ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The first-ever Teeyan da Mela concluded in Christchurch last weekend with more than 200 women who attended the event hailing it a “great success”.
Overjoyed with the response was Nitika Bhullar, one of the main organisers, who said, “The highlight of the evening was our mutiyar punjabi di competition – similar to Miss India contests – during which over 30 participants were judged on their dressing sense and cultural knowledge. A young woman named Manjinder Kaur won the contest.”
Ms Nimi Bedi, a noted immigration advisor and one of the judges of the contest, added, “I have shifted to Christchurch just over a year back after living in Auckland for decades. And I must say, for a first-time effort, the Teeyan da Mela of Christchurch was second to none. Women of all age groups enjoyed the evening thoroughly.”
The evening also saw a turban tying competition for older ladies, the response for which was so great that later the younger ones also pitched in, informed the event organisers.
A fancy dress competition for children, giddha and Bollywood dance performances, were part of the event as well.
Most notable cultural performance though, was the bhangra – traditionally performed by males – being choreographed and performed by an all-women group.
National List MP Jo Hayes was the chief guest of the evening.
“Going by the response from the community, we will definitely make it an annual affair now. A day for all women to gather and celebrate our womanhood. This is what teeyan or teej is all about,” Ms Bhullar said.
The first-ever Teeyan da Mela concluded in Christchurch last weekend with more than 200 women who attended the event hailing it a “great success”.
Overjoyed with the response was Nitika Bhullar, one of the main organisers, who said, “The highlight of the evening was our mutiyar punjabi di...
The first-ever Teeyan da Mela concluded in Christchurch last weekend with more than 200 women who attended the event hailing it a “great success”.
Overjoyed with the response was Nitika Bhullar, one of the main organisers, who said, “The highlight of the evening was our mutiyar punjabi di competition – similar to Miss India contests – during which over 30 participants were judged on their dressing sense and cultural knowledge. A young woman named Manjinder Kaur won the contest.”
Ms Nimi Bedi, a noted immigration advisor and one of the judges of the contest, added, “I have shifted to Christchurch just over a year back after living in Auckland for decades. And I must say, for a first-time effort, the Teeyan da Mela of Christchurch was second to none. Women of all age groups enjoyed the evening thoroughly.”
The evening also saw a turban tying competition for older ladies, the response for which was so great that later the younger ones also pitched in, informed the event organisers.
A fancy dress competition for children, giddha and Bollywood dance performances, were part of the event as well.
Most notable cultural performance though, was the bhangra – traditionally performed by males – being choreographed and performed by an all-women group.
National List MP Jo Hayes was the chief guest of the evening.
“Going by the response from the community, we will definitely make it an annual affair now. A day for all women to gather and celebrate our womanhood. This is what teeyan or teej is all about,” Ms Bhullar said.
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