Haritalika Teej Festival Begins with 'Dar' Feast

Kathmandu. The great festival of Nepali Hindu women, Haritalika (Teej), is being celebrated by eating 'Dar' today. With the eating of 'Dar' on the second day of the waxing moon of Bhadra, the Teej festival, celebrated for four days, has officially begun.

There is a tradition of inviting daughters and sisters to eat 'Dar', especially by the maternal home and brothers. As one has to observe a fast without food and water on the following day, the third day of the waxing moon of Bhadra, in preparation for that, hearty and sweet dishes are eaten the previous night as 'Dar' for physical strength. According to religious scholar Prof. Toyaraj Nepal, there is a custom of eating pure dishes made from milk, wheat bread, and ghee as 'Dar'. According to scriptural belief, the 'Dar' should be eaten before two parts of the night have passed.