Teej is not only the typical festival in India, but is admired and respected all over the globe maintaining its integrity in the Hindu Mythology. The third day of shukla paksha( bright moon fortnight) of the shravan month in the Hindu calendar is designated as TEEJ. The shravan month normally falls from July to September. TEEJ is celebrated after a new moon when goddess Parvati started her journey with Lord Shiva, her husband, celebrating her union withhim. Teej is celebrated elegantly and beautifully in the state of Rajasthan because of the agnostic significance one carries for this festival. The festival is celebrated by married women for well-being of their spouse, children and purifying their own soul.
History of festival TEEJ
As discussed, the festival personifies the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is said that Goddess Parvati to prove her commitment, affection and love towards Lord Shiva undergo hard-core Tapasya for 108 births. After such a crucial and hard-won abstain, Lord Shiva acknowledged her as his wife. In Hindu Mythology, goddess Parvati, also named as TEEJ MATA, is honoured for her devotion by TEEJ festival. The festival is celebrated by married as well as unmarried women to seek blessings from goddess Parvati for their happy marital life.
TEEJ Rituals
Teej Preparation
Mainly Teej is a celebration for women. Before TEEJ, women shop sarees and jewellery. They apply Mehndi and Alta. Some days before Teej, women carry happiness and vigor on their face as they worship TEEJ MATA for the welfare of their grooms.
Teej fast
Teej fast is considered as the most difficult province also considered as the soul of the festival. The fast is known as NIRJALA fast which is a pre-day fast for women. All the women, neighbours and relatives gather at one place to take a chunk out of food, as for the next day they are not suppose to eat or drink anything for the entire day. Because of the hardships women face during this fast, they gather and engage themselves in games, dancing, singing and other diversions so as to take a leave from the daily schedule.
Teej pooja
During Teej pooja, women are beautifully dressed with Mehndi and Alta spread on their hands. Women taking part in the teej pooja gather at the temple of Goddess Parvati and worship her following a complete procedure. At midnight, they take a sight of moon and complete their fast after offering prayers to the moon.
- Shrinjhara: During Teej, women are supposed to return to their maternal place for the celebration. Shrinjhara is a girt pack they receive from their in laws which contains the elements of Shringaar (Make-up), starting from lehangas, sarees to Bangles and sweets.
- Baya: Baya comprises of sweets, Mathris, Clothes and jewellery which is given to newly married woman by her mother-in-law.
- Swings: To engage themselves from a hard province of fasting, women gather together anc enjoy swings, songs and dance.
- Mehndi: Mehndi shares a special place in this ritual with great importance. Thus, during this Festival women apply mehndi on their hands and proceed of the other rituals.
TEEJ celebration
Teej is celebrated with great joy and happiness in the state of Rajasthan. Jaipur every year organizes a TEEJ fair which is the best attraction to the tourists’ visitors showing a glimpse of traditional Indian culture. On this day, the city is entitled with Dandia dance programs by professionals, where afterwards the women join the same. Every women celebrating teej enjoy every streak of the festival with swings and many forms of dances. Generally, the women wear sarees and lehangas of green and red colour which is the symbol of Suhaagan (married women). Beautifully dressed women end their festival by exchanging of gifts and arrival of their husband to fetch their wives and take them back home.
Importance of festival Teej
Teej shares its importance because of two reasons:
- Visitation of monsoon in Rajasthan with Teej festival
- Secondly, Teej symbolizes the victory of wife’s devotion towards her husband. As the history tells, Goddess Shiva was acknowledged as Lord Shiva’s Wife after her 107 births. Indian women wishing for their dream spouse, have a blind faith in the rituals and customs of Hindu Mythology. Teej is one big festival celebrated in honour of Goddess Parvati for her uphilling and weighty Tapasya to get Lord Shiva as her husband.
“Teejri aye khumbra vesa kare aayon jo goryon lotu kheer bare”.