Teej 2023: Celebrating Tradition, Culture, and Joy
, by javed techqart, 7 min reading time
Teej is a happy and colorful festival that makes Hindu women very happy. People worldwide celebrate this festival with lots of excitement and love. Teej comes when the rainy season arrives, and it's a time to remember how important husbands and wives are to each other. People also learn how fasting can be powerful and how being a woman is something to be proud of. This year, as we talk about Teej in 2023, let's learn about the three special types of Teej that Hindu women celebrate. Each one is different and teaches us cool things about different cultures.
Teej has been celebrated for a very long time, going back many years. It is connected to special stories and ideas from Hindu myths and old stories. One interesting story is about Goddess Parvati, who was married to Lord Shiva. She wanted to show her love and devotion to him, so she did fasting and special rituals. Her love and hard work made Shiva happy, and they became even closer. Teej is like a happy party to remember this special love and happiness. As time passed, Teej changed a bit and became special in different ways in different places, like different parts of India.
Preparations of Teej 2023
Before Teej comes, ladies start getting excited and busy. Houses become lively with lots of activity and happiness. Women, especially those who recently got married or are married, go shopping for new and pretty things like clothes, jewelry, and other nice stuff. They also make their hands look beautiful with lovely henna designs. This makes the time feel very special and lucky. People also decorate their homes with bright and colorful things, making everything look happy and festive for everyone in the neighborhood.
Rituals and Customs During Teej 2023
Teej is famous for its special things that make it important. Women do something called fasting, where they don't eat or drink for a while. They do this to ask for good things for their husbands and for them to be healthy and happy for a long time. This fasting shows how much they love and care about their families.
As the day goes on, women get together with friends and family to do prayers. They also sing songs that are a part of their culture and dance to celebrate and show how joyful they are. It's a way of telling stories and enjoying the special things that make their community unique. The whole day becomes like a big party filled with happiness and love.
Three Kinds of Teej Celebrated by Hindu Women
In the colorful world of Hindu traditions, Teej festivals shine like different colored threads. These festivals show the many ways people celebrate, with customs like patterns in a cloth, unique to different places. Hindu women happily celebrate three kinds of Teej, each special because it has its own important meaning and special things they do. These Teej festivals tell stories of love, devotion, and strength, just like exciting tales inspire us.
Hariyali Teej
Hariyali Teej, celebrated predominantly in Northern India, welcomes the monsoon season. "Hariyali" translates to "greenery," symbolizing the lush landscapes that come to life with the onset of rain. Women dress in vibrant green attire, adorn themselves with green jewelry, and participate in flower-sized swings. The swinging is symbolic of Goddess Brass Parvati's reunion with Brass Lord Shiva. Fasting, traditional songs, and dance mark this joyful celebration.
Kajari Teej
Celebrated in Western India, Kajari Teej focuses on the bond between mothers and their children. Known as the "sister of Raksha Bandhan," this Teej is characterized by songs depicting the pangs of separation mothers feel as their sons and husbands venture into the fields during the sowing season. Women celebrate with intricate henna designs, singing, and exchanging sweets.
Hartalika Teej
Observed mainly in Eastern India, Hartalika Teej emphasizes devotion and the union of hearts. Women observe rigorous fasting and perform pujas seeking blessings for a blissful marriage. The story of Hartalika, where a woman disguises herself to marry the man of her choice, adds depth to the celebrations. Intricate rituals, pujas, and folk dance performances mark this Teej.
How's Hariyali Teej different from Hartalika Teej?
While both Hariyali Teej and Hartalika Teej are celebrated enthusiastically by Hindu women, they carry distinct mythological origins and cultural significance that set them apart.
Hariyali Teej, also known as Shravan Teej, falls during the monsoon season, marking the lush greenery and the revitalization of nature. This Teej celebrates the harmonious relationship between spouses and the rejuvenating power of nature. The vivid green attire and jewelry women wear symbolize the season's vibrant hues. The swinging ritual, a hallmark of Hariyali Teej, represents the playful union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. As women swing joyfully on beautifully adorned swings, they honor the couple's eternal love.
Hartalika Teej, observed just before Ganesh Chaturthi, narrates a tale of unwavering devotion and sacrifice. The name "Hartalika" is derived from the words "Harat" (abduction) and "Aalika" (female friend). According to mythology, Goddess Parvati's friend helped her escape a forced marriage and facilitated her union with Lord Shiva. This Teej is celebrated through fasting, pujas, and rituals that embody the strength of a woman's heart and her dedication to love and harmony in marital life.
When is Hariyali Teej in 2023?
Teej's date is determined by the lunar calendar, aligning with the third day of the bright half of the lunar month of Shravan. Mark your calendars for the auspicious timings of this significant day:
Tritiya Tithi Starts: August 18, 2023, at 08:01 PM
Tritiya Tithi Ends: August 19, 2023, at 10:19 PM
Celebrating Hariyali Teej 2023
Hariyali Teej 2023 is a celebration of vibrancy, growth, and rejuvenation. Women wake up early, bathe, and dress in stunning green attire. They adorn themselves with green bangles, earrings, and necklaces. The swinging ceremony, often conducted in gardens or courtyards, is a central element of the celebrations. Women sway on elaborately decorated swings, singing traditional songs and sharing laughter. Special prayers and pujas are offered to seek Goddess Parvati's and Lord Shiva's blessings for a harmonious and fulfilling marital life.
Hariyali Teej 2023: A Day of Green Celebrations
Hariyali Teej is like a special day filled with the color green. This festival is all about enjoying the beauty of nature and having fun together. Women will wear green clothes and jewelry and swing on swings decorated with flowers. It's a happy time with singing, dancing, and praying for happiness and love. So, get ready to enjoy the green festivities of Hariyali Teej in 2023!
