Know rituals and legends of Hariyali Teej! Also know how to appease Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Follow the celebration of Hariyali Teej with enthusiasm and fanfare.
This year, Hariyali Teej or Madhushrava Teej will occur on 13th August 2018, i.e. tomorrow on Monday. The festival of Hariyali teej is celebrated for marital bliss and well-being of the families. There are three teej festivals that are celebrated across Northern India. As per Hindu Calendar, Hariyali Teej, Kajari Teej and Hartalika Teej occur in Sawan and Bhadrapad months. It is observed that women in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Bihar celebrate Teej with great gaiety and fanfare. On this auspicious day of Sawan, colorful ethnic wear, sumptuous sweets like Ghevar and fasting mark the celebrations of the unification of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
As per Hindu Calendar, Hariyali Teej will occur tomorrow on 13th August, while Kajri Teej will be celebrated on 29th August. Kajari Teej or Badi Teej is celebrated 15 days after Hariyali Teej or Choti Teej. In Rajasthan, processions of Teej Mata are taken on the streets, songs are sung and dances are performed. This day marks as the official holiday in Haryana and Government also organises several functions. There is also a tradition for women to enjoy swings. In Chandigarh, students perform plays and cultural programs and Chandigarh government makes special arrangements in Rock Garden for Teej celebration. In Punjab, all girls and women gather and perform Gidda and visit their families.
Women in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, celebrate the festival of Teej with great joy and enthusiasm.
Legend Associated with Hariyali Teej
Teej is a festival that symbolizes the reunion of Shiva and his wife Parvati. According to Hindu mythology, on this auspicious day, Parvati came to Shiva’s abode, marking the union of husband and wife. It shows the sacrifice of a wife to win the heart and soul of her husband. This festival marks the celebration of well-being of spouse, children and personal purification.
Goddess Parvati observed a fast for around 108 years in order to prove her love and devotion for Lord Shiva, before he considered her as his wife. According to some scriptures, she was born 107 times before she take the birth of Parvati, and at her 108th birth, she was granted the boon to be the wife of Lord Shiva because of her dedication, perseverance and penance over many births. Hence, the festival of Teej is celebrated to salute the devotion of Parvati, who is also often called as ‘Teej Mata’.
The Mythological Significance of Hariyali Teej
It is believed that on this day, Lord Shiva accepted Goddess Parvati as his wife after she fasted for him for many years. There are Legend which says that she prayed and took 108 births to be Lord Shiva’s wife. Goddess Parvati is also known as Teej Mata. The union took place on the third day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Shravan.
There is a tradition of sending a basket of gift called ‘Sindhara’ to the daughter and her in-laws by her parents. The gift contains Henna cones, new bangles, homemade sweets and ghewar. Because of the Hindu tradition of sending Sindhara, Hariyali Teej is also known as Sindhara Teej. The day is also called as Choti Teej or Shravan Teej. On the other hand, the Teej that falls after 15 days of Hariyali Teej is known as Badi Teej.
Celebration of Teej
- On this auspicious day, married couples visit Lord Shiva temple and offer red flowers to him. They also offer Bhog, Solah Shringar and pray for their happy married life.
- As per Hindu culture, parents of married women send a basket to their daughters on Teej, known as Sindhara, which is full of fruits, ghevar, mehndi cone and bangles.
- On this day, the atmosphere is filled with traditional songs of Teej, and women decked up in ethnic wear especially in green colored clothes. They put on a bindi, wear anklets, bangles, mehndi (henna) and do all Solah Shringar.
- In rural areas, groups of girls and women gather around swings and enjoy the beautiful greenery and weather of Sawan month.
- Women observe a fast during the day, decked up traditionally and offer prayer to the Lord Moon in the evening.
- A special puja is performed to worship the lord moon with curd, milk and flowers. Religious hymns are chanted and songs are sungs.
AstroSage wishes our readers a blissfully happy hariyali Teej!
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