter and sugar. They feast before midnight and the event is over once they become tired of eating, singing and dancing
As mentioned earlier, women purify their body and do prayers and worship Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha on the day of "Haritalika" and "Ganesh Chaturthi". More elaborate rituals are performed on "Rishi Panchami", the last day of Teej
On Rishi Panchami day, women get up early and go to holy rivers, or streams or nearby lakes and ponds carrying bundles of Datiwan (twigs from a special kind of local shrub) to purify their body. They use Datiwan to brush their teeth and use mud underneath the Datiwan shrubs as detergent/soap to clean their body. When such river bath is over, women dress themselves using new colorful dresses and prepare for Sapta Rishi (Lord Shiva) Pooja. A large mass of women devotees visit Pashupati Nath Temple on this day. Usually a priest helps a group of women conduct Saptarishi pooja on the day of Rishi Panchami. Pooja involves invocation, offering of water, colored rice, flower, fruits, sweets, coins, a burning lamp, and prayers to each of the deity while the priest reads the religious mantras
After the Sapta Rishi pooja is over, women break their fast and celebrate the rest of the day going on processions of singing and dancing in colorful clothes
You can see them gathering at local market places, or streets or around temples to sing, dance, make friends or renew friendships. Besides devotional songs, they also sing songs telling their day to day life and sharing their experiences with others. More recently, women also sing songs related to the political, social and cultural events of their village or the country. During Teej celebrations, men usually help women by doing the house - and farm-chores while fasting women can concentrate on the Teej rituals and enjoy the event.Coconut Potali
This festival falls during late August or early September (Nepali month =Bhadra). Based on the lunar calendar, our astrologers decide when this festival falls on a particular year. The first day of Teej is Bhadra Sukla Tritiya which is also called "Haritalika" (named after one of the several names of mother Goddess Parvati). The second day is "Ganesh Chaturthi", and the third day is "Rishi Panchami". As these names indicate, 3 members of "Shiva Parivar Devata" (mother Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Shiva himself) are worshipped during Teej. Despite the fact that each day of Teej is named after separate member of "Shiva Parivar Devata", all 3 of the deities and many other gods and goddesses are worshipped in each day or event
To help themselves prepare for long fasting required for religious rituals of Teej (commonly not even drinking water), on the eve of the Haritalika, women feast on a special event called "Daar Khane" making Teej actually a 4-day long festival. On this "Daar Khane" day women are in a festive mood. Well-dressed women of all ages get together during evening hours. They sing songs (usually devotional) and dance while some of their relatives and friends prepare delicious vegetarian dishes often loaded with clarified butter and sugar. They feast before midnight and the event is over once they become tired of eating, singing and dancing
As mentioned earlier, women purify their body and do prayers and worship Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha on the day of "Haritalika" and "Ganesh Chaturthi". More elaborate rituals are performed on "Rishi Panchami", the last day of Teej
On Rishi Panchami day, women get up early and go to holy rivers, or streams or nearby lakes and ponds carrying bundles of Datiwan (twigs from a special kind of local shrub) to purify their body. They use Datiwan to brush their teeth and use mud underneath the Datiwan shrubs as detergent/soap to clean their body. When such river bath is over, women dress themselves using new colorful dresses and prepare for Sapta Rishi (Lord Shiva) Pooja. A large mass of women devotees visit Pashupati Nath Temple on this day. Usually a priest helps a group of women conduct Saptarishi pooja on the day of Rishi Panchami. Pooja involves invocation, offering of water, colored rice, flower, fruits, sweets, coins, a burning lamp, and prayers to each of the deity while the priest reads the religious mantras
After the Sapta Rishi pooja is over, women break their fast and celebrate the rest of the day going on processions of singing and dancing in colorful clothes
You can see them gathering at local market places, or streets or around temples to sing, dance, make friends or renew friendships. Besides devotional songs, they also sing songs telling their day to day life and sharing their experiences with others. More recently, women also sing songs related to the political, social and cultural events of their village or the country. During Teej celebrations, men usually help women by doing the house - and farm-chores while fasting women can concentrate on the Teej rituals and enjoy the event.
