August 9 – Teej Festival

nPublishednon August 9, 2013

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nThisnfestival is celebrated differently in different parts of India andnNepal.
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nEverywhere,nTeej is a women’s festival that is all about having a happy marriage,na healthy body, and happy, healthy children. Tradition tells us thatnit is the anniversary of the wedding of the Goddess Parvati and LordnShiva. n
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nButnit’s also about welcoming the monsoons (winds that bring the rainynseason).
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nAndnit’s about swings!
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nInnsome places, there is a huge procession with decorated elephants andncamels, richly costumed dancers, and a statue of Parvati, all deckednout in new clothes and jewelry.
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nInnsome places, swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers.nYoung girls and women dress in green, and they swing and sing songsnthat praise both Parvati and the monsoons. n
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nWomennand girls not only dress up in their finest clothes and jewelry, theyncommonly decorate their hands and feet with henna. Also, girls andnwomen traditionally receive presents from their parents (or, in somencases, their future in-laws).
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nInnmany places, women gather together to dance or attend religiousnceremonies. Many make offerings of flowers and fruit to Parvati andnShiva. Women often enjoy enormous feasts, but some also fast for 24nhours. A special treat for Teej is Gehvar.
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nCelebrate!
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nIncan’t think of a better way of celebrating Teej than by decoratingnplayground swings with vines and flowers, and taking turns swinging.nDon’t forget to sing as you swing!
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nLearnnabout the monsoons…
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nMonsoonsnare sea breezes—winds that travel from the ocean to the land—butnon a large scale. The monsoons that blow from the Indian Ocean ontonthe land we know as India, Nepal, and Bangladesh change some areas innIndia from semi-desert to lush and green, in just a couple of months!
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nWenusually call only the rain-bringing winds the monsoons (althoughnreally the term applies to both the wet and the dry part of thenseasonal change). n
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nReadnmore about monsoons at Kids for Change.
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nAlsonon this date:
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