Traditions of Teej
Haryali Teej is a popular festival that welcomes the monsoon season to North Western India.
Teej is a generic name for a number of festivals that are celebrated in Nepal, Northern and Western India. In Haryana, Haryali Teej is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of the Lunar month of Shraavana.
Teej celebrates the beginning of monsoon following the hot summer months. Haryali means 'green', which refers to the lush plant growth, that the welcome rains of the monsoon season brings to the region.
Teej is a festival that is celebrated primarily by girls and women, with dance, singing, getting together with friends and telling stories. The festivals of Teej are primarily dedicated to Goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva.
A tradition of the Haryali Teej is that girls play on swings while in-laws, husbands and other family members give gifts, typically new clothes and accessories, to girls and women.
Girls and Woman worship Goddess Parvati with prayer rituals and singing and dancing, in the hope that Parvati will bless them with a happy married life.
