| |
| Teej
Festival |
| |
| About
the Fair |
H eld
during the monsoons, July-August Teej is also dedicated
to Lord Shiva and Parvati and this time it is married
women who pray for a happy and long married life.
Though celebrations are held all over the state,
it is particularly colorful in Jaipur where a procession
winds its way for two days through the Old City.
It is the festival of swings which are decorated
with flowers and hung from trees. Young girls and
women dressed in green clothes sing songs in celebration
of the advent of the monsoon. The Teej idol is covered
with a canopy whereas the Gangaur idol is open. |
| |
Activities
|
Teej is celebrated mainly by the women folk
of Rajasthan. Married women who idolize Parvati
for her devotion to her husband Shiva celebrate
Teej. The festivity revolves around singing
and dancing in praise of Parvati. The rituals
allow the women to pamper and enjoy themselves,
to feast, to dress in the best of cloths, finery
and jewellery, in fact to look the stunning
best.
All over Rajasthan, even in remote villages,
Jocasta (swings) are hung from trees and decorated
with leaves and flowers. Ladies and girls can
be seen enjoying on these swings, playing games,
singing folk songs and applying Mandi (henna)
on their palms. In Jaipur an idol of Goddess
Parvati (Teej Mata) is taken out in a royal
procession from the city palace so that the
general public can have a chance to pay homage
to the Goddess. Antique gilt palanquins, bullock
carts pulling cannons, chariots, gaily decorated
elephants with silver Haldas, horses, camels,
brass bands, and group of dances all form a
part of this grand spectacle. The Palanquin
of Goddess Parvati is carried by 8 men dressed
in red color. This kilometer long procession
winds its way through the lanes of the old city.
Local people come in huge numbers, dress in
their best traditional clothes. Space is at
a premium as people perch on top of building,
windows even trees to catch a glimpse of Goddess.
A huge band of urchins follows the Palanquin
to grab these offerings.
A lot of merriment prevails during the Teej
procession. Groups of men and women can be seen
singing dancing and playing musical instruments.
Men and women dressed as gods and Goddess also
join in the procession.
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |