Teej Festival | Hariyali, Kajari, Hartalika Teej

Teej Festival is a monsoon festival celebrated by women of northern and Western States of India on the third day of Shravan month. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati where women fast and pray to Goddess for there marital bliss.

The festival is celebrated to honor Goddess Parvati’s devotion to her husband Lord Shiva. It is believed that Goddess Parvati fasted for 100 years and took 108 births to be accepted by Lord Shiva as his wife. So the moment was declared exceptionally auspicious for womenfolks and it is said that whosoever invokes her on this day would be blessed with a happy married life.

In celebrating divine love, the festival of Teej also strengthens marital bonds & the joy of devotion & togetherness. Women wear red, green and yellow colors and bejeweled themselves to look beautiful, they sit in decorated swings and sing traditional songs to celebrate the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.

There are three Teej festivals celebrated during the Sawan season, which are Hariyali Teej, Kajari Teej, and Hartalika Teej.

In 2020, Haryali Teej will take place on July 23, Kajari Teej on August 6, and Hartalika Teej on August 21.

Hariyali Teej

Hariyali Teej (Green Teej), Chhoti Teej, or Sharavan Teej is celebrated on the third day of the Sharawan and is the Shukla Paksha Tritiya in Shravana month. It is celebrated during Sawan which is monsoon or rainy season when the surrounding becomes green hence it was named Hariyali Teej.

Sawan month is the holy month dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. This Teej signifies the reunion of Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati, on this day married women celebrate this festival with great passion and joy by keeping fast and getting dressed to there best and celebrates all day by singing Teej songs and swing riding. Women of North India like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm while Rajasthan celebrates the festival with great pomp.

Sindhara is gifts sent by parents to their married daughter, which mainly consists of Ghewar, Heena, and Bangles. Hence this Teej is also called Sindhara Teej.

Kajari Teej

Kajari Teej, Badi Teej, or Boorhi Teej falls fifteen days after Hariyali Teej and is celebrated on the third day of the dark fortnight Lunar month of Bhadrapud or the third day after Shravan Purnima. Women pray Lord Shiva and sing songs known as kajris. Women keep fast on Kajari Teej without food and water and pray to the moon. In the daytime, they pray to the neem tree. Rajasthan holds fairs to celebrate Kajaris Teej.

Hartalika Teej

Hartalika Teej falls on Shukla Paksha Tritiya of Bhadrapada month, and Goddess Parvati is worshipped. Women keep fast without drinking a drop of water the whole day. This is rigorous fasting and praying of Goddess Parvati for a healthy and long life of their husband, while unmarried girls are said to be blessed by a husband like Lord Shiva.