Women Dancing in Teej Fair

Teej fast, undertaken by married women help develop a healthy culture through their nobility, patience, forbearance and purity of character. There are three Teej festivals in a year that include the Haryali Teej, the Kajari Teej and the Hartalika Teej. What distinguishes one Teej from another differs on many parameters, but broadly, on Haryali Teej, the moon is prayed to, while on Kajri Teej there is a community pooja of neem and women gather to sing songs. The pooja is done with milk, curd and flowers. A three-day fast is kept for the Hartalika Teej, the more stringent fast being on the second day, when even water is not drunk.

Customs & Rituals

Swings are a common sight and newly married girls return to their parents home for the festival. The festival celebrates the beginning of the rainy season and peasant families come to the cities for the occasion. Usually a fair is organized on this occasion. For the rural women specially, this is a time to pamper and enjoy oneself, by buying bangles, bindis, bead necklaces, getting photographs taken, and eating sumptuous dishes.

Regional Celebrations Of Teej

Teej Fairs are held on those occasions in towns and villages throughout India. The most colorful Teej fair is held at Jaipur. In big towns impressive processions, led by gorgeously caparisoned elephants, camels and horses are taken out which make a grand spectacle. Teej fast is widely popular in the northern region of India ranging from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar to Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

Other Related Festivals

Vat-Savitri Puja  |  Teej  |  Mahashivratri
Gangaur |  Varalakshmi Vratham  |  Karadaiyan Nonbu