To honor the goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, Teej is celebrated by millions of Hindu women and girls around the world. In South Salt Lake, the Nepali and Indian communities gathered to observe the festival, marked by fasting, feasting, dancing, music and sisterhood.

Zavian (3) and his father, Dilan Pradhan, watch the festivities at the South Salt Lake Community Center during the Teej celebration. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)

Hosted by Community Building Services and held at the SSL Community Center (2530 S. 400 East), the fifth annual Grand Teej Celebration on Aug. 23 featured performances by Ashish Aviral, Amrita L. Magar, Susmita Biswa and local singers and dancers. 

Teej is a celebration of love and devotion, observed by married women and unmarried girls, to honor sisterhood and to pray for the long life of their spouses or future husbands. 

“This is a special event dedicated to women,” said Rajani Thapa, Teej assistant program coordinator. “It is dedicated to women, but at the same time, we are honoring our husbands. So this is really special for both women and the men.”

Dressed in bright saris and adorned with intricate jewelry, women at the event performed dances, sang folk songs and asked for a happy married life, with blessings upon their families. Traditional foods and drinks were served to attendees and honored guests. The festival was expected to attract hundreds of local attendees to celebrate culture and community.

Dancers of all ages performed at the SSL Teej festival on Aug. 23, celebrating love, devotion and family. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)

During the event, a special recognition was given to SSL Mayor Cherie Wood, University of Utah’s Jennifer Mayer-Glenn (director of University Neighborhood Partners) and Tek Neopany, the director of CBS. The award acknowledged the work being done to support the Nepali population in the city.

“You have such a beautiful culture, and I thank you for sharing it with us,” Wood said. “Your outfits, your jewelry, the stories that you tell when you dance and the music and the songs are so beautiful. It makes me feel like I have such a boring culture when I get to come and see how you celebrate your culture, so thank you for letting me be here with you today. I want to make sure you know that you are welcome in South Salt Lake and that you are safe when you are in South Salt Lake.”

From left, South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood joins University of Utah’s Jennifer Mayer-Glenn, director of University Neighborhood Partners, and Tek Neopany, director of Community Building Services, as they are recognized for their dedication to inclusion and community. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)

CBS hosts the Teej festival and other events to build social empowerment through arts-based programming and cultural preservation. The organization is dedicated to creating opportunities for expression, leadership and cultural exchange to deepen community bonds. 

The CBS website stated, “The community is filled with excitement and pride as neighbors, families and friends come together to celebrate their shared heritage and vibrant diversity, feeling empowered, more connected with broader communities and resources, and ultimately fostering deeper integration.”

Attendees at the Teej celebration were able to share their traditions with friends and neighbors, and learn from each other in a spirit of respect and understanding. “Teej,” which translates to “third” honors the partnership and reunion of the goddess Parvati and her consort Lord Shiva. 

Along with CBS and SSL, the event was sponsored by organizations including Promise SSL, Utah Refugee Connection, International Rescue Committee, Utah Humanities, Salt Lake County ZAP, Refugee and Immigration Center, Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Salt Lake City Arts Council, Utah Refugee Center and the University of Utah. For more information about CBS, visit my-cbs.org.