Come monsoon and Indians start gearing up for all the seasonal festivals in tow. The holy month of Sawan in Hindu calendar is significant, especially for devotees of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Countless young unmarried Hindu women observe ‘Sawan Somvar’ vrat to seek a good consort. Then there’s the festival of Teej, where mostly married women observe ritualistic fasts for matrimonial bliss. But that’s not all that there is to this ancient festival. Teej is one of the biggest festivals of India, celebrated with much fervour around parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. On this day, married women get decked up in new clothes and jewellery, gather around for some folklores and songs. They also play around swings and apply henna on their hands. There are three kinds of Teej celebrated throughout the year: Hariyali Teej, Karjari Teej and Hartalika Teej. This year Hariyali Teej falls on 23rd July 2020.

Date And Pooja Timings Of Hariyali Teej:

This year Hariyali teej would be celebrated on 23rd July.
Tritiya Tithi Begins – 07:22 PM on Jul 22, 2020
Tritiya Tithi Ends – 05:03 PM on Jul 23, 2020
(Source: Drikpanchang.com)

(Also Read: Teej 2020: Bite into Ghevar, the Sinful Honeycomb Indian Sweet)

Significance Of Hariyali Teej:

It is said that Teej marks the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Married women pray to Goddess Parvati for a similar conjugal bliss in their lives. ‘Hariyali’ in Hindi refers to ‘greenery’. On this day, women try to incorporate something green in their ensemble, whether in form of bangles, earrings, sari or mehendi. They also receive Sindhara, a basket of gifts with home-made sweets, henna and bangles from their parents.

(Also Read: How To Make Malai Ghewar At Home)

Traditional Foods Of Teej:

Needless to say, like every Indian festival, Teej too is popular for a gamut of traditional foods like ghevar, a honeycomb like dessert often topped with malai, nuts or saffron. Then there are sweetmeats like balushahi, Shakkar para and jalebi that are also very popularly served during Teej.