SPEECH: Nepal Embassy Labor Attaché Indra Dev Pandey speaking at the event. Right: PERFORMANCE: Binu Tamang performing at the event.

 

By Usha Wagle Gautam

 

Hundreds of Nepalese women celebrated Teej recently, a festival celebrated by Hindu women in Nepal and northern India for the wellness of their husbands. The three-day festival falls towards the end of August or early September every year and involves a splendid feast followed by a fast for 24 hours.

They danced and sang at a venue draped in red. The programme was organised by Nepalese Women Society (NWS) and sponsored by International Money Express, LuLu Hypermarket, Safari Mall and Pigeon Engineering Trading and Contracting Company.

The programme organised at Holiday Villa was chaired by Rekha Rai, president of NWS, and guests included Indra Dev Pandey, Labor Attaché with Nepal Embassy.

Others at the function include Nepalese community leaders and entrepreneurs such as T B Karki, Macksud Alam, Purna KC, R K Sharma, Nanu Nepal and Sarita Bhatt.

All female participants of the programme were clad in red saris, wore traditional bangles, Pote (necklace of glass beads) and put tika of Sindur (crimson powder) on their foreheads as the symbol of good luck.

Folk singer Binu Tamang, a major attraction of the programme, sang six of her popular songs. Performing for the first time in Qatar, she praised the Nepali women working in Qatar for their perseverance and thanked them for their support.

Dancers Rama Acharya, Sangita Lama, Bina Basnet and Dipa Basnet performed on traditional Teej songs.

Singer Kabita Tamang sang Sunko Chura Ring ni Sunkai (Gold Bangles and Gold Earring), a song about women’s attire in Teej. The award-winning singer said she was very happy to be performing in a foreign country.

Dancer Urmila Rai, who danced on the song Poharko Jama Chhoto Vhayo Aaja (Last year’s dress doesn’t fit this year), said that she felt as if she were celebrating with her nearest and dearest ones in her home country. Roshani Rai danced on Teej aayo maita janchhu ma (I will go to my parents on Teej).

Comedians Birendra Yakthumba, Laxmi Magar and Bishnu Sunuwar enacted the roles of Hong Kong ID holder, US Green Card holder and a Qatari migrant worker in a comic play.

Nanu Nepal, Sarita Bhatt, Mina Khadka and Jamuna K Chand Mina Gaire were present in the programme with their families. They said they “firmly believe” in fasting on the second day of the festival for the long lives of their husbands. They added their husbands support them through their fasts by doing household chores and bringing gifts.

Indira Shrestha and Bikash Shrestha, married for five years, said they both fast during Teej for each other’s long lives.

Another participant, 40-year-old Malina BK said she does not believe fasting is a must during Teej. She said her alcoholic husband would beat her up for not having a son. “So I stopped fasting.”

Shakti Chhetri, Raju Thapa, Dumre Raju, Rajesh Tamang and Ramesh Pun — also at the event — said that not having food or water for 24 hours straight could be detrimental to health.

Earlier, the programme was inaugurated by NWS President Rai and Nepal Embassy Labor Attaché Pandey. The participants then observed a one-minute silence for women who had lost their lives to gender-based violence.

In her speech, Rai said that the Nepalese community lacks its own cultural hall. She added if they had a hall, the money spent renting the current premises could have gone to a charity in Nepal.

Pandey, in his speech, said that all men should respect women. He also urged the Nepali community in Qatar to abide by the cultural rules and regulations of the country.

The programme was hosted by Bishnu Sunuwar, Laxmi Magar and Januka Basnet, while the welcome speech was delivered by Amina Khan.

 

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