The Teej festival is celebrated in the months of
Sawan (monsoon) by the married women to celebrate their marital status
and pray for a happy married life ahead. It is one of the widely
celebrated festivals of Rajasthan but celebration at Jaipur acquires a
whole new meaning with a two day procession which takes place during the
festival. It is popularly referred to as the festival of swings as
swings are hung all across the state on trees to be enjoyed by married
women who look simply resplendent in beautiful colorful saris. The women
put life into the festival with melodious folk songs to welcome the
monsoon season.
The Teej festival is celebrated to mark the reunion of goddess Parvati
with her husband Lord Shiva. Prayers are offered to the deity to seek a
happy wedding life. The Teej festival also heralds the advent of monsoon
season bringing relief to the desert land of Rajasthan. Women again
color their hands with henna and buy traditional leheria fabric from the
markets. At Jaipur a royal procession is carried out from the City
Palace in which the idol of Teej Mata (Goddess Parvati) are taken in a
beautiful palanquin carried by eight men into the lanes of old city for
common men to seek the blessing of the goddess. The grand procession
includes a display of silver palanquins, decorated bullock carts
carrying canons, chariots, decorated elephants, horses and camels. It is
a spectacular sight when the entire Jaipur city comes together to
celebrate the Teej festival.
