Teej...


Just as in the case of several other Hindu festival, many traditions and rituals are associated with Teej celebrations। On Teej, women keep fast and perform other customs for long and healthy life of their husband. Every ritual has its own significance and so ladies perform all Teej customs with extreme devotion. Women start preparing for Teej well in advance and go out shopping to bring all the items used in performing Teej rituals.

Teej Customs and Rituals
Teej customs and rituals make the festival more interesting and full of colors। Women who observe fast for their husband take proper care that no carelessness is committed while carrying out the rituals. Teej festival calls for performance of all rituals seriously if one wants to be blessed with marital bliss.

Shrinjhara
To celebrate the auspicious occasion of Teej, women perform some serious rituals. It is customary for married women to return to their parents' home at the time of Teej. Married women and engaged girls get lot of presents from their father-in-law as per Teej customs. A traditional gift package called 'Shrinjhara' or 'Sindhare' is gifted to their daughter-in-law. This traditional name originated from the Hindi word shringaar meaning adornment. Shrinjhara package consists of Ghewar (sweet), traditional laheria dress (tie & dye), henna and lac bangles. All these items are used by the ladies to adorn herself.

Baya
Baya is another traditional package given to women observing fast on Teej. It includes dry fruits, mathris, new clothes, bangles and jewelry. It is given by mothers of the newly wed girls on the Teej Festival day.

Tradition to Adorn Oneself
On Teej, both married and unmarried girls dress up in traditional colored clothes. Women are usually seen in auspicious red, green and yellow colored lehangas, suits and sarees. Women start shopping for Teej well in advance. It gives them the opportunity to look beautiful of all.

Mehandi and Alta
The most important ritual is to beautify hands with special mehandi designs and alta. Girls and women apply intricate patterns of alta and mehandi to their hands and feet. This is also a part of Teej Shringar. Women usually hide name of their love in these mahendi designs and later ask them to find out their name. This tradition becomes a playful activity and adds vigor to the day's celebration.

Jewelry
Ladies also wear new gold and diamond jewelry. Some women wear very heavy jewelry while some wear light jewelry. Women have full liberty to ask for anything they wish. Even their husband do not stop them from doing anything and gift them whatever they desire as they starve themselves for well-being of their husband.

Teej Fast
The most important ritual of Teej Festival is Teej Fast. Women and unmarried girls keep fast for long and healthy life of their husband. Teej fast goes for 24 long hours. It is the most rigorous fast in which a woman neither drinks nor eat.

Tradition of Lighting a Lamp
As per the ritual of Teej fasting, a woman should keep an oil lamp lit all night। If the oil lamp dies away, it is considered a bad omen.

Goddess Parvati




The most important ritual of Teej is to bedeck Parvati Mata and carry out auspicious processions on the streets. Idol of Goddess Parvati is decorated with fine jewelry and new colorful clothes. The fasting day of Teej is very vital as women pray to Goddess for marital bliss and happy life.

Swings
Last but not the least, swings are the common sight when Teej is near. Beautifully decorated swings are hung from trees in the garden and gaily dressed up women swing and sing traditional Teej songs. Some women also dance while singing the holy songs.

Teej Celebrations


Teej celebrations takes place in various parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat. Being an important women festival, Teej is celebrated with full verve and enthusiasm. It is held to mark the advent of monsoon season and also a very important festival for engaged and married women. On this day, women pray to Goddess Parvati for long and healthy life of their husband. There are many activities performed by women to celebrate the holy festival of Teej. Women feel immense pleasure in celebrating the festival and make various preparations before hand.

Why is Teej Celebrated?
Teej commemorates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is believed that Goddess Paravati took 108 births to have Lord Shiva as her husband. Since then it is proclaimed that who so ever worships Parvati Ma is blessed with happy married life. At the time of Teej, women observe Nirjara Vrat so that Goddess Parvati becomes happy and bless their husband with long and healthy life.

How is Teej Celebrated?

Teej is celebrated in a very colorful way. Women start preparing for Teej a week before the festival. For Teej celebration, women buy new clothes, jewelry and accessories to wear on the festival day. Markets are usually crowded with women shopping for various items to adorn oneself. On Teej, women try to look as beautiful as they can. Intricate mehndi designs are also applied to hands and feet. On the main Teej day, women even visit beauty parlors. Women spend a lot of money of Teej preparations. Even husbands do not say anything to their wife and help them in festival preparations.

Teej celebrations are not only confined to the women celebrating the festival. Teej celebrations take place round the city. A special Teej procession is organized in which the bedecked idol of Goddess Parvati is kept on a palanquin and carried out in the procession. Numerous artists, performers, band members and folk dancers follow the procession showing their magnificent skills. People dance down the streets along with other performers as they completely engross in Teej festivities.

Apart from this, women love to celebrate the festival by making their own special arrangements. Beautifully decorated swings are hung from trees and attractively dressed women dance and sing various Teej and Sawan songs. Fragrance of flowers on Teej swings pervade the atmosphere. After this, women offer prayers to Parvati Mata and the Teej Vrat successfully completes.

At the end of the day, husbands come to pick their wife and sometimes even bring presents for them. This way Teej Celebrations bring lot of happiness for both married and unmarried couples and create some everlasting memories.

Teej Mata – Goddess Parvati
Teej honors Goddess Parvati – symbol of utter devotion and love. Hence Teej is also called Teej Mata Festival. Both married and unmarried Hindu women observe the three-day-long festival seeking blissful married life and happiness for their husband. Teej festivities and its celebrations are dedicated to Goddess Parvati this is why it's purely a festival of womenfolk.

Goddess Parvati
The divine figure of Goddess Parvati is worshiped with earnest dedication at the time of Teej. The day's celebration has an ancient legend associated with it. It is said on this day Goddess Parvati reunited with her consort Lord Shiva. Mata Parvati went through rigorous fasting and a penance of 100 years. She took 108 births to be accepted by Lord Shiva in the form of his wife. Even today the auspicious day is celebrated to honor Goddess Parvati for her true love and positive spirit. And since the celebration of Teej totally relate to Goddess Parvati, so she is also called Teej Mata.
Procession of Teej Mata
On the last day, Teej idol is taken out from the pat (holy place where she is kept). The idol is freshly painted and bedecked with pure gold and other fine jewelry. Bright colors are used to decorate the Goddess. The idol is offered fruits, milk, chapati, nookti, ghewar and pure jal by saints performing prayers and chanting holy shlokas.

Teej idol covered with a canopy is taken out in the procession. Specially decorated 'band baaza' with a team of performers precede the procession. The 'Teej Mata Palki' or 'Takht-e-Rawan' is carried by 8 men dressed in red color. In the Pink City of Rajasthan, Jaipur where grand celebrations for Teej takes place carries out Teej Mata in a royal procession from the city palace so that the general public can pay homage to the festival Goddess and get their desires fulfilled.

In the Teej Mata procession there are around 10-12 elephants, 16 well-adorned horses and performers including dancers, singers and folk-artists. Beautifully decorated camels and bullock carts are an added attraction to the festival procession. Bhog is also given to the devotees who come closer to pay homage to the deity.

There is a huge rush to have a single glimpse of Teej Mata Palki. People in colorful traditional dresses even reach the top of houses and tree tops to have a splendid view of the holy procession. As the procession moves forward people keep offering precious ornaments to the idol. The time when “Mata” is about to reach back its place, the idol gets almost covered with gold and silver jewelry.
Teej Puja Process





Teej Puja is a vital part of Teej celebration. Women, both married and unmarried, start preparing for the final puja well in advance. The verve, enthusiasm and devotion is apparent on their face. On the puja day, women wear new and beautiful clothes. This is the day to look best of all. Teej Puja is not a very long affair. Women read aloud the Teej Katha and offer their worship to Goddess Parvati.
Teej Puja Rituals
Lot of activities and rituals are performed at the time of Teej Puja. Attired in traditional sarees and lehangas, women congregate in a temple to worship Parvati Ma, who took 108 births to reunite with Lord Shiva. On this day, idol of Goddess Parvati is bedecked with rich silk cloth and heavy jewelry. This day is considered very important as married women and engaged girls observe fast for long and healthy life of their husband and to-be-husband.
Teej Puja Process
Women either gather at a nearby temple or a garden where the puja is arranged. The main puja takes place with holy offerings of flowers, sweets and coins. A semi-circle is created and an idol of Goddess Parvati is kept in the middle. A pujarin or all the ladies together narrate the holy Teej Katha. Young girls also sit to listen the auspicious katha. While listening to the katha, women are expected to put their mind and thoughts towards their soul mate.

When the puja gets over women offer fruits, flowers and other holy items and seek blessings of Goddess Parvati for marital bliss. Another very important part of Teej Puja is the oil lamp which should be kept alight throughout the night as it is bad omen if it dies away.

At some places, after paying homage to Goddess Parvati, women bath with red mud found on the roots of the sacred Datiwan bush. This is an act of purification. It is believed that a woman is absolved from all sins after taking this holy bath.

At the end of the day, women share their happiness and joy by dancing and singing traditional songs in praise of Lord Shiva and her consort Parvati.

Teej in Punjab


Teej is an important festival for the women of Punjab. The sawan month is eagerly waited by the people of Punjab as different festivals fall at this time period. The festival of Teej brings exuberance and chance to get along each other. Young girls and boys actively participate in events taking place in various towns and districts in Punjab. Celebration of Teej begins from the third day of sawan - the fifth Hindu month beginning from Chaitra.

Teej Celebrations in Punjab
Young women and men enthusiastically celebrate the occasion of Teej. At the time of Teej, many schools and colleges in Punjab organize competitions and cultural programs. Some competitions are organized on higher scale and are attended by senior government officials. The theme of the competitions is totally traditional and cultural. Competitive categories include rangoli, mehndi, dance, singing, painting etc. In colleges, Teej beauty contests take place where young girls passionately participate and win various titles like “Miss Teej”, “Teej Queen” and “Baby Teej”.

Teej celebrations in villages too, are full of joy and verve. Young girls and women get along to perform Teej rituals. Girls swing on decorated swings called peeng and adorn their hands and feet with intricate mehndi designs.

Girls who perform gidda on Teej dedicate it to their husband or to-be-husband. Some of these special Teej dance and songs symbolize that women are always ready to sacrifice their life for their lover. After the dance performance young ladies offer prayers and sing songs for good health of their love. Teej fairs called Teelan are organized which has stalls with collection of traditional items like colorful bangles, juttis, dresses and earrings. Main attraction of Teej fair are the mehndi stalls.

At homes, people prepare special Punjabi Teej dishes like Kheer Puri, Gulgale, Karah and Pakoras. Family members sit together and enjoy the lavish feast. Men give blessings to their wife and both pray for each others' long and cheerful life.

Special Teej Punjabi Songs
Dance and songs are an integral part of Teej celebrations in Punjab. It is also considered a very important medium to convey their heartiest thoughts and messages . Women freely express their feelings for their love or husband by singing and dancing on traditional Teej songs. Some the most popular Punjabi Teej songs are:
"Sawan Da Mahina Din Giddha De Sabhe Sahalyan
Aiyan Nachan Kundan, Jhutan Pingan Piyan Vadiyan
Gharan Diya Jaiyan Bhij Gai Rooh Mitra Sham Ghatan Chad Aiyan".

A very common song sung to welcome the sawan festival of Teej after a long year is given below:
"Teeyan Teej Diyan Bhadon De Muklave Teeyan Teej Diyan”.

In the sawan month, young girls gather and celebrate the auspicious occasion of Teej. They dance on cultural songs with a perfect mood to welcome the sawan. One of the famous songs sung is:
"Sase Teri Mahen Marh Jaye,
Mere Veer Nu Sukhi Khand Payee."

In various households, a very beautiful song is sung on Teej which describes a woman's extreme love for her soul mate. She thinks that her lover's pain and sorrows are her own.
"Akh Mere Yaar Di Dukhe,
Lali Merian Akhan De Wich Aiyee".

The song given below depicts a love scene in which women consider her man to be a face of God.
"Aya Sawan Da Maheena Aa,
Tun menu Rab Lagdha Naleh Naleh Makka Te Madina Aa".

This song depicts a girl's desperation to meet her lover who is away for work.
"Teri Do Takyan Di Nokri
Mera Lakhan Da Sawan Jaye.
Chhuti Lai Ke Aja chann Ve"।


Punjabi Teej Songs

Sawan Aya Ni
Ral auo sahio ni,
Sabh tian khedan jaiye
Hun aya sawan ni
Pinghan piplin ja ke paiye
Pai ku ku kardi ni,
Sahio koel Hanju dolhe
Papiha wekho ni,
Bherha pee-pee kar ke bole.
Paye pailan pande ni,
Bagi moran shor machaya.
Arhio khil khil phaulan ne,
Sanu mahia yad kariya.

Sawan da Mahina
"Sawan Da Mahina Din Giddha De Sabhe Sahalyan
Aiyan Nachan Kundan, Jhutan Pingan Piyan Vadiyan
Gharan Diya Jaiyan Bhij Gai Rooh Mitra Sham Ghatan Chad Aiyan".



When is Teej?

There are three different variations of Teej, namely – Hariyali, Kajari and Hartalika Teej. All the three Teej falls in different times and are celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm by womenfolk in India. Date of Teej Festival is decided according to the arrival of monsoon and hence it changes every year. There are special rituals and customs associated with every Teej. These traditions hold great importance for women celebrating the festival of Teej. Read on to learn about different dates of all the three Teej celebrations.

When is Haryali Teej?
Celebrate Haryali Teej on August 2, 2011, Tuesday
Haryali Teej falls on Shukla Tritiya in the Hindu month of Sawan। The day heralds the onset of monsoon as a symbol of happiness, prosperity and love. As the name suggests, Haryali Teej is mainly related with greenery. It is commemorated for abundance of greenery and also a good harvest. Haryali Teej is celebrated in a grand way in the ancient 'Banke Bihari' temple of Vrindavan. Thousands of devotees congregate to worship Lord Krishna and Radha. Holy water is sprinkled over the devotees to welcome the monsoon season. At some places, womenfolk offer prayer to moon on the first day of Teej i.e. Haryali Teej.

Hariyali Teej


Hariyali Teej also called Teejen is celebrated with extreme mirth and devotion by womenfolk. It falls in the Shukla Paksha of Shravana, corresponding to the month of August. As the name says, Hariyali Teej relates to greenery. On this day, many women clad themselves in green colored clothes and wear green bangles. A special puja is performed to worship moon. Traditional singing of songs and dance escalates the verve of Haryali Teej celebrations.

Hariyali Teej Celebrations
A day before Hariyali Teej, women celebrate 'Sindhare'. It is a significant day for newly wed brides. On her first "Sindhara" after marriage, it is customary to receive clothes and ornaments from her Mother-in-law. On Hariyali Teej, women gather to worship moon. The puja performed on this occasion is done with milk, curd and flowers.

Hariyali Teej is mainly related with greenery and commemorates for abundance of greenery and good harvest. Women wear green colored clothes like lehanga, suits and sarees. They wear green bangles and adorn their hands with beautiful mehandi patterns. Women both married and unmarried enjoy the festive spirit by swinging on adorned swings singing songs relating to the month of Sawan. Various delicious food items are cooked which is relished by all in the family.

The day is enjoyed with full craze that even the Gujarati women adopt the Rajasthani traditions. In Gujarat, special Garba dance is arranged. Women in their traditional clothes, carry pots on their heads and dance singing songs in praise of Goddess Parvati.

In Maharashtra, women wear green bangles, green clothes, golden bindis and kajal for luck. They distribute beautifully painted coconuts to their female relatives and friends and offer fresh fruit and green vegetables to the goddess as thanks giving.

Hariyali Teej Celebrations in Vrindavan
There are great festivities in Vrindavan which goes on up to Janmashtmi. Lord Krishna devotees celebrate Hariyali Teej with great enthusiasm and excitement in the holy place of Vrindavan. At the time of Hariyali Teej, swings are laid down in the shrines of Vrindavan for the deities to swing upon. This religious ceremony is called 'Jhullan Leela'. Religious songs and hymns are chanted in the famous 'Banke Bihari' temple. Even leelas of Radha and Lord Krishna are narrated. Hariyali Teej is the most auspicious occasion as on this day idols Lord Krishna and Radha comes out of their 'pat' (place where idols are kept in the temple) to give their devotees a single vision. Idols of Lord krishna and Radha are adorned with fine clothes and jewelry.

The main attraction of Hariyali Teej in Vrindavan is the gold-ornamented swing of Lord Krishna which comes only once a year. After offering prayers in the temple, holy water is sprinkled over the devotees to give a feeling of the advent of the monsoon. Various devotees from India and abroad come to Vrindavan to attend special Hariyali Teej celebrations.


When is Kajari Teej?
Celebrate Kajari Teej on August 16, 2011, Tuesday
Kajli Teej is celebrated on Krishna Paksh Tritiya, the third day of the month of shravan. Kajli Teej is most popularly celebrated in a small district of Rajasthan called Bundi. In Bundi, Kajari Teej is celebrated on the third day of the month of 'Bhadra'.

On this day, there is a community pooja of neem and a procession is carried on which has beautifully decorated idol of Goddess Parvati.
Kajari Teej is celebrated with immense devotion and love. It falls on the Krishna Paksh Tritiiya, the third day of sawan or shravan - the fifth month in Hindu calendar. On the auspicious occasion of Kajli Teej, women gather to sing songs in honor ofLord Krishna and perform sacred pooja of neem.

Kajli Teej Celebrations
Kajli Teej is celebrated with extreme gaiety and enthusiasm by womenfolk. Women and young girls wear new clothes on Kajli Teej. On this day, swings are laid down in the garden and ladies sing auspicious songs and dance with full enthusiasm. Some Kajari songs are sung to welcome monsoon season while others depict happiness and union of lovers. There are some other songs which portray the pain of separation. Festival of Kajri Teej is also identified with blackish shades of clouds which cover the sky during the monsoon before raining down. On this day, there is a community pooja of neem. Women gather around the holy neem tree and perform specific rituals.

Kajari Teej in Bundi, Rajasthan
Celebrations of Kajari Teej in Bundi, Rajasthan are the most famous one. In Bundi, Kajari Teej is celebrated enthusiastically and joyfully. Here it is celebrated on the third day of the month of 'Bhadra'. The festival of Kajli Teej starts with a procession of Teej Goddess in a decorated palanquin. The procession moves from the picturesque Naval Sagar. It heads with bedecked elephants, camels, performers, musicians, folk dancers and artists. There are stunning performances by artists and cultural performers specially organized for the tourists who have come to see Kajari Teej celebrations in Bundi.

Kajari Teej in UP and Madhya Pradesh
Kajari Teej is also celebrated with extreme verve in parts of North and Central India also। Women in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, especially in Varanasi and Mirzapur celebrate Teej with enthusiasm। Rich folk heritage of these states are brought to light with Kajari Teej celebrations.

When is Hartalika Teej?
Celebrate Hartalika Teej on August 31, 2011, Wednesday
Hartalika Teej falls on the third day of the first fortnight of the month of 'Bhadra'. It is the most important Teej of all and lasts for three days. On the second day, women keep Nirjara Vrat for the welfare and longevity of their husband. Evening prayers along with traditional singing and dancing are important part of Hartalika Teej celebration.

Hartalika Teej


Hartalika Teej is the biggest of the various variation of Teej. Hartalika Teej falls on the third day of the first fortnight of the month of 'Bhadra'. It is a three-day festival which is celebrated by women in honor of Parvati Ma. On this day, womenfolk keep fast for long and conjugal life of their husband. Hartalika Teej fast proceeds without even drinking a drop of water. By rigorous fasting and praying to Goddess Parvati on Hartalika Teej, married women are blessed with healthy life of their husband while the unmarried girls are said to be blessed by a husband like Lord Shiva.

Hartalika Teej Celebrations
Hartalika Teej commemorates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. On this day, idol of Parvati Mata clad in bright colorful clothes is taken out in a palanquin in a procession. The procession of Hartalika Teej is represented by various artists and performers. Parvati idol is also accompanied by several elephants and camels which is the most attractive part of the Teej procession. A fair is also organized on Hartalika Teej.

Women celebrate the festival of Hartalika Teej with immense fervor and enthusiasm. Married ladies come back to their parents home to celebrate the festival. Hartalika Teej is the time to adorn oneself with new clothes and jewelry. Applying mehndi on hands and feet is a unique feature of Hartalika Teej celebrations. Women usually dress up in green colored clothes, wear golden bindi and apply a thick layer of kajal. They do their best to look beautiful at the time of Hartalika Teej.

Women also distribute beautifully painted coconuts to their female relatives and friends. Fresh fruits, sweets and green vegetables are offered to Goddess Parvati as thanks giving. The fasting day proceeds with evening prayers and traditional dancing and singing activities.