Yesterday was Teej / Hariyali Teej. When I was young, the festival of Teej was celebrated with great pomp in our village. The people of Haryana used to celebrate it with great fervor not only in the villages but also in the cities. In the park in front of my house, swings were put on the branches of a big peepal tree. But now everything has changed, the Peepal tree has become old, a big platform has been built around it, a temple has been built on the platform, even if someone wants, a swing cannot be put on it.
What is teej?
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 are hung 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.)
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