The holy month of Shravan or Sawan is a month that sees plenty of festivities throughout India. Marking the beginning of the monsoon season, people celebrate many festivals during this month and one of them is Teej. This is a widely celebrated festival in North India and Nepal. Plus, there are a total of three Teej festivals celebrated in a year – Hariyali Teej, Kajari Teej, and Hartalika Teej. Let’s understand the Teej festival, more specifically the Hariyali Teej that will be celebrated on 27th July 2025.
Teej Festival 2025: A Celebration of Love, Devotion & Monsoons!
Origins Of Teej Festival
The festival of Teej is a celebration of the monsoon season, womanhood, and devotion. The festival marks the beginning of the monsoon season – a significant season for agriculture. The Teej festival finds its origins in Hindu mythology in the stories of Lord Shiva and Parvati.
It is believed that Goddess Parvati engaged herself in intense meditation and prayer as she yearned to marry Lord Shiva. With the help of her friend Hartalika, she descended into a forest for rigorous meditation (tapasya) and also observed fasting in order to please Shiva.
Moved by her devotion towards him, Shiva decided to marry Parvati. Teej honors this marital devotion and signifies love, unity, and trust between wedded partners. In fact, in many parts of North India and Nepal, Parvati is also called by the name of ‘Teej Mata’.
What Is Teej Festival And How Is It Celebrated
Amongst the three Teej festivals, Hariyali Teej is the most popular one, celebrated in the month of Shravan and is referred to as ‘Teej’ henceforth in the article. During this festival, married women are given 16 valuable adornments called ‘16 Shringar’.
These objects include sarees, bangles, sindoor (vermillion), henna, and jewelry among other gifts. Women wear green or red sarees – colors that represent love, prosperity, and devotion. They fast and pray for a happy married life and their husbands’ long life.
Here are the dates for Teej 2025:
- Hariyali Teej: 27th July
- Kajari Teej: 12th August
- Hartalika Teej: 26th August
During the festival, married women visit their parental home to spend time with their families. On the first day, they apply henna on their hands and adorn themselves with jewelry and fine clothes.
In some families, men make a delightful feast for the women of the household on this day as an appreciation of their hard work. In the evening, women sing and dance to traditional Teej songs and the atmosphere becomes a joyous one.
On the second day of Teej, women engage in rigorous fasting for their husbands’ long life and their families’ prosperity. Some women also participate in a ‘Nirjala Vrat’, a kind of fasting where they do not even consume water!
Women believe that fasting and meditating for their loved ones will surely bring happiness and prosperity.
Hariyali Teej Festival In India And Nepal
Hariyali Teej is celebrated mostly in North India and Nepal. The festival is also called as Teeyan in Punjab and Shingara Teej in Rajasthan. It has other names as well – Shravan Teej, Madhusrava Teej, and Chhoti Teej.
The festival is quite similar to Karwa Chauth, another festival for married Hindu women. The celebration is so grand that Haryana has declared it as a public holiday.
Women partake in many fun activities like playing Gidda, dancing, singing, applying henna on each other’s hands, and swinging on banyan trees.
This is a time where women are given the freedom to take a break from their routine lives and engage in playful activities and relax at their parental home.
Women spend time with each other, on swings, with dolls, and socializing with other women in their family and neighborhood. While it is generally believed that Teej is celebrated only for the husband’s long life, Teej is a celebration of womanhood itself.
Moreover, women adorn themselves with jewelry and bright red or green sarees. Both married and unmarried women can participate in the Haryali Teej, where married women pray for their husbands’ longevity and unmarried women pray for a good husband.
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Summing Up
Teej is an important celebration in India, especially in North India. In Nepal too, the festival is celebrated by married and unmarried women.
Signifying a woman’s devotion towards her husband and family, the festival is one of the most important festivals in Hindu culture.
FAQs
Why Do We Celebrate Teej?
Teej festival represents Goddess Parvati’s devotion towards Lord Shiva. Similarly, women celebrate Teej for the prosperous life of their husbands and families.
Why Do Unmarried Girls Keep Teej?
Unmarried girls celebrate Teej to pray for a suitable partner in the future.
Are Teej And Karwa Chauth The Same?
No, Teej and Karwa Chauth are not the same. While both show similarities – that of women praying for their husbands, the festivals are completely different from each other.
