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Teej heralds the arrival of spring in
Rajasthan. While the festival is celebrated in many parts
of North India, as well as Nepal, Teej finds a poignant
echo in the hearts of Rajasthanis, in particular. This is
because the heat and aridity of Rajasthan, and the bitter
desert nights in the winter months, makes spring the cause
for celebration. And spring, as poets and bards have for
so long lamented, does not last long. And Rajasthanis do
the most they can to enjoy spring by earmarking a festival
for it.
Teej is more of a women’s festival, and has been
celebrated since time immemorial by queens, princesses,
their maids, seamstresses, women toiling in the heat and
dust. Today, it remains a women’s festival still, with
doctors, teachers, street sweepers, and housewives all
joining the festivities. Women of all ages can be seen
dressed in their finery, enjoying the colorful processions
on the streets, singing, and dancing. Once upon a time,
women used to set up a swing in their gardens and have a
gala time with other women. |
