Healthy Teej to all KATHMANDU: Teej, a festival for women, is round the corner, which this year falls on September 8. Nepali women are already visiting friends and families to celebrate this festival. Women get together, feast on various delicacies, which is called daar, dance and celebrate. In Nepal, we have this belief that if women fast without drinking water, their husbands will have a long life. Especially in Teej, women fast for the long lives of their husband. However, Dr Kamal Raj Thapa, general physician at Bir Hospital, advises against such fasting and says, “Health comes first. If one is healthy, then she can take care of her husband.” Fasting is an integral part of Teej and women refrain from taking food and water for the whole day. Dr Thapa says, fasting itself is not bad. “It’s not bad to avoid eating food for a few hours or a day sometimes for people who are healthy.” He advised those who are diabetic and taking Insulin should not fast. “Those people who have migraine and gastritis also should not fast,” he asserted. According to our culture, women in family get-togethers and a night before Teej, feast lavishly so that they can fast the next day. Nevertheless, women gather up a month before in party palaces or hotels or at homes to feast and dance. This latest trend has increased the risk of women falling sick and being admitted due to unhygienic food and food poisoning. “After Teej, some women get admitted because of food poisoning or gastritis. Many women with migraine suffer more as an empty stomach increases headache. Many women faint due to dehydration also,” he said. Women donned in red, visit temples and dance without a morsel of food or a drop of water. They stand in queues to get into the temple under the scorching heat. They dance and sing which leads to sweating and loss of fluid. Usually, frequent movement, empty stomach and no water also creates stress, irritation and dizziness. Some even faint. Fasting during Teej is necessary and all Nepali women fast for 24 hours. Some families have modified this culture and they have started drinking fluid even though they avoid food. Sushila Raj Bhandari of Samakhusi said, “An entire day without food and water is not possible. Earlier, when I was young, I used to fast. As I am a patient of gastritis now, an empty stomach is impossible for me. Nothing is more important than one’s health and our empty stomach does not ensure our husband’s long life.” Another reason for women fainting in Teej is bright colour. Crowds of people wearing bright coloured clothes gives them headache and some tend to faint too, as per Dr Thapa. In case of pregnant women, it is very risky to fast. They should not fast. Both the mother and baby will be in danger if a mother fasts during her pregnancy. However, many pregnant women consult their doctor and fast. “Even though women fast, they are advised to take fluid like juice, milk, water and fruits to make sure that their stomach is not empty,” said Dr Thapa. Therefore, Dr Thapa advises all Hindu women to take care of their health and even though they fast, they must take fluids to avoid collapsing. “None of the Gods has said that ‘if you stay hungry and thirsty all day, I will grant your husband a long life’. It is just a belief. First comes health. Drink water, take rest do not exert your body and eat fruits at certain intervals,” he suggested.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 00:52:27 +0000
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