Kathmandu (Pahichan) September 8 – Homosexual and transgender women have celebrated Haritalika Teej festival, one of the famous Hindu festivals in Nepal. Married homosexual and transgender celebrated this festival wishing healthy and long-life of their life partner.

The members of this community were gathered at the office of Blue Diamond Society for the purpose of celebrating the Teej festival. Founder of BDS Sunil Babu Pant started the tradition that not only women, homosexual and transgender should celebrate the Teej festival. Chairman of Society Pinky Gurung is giving continuity to this tradition.

There is a religious significance of Teej festival. Religious significance of Teej festival lies in devotion of Goddess Parvati for her husband Lord Shiva. It was on this that divine couple of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati reunited with each other after hundreds of years. Even today womenfolk commemorate this mythological event by observing Nirjara vrat for the well-being and long life their husband. According to tradition, unmarried girls during their fasting and worship wish a good husband. Similarly, who are already married wish the better health and long-life of this husband.

Chairman Gurung said they celebrated festival wearing new sari, Chura, pote and other jewelry and diamond. For this community, it is an opportunity to share the discrimination they are facing in the society as well as in the family. Gurung said members of this community are free to select their life-partner and they celebrated festival expressing their problems.

According to her, Teej festival is an opportunity to make their identity open in the society. Gurung said members of this community should be aware about the rights mentioned in the constitution. “We should move forward to secure the rights enshrined in the constitution,” said Gurung.