The celebrations will take place on September 17th at 1pm in the Gimnodesportivo Marinhense, in Marinha das Ondas, Figueira da Foz.

In Nepal, the Teej festival is especially experienced by women, who in it celebrate the happiness of marriage, prosperity and family values. During the festivities, they visit temples to pray for the well-being of their spouses and children and for the purification of their own soul. They wear red robes, a colour traditionally used by Nepalese brides that also symbolises power. On this day, they all wear their best clothes – red saris with golden ornaments and long green necklaces. There’s a festive spirit around the temples and the women sing, dance and celebrate.

The festival lasts 3 days: a day of family gatherings, a day of fasting and a day of festivities. According to Hindu mythology, the Goddess Parvati fasted and prayed to return to her husband Lord Shiva. Just like Parvati, Hindu women are supposed to fast so that their prayers are heard and afterwards celebrate the longevity and happiness of marriage.

The Parish of Marinha das Ondas has in the last few years taken in an expressive Nepalese community and thus this event is expected to gather over 150 people from it to recreate their religious and cultural festivities, granting the possibility to this community to embody the spirit of their origins. This initiative is, in the meantime, open to the whole community and the media by the invite of the Nepal and Portugal Cultural Group, who want to allow the wider community to get to know some aspects of their religion, culture and gastronomy.

The Caritas of Coimbra, through their E8G Without Differences Project, has taken on inclusion projects with migrant communities who work at companies around the Our Lady of the Good Voyage Community Centre, promoting social integration with the migrant communities in a more equalitarian society without stereotypes.