The Nepali community of Christchurch got together last Friday to celebrate the Hindu festival of Teej. Bishnu Pokhrel, President of Canterbury Nepalese Society (CNS), noted, “Teej is the most awaited festival for our ladies during which we dance all night long on typical Teej songs and have delicious daar – a Nepali delicacy.
It signifies the advent of monsoon when ladies pray to Goddess Parvati for the long-life of their husbands. Almost 250 people attended the Hartalika Teej celebrations 2074 this year, which included Teej geet competition, Dohoris [Nepali folk], and Teej dances.”
The event also provided CNS with an opportunity to raise funds to help flood victims back home, Mr Pokhrel said. Notably, Nepal, along with some parts of Bangladesh and Eastern India, has been reeling under severe floods this monsoon.
At last count in Nepal, 141 people are confirmed dead, with more than 38,000 households affected.
Authorities, struggling to cope, have distributed ready-to-cook food, water purifiers, and hygiene and sanitary materials for women, in the affected regions. Almost 80 per cent of the arable land in the country has been destroyed.
“The event provided the Nepalese diaspora settled here in Christchurch to do our wee bit to help our brothers and sisters back home.
As we had done in the past, CNS along with other Nepalese organisations here in New Zealand will continue to organise more such events in future too,” he said.