KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Vibrant colours and music were the order of the day when about 500 women gathered to celebrate the Teeyan festival in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Punjabi women, dressed in their best traditional outfits such as the salwaar kameez and gharara, spent the evening singing and dancing.

The event at Wisma Tatt Khalsa in Jalan Raja Bot was organised by a folk dance group called Pind Diyaan Kudiyaan with the support of Tatt Khalsa Diwan organisation and business community.

“The atmosphere of happiness is shared among the women. It is a celebration dating back to our ancestors in Punjab,” said a representative of the dance troupe, Malkit Kaur.

Teeyan is the dance festival of Punjabis, celebrated by women in the month of Sawan — when the days of summer have grown longer and hotter as it approaches the rainy season.

Teeyan also means “daughters” in the Punjabi language.

The celebration is all about happiness, prosperity and well-being.

During this period, married daughters usually head to their parents’ house and meet other women every evening to share their experiences through song and dance.

The dancing usually takes place by a river or pond under shady trees where swings are thrown over the branches.

“Traditional Punjabi sweets are also prepared to be shared among those in attendance,” she said.

However, over the years, Teeyan has become a reason for women to get together and dance giddha (a traditional dance by women) to the tunes of boliyan (Punjabi folk songs).

“Such festivals are a reason to have women in the community get together and keep the culture alive.

“Our culture must be preserved and passed down to the younger generation so it is not forgotten,” she said.

Malkit said it was just in the last few years that the festival was celebrated in Malaysia and the group wanted to make it an annual event.

The group also promotes folk entertainment at weddings at minimal cost.

To make the event more interesting, there were also games, boliyan singing competition and a fashion show.