Teej or Haryali Teej is a seasonal festival falling on Sawan Sudi 3 (beginning of August). The rainy season starts gathering momentum near about the said date and trees withered away by the scorching spell of summer put forth tender and green leaves. To celebrate the change of season, the girls
eagerly-wait for Teej. It is an occasion for the newly married girls to go back to their
parents for celebrating first Teej with their girl friends. On Teej, bevies of young girls attired
in their best clothes and wearing new multi-coloured glass bangles start pouring in some
open space or a tree-grove near the johads(pond) and it takes the form of a fair.( However, now the johads have become uninhabited and the trees along their banks have been cut.)Stout swings arehung from the trees for the girls to swing.
They swing with agility and sing songs.
An example of Teej song is given below:
Saman aiya he maa meri rang bhariya re
he ri har barsengen musldhar,
badal garjiya he maa meri jor ka ri
(Sravana has come, oh mother, with colourful and enchanting
weather, the God will beless us with torrential rains, as the sky
is overcast with thunderous clouds.)
Another song:
Meethi to kar de ri maa kothli
Joang bebe ke des papaiya re bolia peepli
(Oh mother, add sweets to the gifts to be presented to my sister. I will go to my sister’s home,
as the bird papaya, has announced the onset of Sravana.)
teej as celebrated in Haryana State of India
women swinging on teej
xoxo
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