Another festival which takes place around some areas of the Annapurna circuit and throughout Nepal is Teej. This Hindi festival is a ritual for women only, taking place over three days and involving fasting and feasting. All Hindi women and girls who are married (unless deemed physically unfit) must take part in this ceremony. In legend, the goddess Parbati fasted and prayed for Shiva to be her husband. He was so taken with this devotion of a woman for a man, that he sent an emissary to Earth to teach the mortal women to pray and fast for their husbands also. He promised that this would give their marriages longevity and they would prosper. Held in August/September, women will dance, pray, feast and fast over the three day festival and bring offerings of seeds and harvest.
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