Kathmandu, Aug. 26 -- Nepali Hindu women are observing the festival of Teej, sharing pain and anxiety through songs along with a fast and praying for a prosperous life and perpetual luck.

Hundreds of fasting Hindu women on Tuesday thronged the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, paying obeisance to Lord Shiva, following the age-old tradition.

"For the Teej, we took a bath and started fasting past midnight; before that, we ate only those foods considered sacred. Today, on the day of Teej, all fasting Hindu women refrain from eating or drinking anything, not even water, in observance of the long life of their husbands, a tradition that has continued for ages. As per the scriptures, Goddess Parvati also kept a similar kind of fast. Followin...