The last weeks of August and beginning of September, women in many parts of India and Nepal are celebrating their Teej.

This is a monsson festival celebrated by women, for the long life of her husband and long and firm relationship between them in this life and all the lives to come. Women gather together with friends, dance, sing, tell stories, dress up and share festive foods.

Traditionally Teej is celebrated on the third day of month Shraavana (an Indian Lunar month), which is also called Hariyali Teej, meaning Green Teej, as plants and grass grows green due to rains of the monsoon. Teej, in fact, is a large red mite that comes out of the soil during the rainy season. Therefore, at Teej, red is the favorite colour. Women in red dance and sing in the streets, go to temple and fast from food. The fast commences during the evening of Hartalika Teej and is broken the next day after a full day's observance which involves women not even drinking water.

Hariyali Teej festival is observed to remember the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, The legend tells that Goddess Parvati fasted and was austere for many years and was accepted by Lord Shiva as his wife in her 108 birth. At the festival, women pray to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, remembering their wedding and staying up all night listening to prayers.