The Hindu festival of Teej is marked by fasting of women who pray to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati seeking their blessings for marital bliss. It is a series of festivals that occur during the Hindu month of Shravana or Sawan and Bhadrapada or Bhado, that corresponds to the Indian monsoon season of July - August - September.

Teej - A Regional Monsoon Festival

Teej is not a pan-Indian festival. It is mainly celebrated in Nepal and the northern Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab in various forms. In northern and western India, Teej celebrates the arrival of monsoon following the hot months of summer. It has a broader significance in the western Indian arid state of Rajasthan as it is observed to provide relief from the scorching heat of summer. Rajasthan Tourism organizes a Teej fair called 'Sawan Mela' or 'Monsoon Festival' every year to showcase the customs and traditions of the state during this time. It is also celebrated in Hindu Himalayan kingdom of Nepal, where Teej is a major festival. At the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, women circumambulate the Shiva Linga and perform a special Puja of Shiva and Parvati.

Celebrations of Teej

While ritual fasting is central to Teej, the festival is marked by colorful celebrations, especially by the womenfolk, who enjoy swing rides, song and dance. Swings are often hung from trees or placed in the courtyard of homes and decked with flowers. Young girls and married women apply mehendi or henna tattoos on this auspicious occasion. Women wear beautiful saris and adorn themselves with jewelry, and visit temples to offer their special prayers to goddess Parvati. A special sweet called 'ghewar' is prepared and distributed as Prasad or divine offering.
Significance of Teej

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The importance of Teej is mainly two-fold: First, as a festival for women, Teej celebrates the victory of a wife love and devotion towards her husband - an important factor in Hinduism - symbolized by the union of Shiva and Parvati.

Second, Teej ushers in the advent of the monsoons - the season of rains bringing in a reason to celebrate when people can take a break from the sweltering heat and enjoy the swing of the monsoon - Sawan ke jhooley. Besides, its an occasion for married women to visit their parents and return with gifts for their in-laws and spouse. So, Teej provides an opportunity to renew family bonds.

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