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Saturday, December 21, 2024
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Celebrated in Rajasthan and Chandigarh (Haryana) in August, this swing festival i.e Teej welcomes the advent of the monsoon. Teej is a common name for 3 types of Teej falling one after the other at 15 days interval. The first one is 'Haryali Teej'or the green Teej or Choti Teej which falls on the third day of the bright fortnight of the month of Shrawan / Sawan (July-August), then 'Kajari' or Badi Teej 15 days later during the dark phase of the moon, followed by 'Hartalika Teej', another 15 days later, on the third day after new moon in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September).
The festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and commemorates the day when she was united with Lord Shiva after a penance of over a hundred years – making them a symbol of an ideal marriage. It is believed that invocation of Parvati's blessings on this day results in continued marital bliss.
Basically a women's festival, Teej falls on the third day of the bright fortnight of the month of Shrawan (July-August). The images of Parvati or Teej Mata are bedecked in new clothes and jewellery and worshipped. Then the images are taken out in ceremonial processions escorted by caparisoned elephants, camels and horse drawn chariots, as the bride Parvathi leaves her parents home for her husband's. The devotees surges to catch a glimpse of the deity and seek blessings.
Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers. Young girls and women colourfully attired usually in green, swing on them and sing songs in praise of the goddess and the monsoon. They decorate their hands and feet with henna in delicate designs. The popular belief is that darker the henna the more a man loves his woman. Girls engaged to be married receive gifts known as Sindhara/Sinjara such as a dress, henna, lac bangles and sweets from their future in-laws, and married women, from their parents. Extensive meals are prepared on the festive day, and the most popular among them is the dessert 'Ghewar'.
During Kajari Teej, Lord Shiva is worshipped. Women fast without even drinking water and pray to the moon as well as the neem tree. They sing songs known as Kajari's usually depicting the emotion of longing, composed and found in Rajasthan, Bihar, UP and Madhya Pradesh.
Hartalika Teej commemorates the occasion when Goddess Parvati encouraged her friends to kidnap her
to escape the marriage with Lord Vishnu after her father Himalaya wanted to gave her hand in marriage to him.
On this day women observe water less fast (nirjala Vrata) for the long life of their husbands.
