Teej

Auspicious Festival of Rajasthan

When the rains come down, spirits soar high in celebration. Song & dance mark the gaiety of the Teej Festival .Teej is held every year during the Hindu Month of Shravan and marks the advent of the monsoons.The monsoon rains fall on the parched land and the pleasing scent of the wet soil rises into the air.

Teej Festival Falls on the Third day of the moonlit fortnight of Sawan month (in July or August).

Teej is the festival for the daughters of the house. This festival is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, commemorating her union with Lord Shiva.

Goddess Parvati is worshipped by seekers of conjugal bliss and happiness. An elaborate procession is taken out in jaipur or two consecutive days on the festive occasion which is watched by people in large numbers.

The Teej idol is covered with a canopy whereas the Gangaur idol is open. The festivity revolves around singing and dancing in praise of Parvati.

Celebrations :

On the occasion of Teej, Dandia dances are arranged by professionals and performed in courtyards at home and in public places.

These dances are also performed by the young girls of the house who dress up in colourful saris, lehangas and chunris.

The colourful dandas moving in rhythmic beats, with each swing of the hands and feet, hitting either at one's own danda held in the other hand, or at the one held by the other dancers, are really beautiful to watch.

Girls with henna on their hands and feet run about joyously and are excused from household chores on this day.

On Teej, it is a must for the girls to receive clothes from their parents. A set of heavy clothes   (baya) for the first year after marriage is given to the newly weds and then the gifts.

The pooja is performed in the morning. The baya which consists of a variety of foodstuff, is placed on a thaali at the place of worship where a chowk (square) has been decorated, an idol or a picture of Parvati is installed. The evenings are set aside for singing and dancing.

Teej is the festival of swings. Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers.

Young girls and women dressed in colourful saris, lehangas and chunris sing songs in celebration of the advent of the monsoon.

The tie-and-dye chunri in green, red, and yellow with its zari and gota along with green, yellow and red bangles, becomes a feast for the eyes.

The rituals allow one to pamper and enjoy themselves, to fast and feast, to dress the best with best of cloths, finery and jewelry.

The festivities end with exchange of gifts and the arrivals of husbands to fetch their wives. The wives then leave then leave their parent’s home like Parvati.