7 August 2024
Haryana Regional holiday | Wednesday |
Haryali Teej is the second Teej festival of the people following the Hindu religion. It is celebrated mainly in northern and central India. It is celebrated to welcome the monsoon in the region which is very important for the crops and agriculture. It is mainly celebrated by women, young girls with songs, dancing and other rituals. The festivals celebrate the miracles of nature, the arrival of clouds and rain, greenery and birds with social activity, rituals and customs. Haryali Teej is celebrated by women, including dancing, singing, getting together with friends and telling stories, dressing up with henna-coloured hands and feet, wearing red, green or orange clothes, sharing festive foods and playing under trees on swings.
Haryali Teej is celebrated on the third day after the full moon in the month of Shraavana/Sawan of the Hindu calendar. The Shraavana Teej is also called Hariyali Teej as Shraavana falls during the monsoon or rainy season when the surroundings become green. A fast is kept by women and girls during the day and broken during the moonlight The Hariyali Teej festival is also celebrated to remember the reunion of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is the day when Shiva accepted Parvati as his wife. Parvati fasted and was austere for many years and was accepted by Shiva as his wife in her 108 birth. Parvati is also known as Teej Mata.
Women in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand celebrate Hariyali Teej with great vigour. New clothes, colourful bangles, Mehendi, songs, Jhulas and of course regional food is very important on Hariyali Teej. The popular desserts and dishes at this time include Ghevar, a honeycomb-like dessert topped with cream and dry fruits and kheer. Other popular sweets offered during Teej are balushahi, shakkar para, and jalebi.