Teej In India: A Unique Festival For Women
There are many eyes on this celebration. It is a unique festival for women that is celebrated every year with the arrival of the monsoon. The Teej festival in India is a riot of color, dances and stalls with which to enjoy some of the ancient traditions of this exotic country.
The origin of the Teej in India
The origin of this festival comes from Hindu mythology. According to legend, the goddess Parvati fasted for three days to try to seduce the god Shiva. It would be, finally, his strength of will and conviction that fell in love with Shiva, who was forever in love with the spiritual strength of Parvati.
For this reason, in the three days of celebration, the women stop eating and drinking during the day in honor of the tradition. During these days, where the arrival of the monsoon is also celebrated, they dance, sing and pray for the well-being of their husbands. This does not exclude single women, who also make offerings with dances and prayers to the god Shiva.
The start date of the festival depends on the Hindu calendar. This must coincide with the third day of the Shukla Paksha, which is between the months of July and September. It always begins after the appearance of a new moon and usually coincides with the arrival of the monsoon. In the same way, although the festival takes place in different parts of India, it is in Nepal and Jaipur where it has the most impact.
Getting ready for the festival
Before the arrival of the Teej India festival, women buy saris and jewelry, usually in red and green colors. These colors represent married women, called suhaagan in India. In addition to the festival’s own costumes, swings, icons of the celebration, are being built. In them women swing to attract fortune and happiness.
It should not be forgotten that this celebration is only for women, therefore, before the three days of fasting, families and neighbors gather to celebrate a banquet. During the following days of celebration they will not be able to drink or eat during the day, which will be when the temples and streets are flooded with dances and prayers. This fast is known as nirjala .
In addition to wearing their best clothes, the women paint their feet, arms and hands with mehndi and alta, a temporary coloring with Hindu motifs made with henna. As important as dress, jewelry and makeup are sweets. These are gifts from your mother-in-law as a token of love and blessing for the marriage.
Living the Teej in India
The festival begins and all the women take to the streets, whether married or single, wearing the sari and covered with jewels and henna. They celebrate the Teej with dances and prayers known as pooja. This rite of worship is done during the day throughout the festival and until after midnight.
During the second day, the pooja is brought to the temple. There, women offer flowers, fruits, milk and coins to the gods. With these simple gifts they ask for happiness in their marriage.
One of the most important parts of the prayer consists in keeping an oil lamp lit throughout the night, a symbol of a love that never goes out. On the second day the women fast 24 hours, only some take some fruit.
Already on the third day, during the first hour of the morning, married women finish the pooja by receiving their husbands, offering them food and washing their feet. In some areas of India, many women drink the remaining water as a symbol of supplication to their god for his blessing on their marriage and family.
The end is the march to their homes with their husbands and with an exchange of gifts. Although the men are not part of the celebration, they do accompany their women on occasions to play musical instruments. In fact, today this day has been taken as a day of celebration in which husbands give their wives dresses, jewelry and flowers.
