Kajari Teej is usually celebrated three days after Raksha Bandhan.
On Teej, married women fast and pray to Shiva and Parvati for the long life and well-being of their husband. Some men, too, fast and accompany their wife in prayers as a mark of gratitude and also for their well-being. There are three types of Teej festivals celebrated in India — Hariyali Teej, Kajari Teej and Hartalika Teej. The one falling this week is Kajari Teej, also known as Badi Teej. It's a tough festival in the sense that the person observing the fast does not even drink water during the day-long fast.
Kajari Teej Date And Time
Kajari Teej is usually celebrated three days after Raksha Bandhan. This year, it will be celebrated on August 25 (Wednesday). According to the Hindu Calendar, it is observed on Tritiya Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. The tithi will begin at 4:04 PM on August 24 and end at 4:18 PM the next day.
Haryali Teej, or Chhoti Teej, was celebrated on August 11. And Hartaika Teej will be celebrated on September 9.
Kajari Teej Significance
The term “Kajari” has its origin in folk tradition that describes how a woman feels the pain of a brief separation from her husband. The festival is also associated with monsoon. Women visit their parental home to perform the rituals and pray to the moon. They also worship the neem tree.
Unmarried women can also observe the Teej fast for a life partner of their choice. The significance of praying to Shiva and Parvati lays in the fact that they represent a happily married couple.
On the day of the festival, women put on mehendi on their palms and wear new clothes. This festival is mostly celebrated in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh.