Kajari Teej

02 September 2023

Religious

Bundi, Rajasthan

22°C / Clear

Kajari Teej, the grand festival of Rajasthan, celebrates the spirit of womanhood. Married women observe a day-long fast for the prosperity and longevity of their husbands. Rajasthancelebrates a trio of teej festivals- Hariyali Teej, Hartalika Teej, and Kajari Teej. In its essence, this Hindu festival is dedicated to all married women. Thus, on this pious occasion, all the womenfolk pray for a prosperous marital life and seek blessings from Lord Mahadeva.

Kajari Festival | Date & Time

This joyful festival is celebrated with great devotion in Shravan or the monsoon season in the Bhadra pad of the Hindu calendar. As per Gregorian Calendar, the festival falls in the month of July or August. This time falls after 15 days of Hariyali Teej, three days after Rakshabandhan, and about five days before Krishna Janmashtami. This is a day-long festival. Womenfolk get up early in the morning and get ready before sunrise. They dress up in beautiful attire. In the evening, there is an elaborate pooja where the significance of kajari teej is narrated in the form of Katha, and then they wait for the moon to rise begins. Since this festival falls in the monsoon season, moon sightings are tough. After giving ardhya to the moon, women open their fast with fruits, milk, and sattu. It is therefore also known as satudi teej.

Significance of Kajari Teej

Kajari Teej is a prominent festival of Rajasthan which is celebrated by married and unmarried women. Married women observe a day-long fast on this day, praying for the long life, success, and prosperity of their husbands, and unmarried women observe a fast praying for a good husband. On this day, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshipped. This fast is similar to Karwa Chauth, but even after opening this fast, women do not have food. They instead open their fast with sattu, fruits, and milk. Women spend the whole day singing folk songs, dancing to traditional Rajasthani music, and sharing stories. This festival is closely associated with the worship of the moon and neem tree. It shows Rajasthanis devotion to nature and celestial bodies. Women take special care of their dressing on this day. They wear red attire, preferably a wedding dress or odhni, heavy ornaments, sindoor, henna or mehendi, wear makeup and listen to the kajari vrat Katha. After the elaborate pooja, listening to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva’s stories, offering prayers to the neem tree and the moon, women open their fast with water followed by sattu. These rituals are followed with ardent devotion and bring a lot of happiness and joy to marital life.

History of Kajari Teej

According to the legend, it is believed that Maa Parvati wanted to marry Lord Shiva and was greatly devoted to making this wish of hers come true. Seeing this mix of desperation and devotion, Lord Shiva asked Maa Paravati to prove her dedication towards him as the divine feminine energy.

It is said that to prove her immense and pure love for Lord Mahadeva, Goddess Parvati observed penance for 108 years, after which Lord Shiva accepted her as his faithful wife.

It is believed that their divine marriage took place during the Krishna Paksha of the Bhadrapada month. And later on, this day came to be celebrated as Kajli Teej. Thus, it is considered very auspicious to worship Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati on this day.

Major Attractions Of Kajari Teej

Kajri teej, the festival of nature and womanhood, is celebrated with great devotion and elaborate prayers. Women keep fast for the whole day to pray for their husbands’ long life. The entire day is spent preparing for these auspicious prayers. The highlights of this festival are-

1. Elaborate Celebrations

The festival of Teej is celebrated with great pomp and shown all across the land of Rajasthan. Here, you will find the people celebrating Teej in the most unique way. The festivities here continue for weeks on end. During the celebrations, various rituals are followed, which even includes a large procession dedicated to Teej Mata and includes elephants, camels and bands as its entertainment elements.

2. Local Fairs

Local fairs are held in several parts of Rajasthan, where hundreds of artisans participate, showcasing their art in the form of kataar, paintings, bangles, rural handicrafts, trinkets, eatables and much more. During these fairs, many competitions are also held, out of which Algoza, which is basically a recital competition, is the most popular. All these fairs and merriment continue till Janmashtami.

3. Fasting and Puja Rituals

On this day, the womenfolk keep a fast for the long life of their partners, which is broken by eating sattu. For this, a special puja ceremony dedicated to Neem Tree is conducted. Along with this, the kajari teej pooja vidhi also includes praying to the Moon God.

4. Mehendi

Women get henna or mehendi applied on their palms a day early or on the same day as Kajari Teej. Elaborate and intricate designs are carved on the palms. Henna is considered auspicious and thus an integral part of Kajari Teej pooja.

5. Dance and Music

Rajasthan is known for its vibrant culture, soulful music, elegance and graceful dances. Since married women fast for the whole day, they engage in dance, music, storytelling, etc., to spend time. As the day gives way to dusk, they start getting ready for the prayers.

Cities in Rajasthan where Kajari Teej is Celebrated

Kajari Teej is celebrated with great devotion and excitement all over Rajasthan. It is also celebrated in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Let’s take a look at the cities in Rajasthan where Kajari Teej is celebrated with unbridled enthusiasm.

Kajari Teej Celebrations in Bundi

Bundi in Rajasthan is famous for its enthusiastic celebrations of Kajari Teej. Womenfolk celebrated this festival following elaborate rituals and customs. The city has some amazing forts and palaces, folk dances, music, and religious fervour that add to the celebration of this festival.

How to reach Bundi

Nearest Major City. Jaipur
Nearest Airport. Jaipur International Airport
Nearest Railway Station. Kota Junction

Kajari Teej Festival in Jaipur

Jaipur also referred to as the Pink City, is a beautiful destination peppered with majestic forts, royal palaces, verdant gardens, and parks. The festival of Teej is celebrated with a lot of gusto and excitement.

Nearest Major City. Delhi
Nearest Airport. Jaipur International Airport
Nearest Railway Station. Jaipur Railway Station

Kajari Teej Festival in Jodhpur

Jodhpur, or the Blue City, celebrates the festival of Kajari Teej in royal style. Right from royal women to common womenfolk in Jodhpur, this festival is celebrated with elaborate rituals and customs.

Nearest Major City. Jaipur
Nearest Airport. Jodhpur Airport
Nearest Railway Station. Jodhpur Railway Station

Kajari Teej Festival in Udaipur

The City of Lakes, Udaipur, is also referred to as the Venice of the East. This beautiful city gets decked up during the Kajari Teej festival, and the enthusiasm of people reaches sky-high. Women pray for their husbands’ long life and success and seek blessings from Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Nearest Major City. Jaipur
Nearest Airport. Maharana Pratap Airport
Nearest Railway Station. Udaipur City Railway Station

Frequently Asked Questions About Kajari Teej

Ques 1. Why is Kajari Teej celebrated?

Ans 1. Kajari Teej is a prominent festival of Rajasthan which is celebrated by married and unmarried women. Married women observe a day-long fast on this day, praying for the long life, success, and prosperity of their husbands, and unmarried women observe a fast praying for a good husband.

Ques 2. When is Kajari Teej celebrated?

Ans 2. This joyful festival is celebrated with great devotion in Shravan or the monsoon season in the Bhadra pad of the Hindu calendar. As per Gregorian Calendar, the festival falls in the month of July or August.

Ques 3. What is the story behind the celebration of Kajari Teej?

Ans 3. According to the legend, it is believed that Maa Parvati wanted to marry Lord Shiva and was greatly devoted to making this wish of hers come true. Seeing this mix of desperation and devotion, Lord Shiva asked Maa Paravati to prove her dedication towards him as the divine feminine energy. It is said that to prove her immense and pure love for Lord Mahadeva, Goddess Parvati observed penance for 108 years, after which Lord Shiva accepted her as his faithful wife. It is for this reason that Kajari Teej is celebrated.

Ques 4. How is Kajari Teej celebrated in Rajasthan?

Ans 4. Kajari Teej is celebrated all over Rajasthan with great enthusiasm, devotion, and excitement. Women start preparing for this festival a few days before the festival. New clothes are purchased, pooja samagri is prepared, sattu is made at home, henna is applied on the hands, and more.

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PLEASE NOTE : Dates can vary due to cancellation or last-minute changes.