Teej Puja

Teej Puja is an essential part of the Teej festival celebration. Women, both married and unmarried, start preparing for this special puja well in advance with great enthusiasm and devotion. On the day of the puja, women wear new and beautiful clothes and look their best.

The puja itself is not very long. Women gather in a temple or a garden, usually dressed in traditional sarees and lehangas. They worship Goddess Parvati, who is believed to have taken 108 births to reunite with Lord Shiva. During the puja, an idol of Goddess Parvati is adorned with silk cloth and jewelry.

Married women and engaged girls observe a fast on this day, praying for the long and healthy life of their husbands or future husbands. The main puja involves offering flowers, sweets, and coins. The women sit in a semi-circle with the idol of Goddess Parvati in the center while the holy Teej Katha (story) is narrated.

While listening to the story, women focus their thoughts on their soulmates. After the puja, they offer fruits, flowers, and other sacred items, seeking the blessings of Goddess Parvati for marital happiness. Lighting an oil lamp that should burn throughout the night is an important ritual, and it’s considered bad luck if the lamp goes out.

In some places, women also purify themselves by bathing with red mud from the roots of the sacred Datiwan bush, symbolizing the cleansing of sins.

To conclude the day, women celebrate with dancing and singing traditional songs in praise of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, sharing their happiness and joy.

IMPORTANCE OF TEEJ PUJA

Teej is significant for two main reasons:

1. Celebrating Love and Devotion: Teej is a festival that celebrates the love and devotion of a wife towards her husband, which is an important tradition in Hinduism. This is symbolized by the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It’s a time to honor and reinforce the sacred bond between spouses.
2. Welcoming Monsoon: Teej marks the beginning of the monsoon season, bringing relief from the scorching summer heat. It’s a time for people to enjoy the arrival of rain and take a break from the hot weather. This season is often associated with swings and joyful celebrations.

Teej also serves as an occasion for married women to visit their parents’ homes and return with gifts for their in-laws and spouses, strengthening family bonds.

Hartalika Teej, in particular, is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of the North Indian lunar month of Bhadrapud. It commemorates the story of how Goddess Parvati made a Shiva lingam from her hair and prayed to Lord Shiva, eventually winning his blessing for their marriage. On Hartalika Teej, women fast from the evening and do not even drink water until the next day. They pray to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, listen to prayers, and remember their divine wedding, making it a significant and sacred occasion.

BENEFITS OF TEEJ FESTIVAL

Observing the Teej fast is believed to have several benefits:

1. Fulfillment of Desires: It is believed that by observing the Teej fast, Lord Shiva grants the wishes and desires of the devotees who are dedicated to this puja.
2. Strengthening Marital Bonds: For married women, the fast is seen as a way to strengthen the love and security in their relationships. It is an expression of their devotion to their husbands, and they pray for the well-being and longevity of their spouses.
3. Attracting a Good Husband: Unmarried girls also observe this fast with the hope of attracting a life partner as devoted and loving as Lord Shiva. It is seen as a way to find a suitable and caring husband.

Overall, Teej is a significant and auspicious occasion for women, and it is believed to bring blessings and fulfillment into their lives, whether it’s in their marital relationships or their quest for a loving partner.