What is Teej festival? It’s a festival celebrated in many parts of North India and Nepal to welcome monsoon. The joyous festival is celebrated during the monsoon months of July-August. It welcomes the full of life rainy season.
When is Hariyali Teej Festival celebrated?
Hariyali Teej is celebrated on the on the third day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in Hindu month of Shravana every year.
Teej Festival 2019 will be celebrated on 18 August 2019.
Why is Teej Festival celebrated?
The festival of marital bliss is celebrated to commemorate the union of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati as husband and wife. It is said that Goddess Paravathi performed penance or tapasya for 107 births for Lord Shiva. Finally in 108th birth Lord Shiva accepted her as wife. The festival celebrates love, dedication and faith of wife and husband.
History of Teej Festival in Jaipur or Rajasthan
It has been celebrated for centuries in northern part of India. During the time of princely states the two days festival was celebrated as a grand event. Women use to sing songs in groups and worship Goddess Paravati.
Entire Jaipur state was flooded with seven coloured turbans and traditional sarees. The main celebrations were held at Jenani Dyodhi of City Palace of Jaipur. A royal procession was carried out of Goddess Teej Mata.
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On this day Sawai Pratap Singh (1764 – 1803) would enjoy the boat ride on the eve and whole Jaipur would rejoice seeing their Maharaja in public.
In 1875 AD Jiyaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior State attended Teej Festival in Jaipur on invitation of Sawai Ram Singh Bahadur.
Religious Significance of Teej Festival Jaipur
The two day festival of marital bliss is celebrated by married women. They worship Goddess Parvati on this day and seek her blessings for their respective husbands. Unmarried girls also celebrate the event and pray for a good husband on this day.
The festival is marked with colorful clothes, family reunions, sweets and joyous times. It is said that Shiv-Parvati blesses everyone with happy married life on this day.
Similar festival – Gangaur Festival
How is Teej celebrated in Rajsathan?
- Sinjara – The first day of the two day, festival is called Sinjara or Sinzara. In Jaipur and Rajasthan there is a tradition to send sinjara to married daughters. On the day of Sinjara parents of married women send sinjara to their daughters. Sinjara is a gift pack which comprises of bangles, bindi, vermilion (sindoor), lehariya saree, mehandi and sweets. These all things are symbolic of marriage in hindu culture. On the evening of sinjara, married women and girls get heena tattoos on their hands.
- Teej – On the second day, women and girls wear colorful lehariya sarees, jewelry and traditional make up. They worship Teej Mata (Goddess Parvati) and ask for her blessings. On the evening of festival fairs are organized at gardens and parks.
In many cities of Rajasthan a religious procession of Goddess Parvati Teej Mata is carried out. In the procession artists perform dances and play their musical instruments. The participants wear traditional clothes. As a result the whole environment is filled with waves of colors.
Teej Celebration in Jaipur
Every year Tourism Department (City Palace Jaipur), City administration and Jaipur Municipal Corporation jointly organizes Teej Mahotsav on the eve of the festival.
On the eve a traditional religious procession of Teej starts from Jenani Dyodhi of City Palace at 6 PM. The idols of Goddess Teej are worshipped by ladies of Royal family of Jaipur.
The Teej procession passes through Tripolia Gate, Choti Chaupad, Gangauri Bazar and commences at Choughan Stadium.
Traditionally decorated camels, horses are part of the procession. Local dance forms like Kacchi Ghodi, Kalbeliya and Chakri Dances are performed during the event. Decorated Canon carts, bullock carts and local bands also embrace the procession.
Special facilities for tourists are facilitated by the administration. Tourists can watch the procession from the roof tops of market’s beramdah or Balconies.
The event is a blessing for photography enthusiasts. As a result it is very famous amongst tourists.
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Rajasthan Teej Festival Recipes
The festival of Teej is incomplete without traditional Ghevar. It is a ritual to gift Ghevar to married daughters and sisters. The traditional sweet is available on most of the sweet shops in Jaipur.
Here is a list of author’s recommended Ghevar sweet shops in Jaipur.
- Lakshmi Mishthan Bhandar, Jouhari Bazar
- Sodhani Sweets, Tonk Road
- Sambhar Feeni, Jouhari Bazar
- Bombay Mishthan Bhandar, Sanganeri Gate
- Kanji Sweets, Station Road
- Sweet House, Kishanpole Bazar
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