Sawan Teej Festival – Celebrating the Coming of Rains!
Posted on July 28, 2008 in Travel by Prarthna
Sawan teej festival is known as the festival of “jhulas” or swings in India. The festival marks the advent of the monsoon month of August. Nothing could be more mesmerizing than the cool showers hitting hard against the parched Earth, carrying along with it the earthy smell which in the Indian sub continent is referred to as the “saundhi mitti ki khushboo”!
How is Sawan Teej Celebrated?
The Sawan Teej festival is marked by swings which are adorned with flowers. Women and young girls dressed in bright green colors swing and sing along as if to venerate the burst of the monsoons. The Sawan Teej festival is much of a favorite with womenfolk in Rajasthan.
The Teej festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva. People, especially women seeking marital bliss and happiness thereafter are the ones who offer their prayers and devotion to Goddess Parvati in respect for her devotion towards Lord Shiva. Married women too come to celebrate this moment with great enthusiasm by praying to Goddess Parvati (who symbolizes marital bliss) to bless their husbands and family with good health, happiness and life ahead.
A large procession takes to the streets on 2 consecutive days in the capital city of Jaipur while people pay homage alongside watching and worshipping the teej idol. The Teej idol is richly decorated with gaudy and bright colors including a canopy over it while the Gangaur (Gana menaing Lord Shiva and Gauri being the other name for Parvati) idol is left open.
Other Rituals
The procession, singing and dancing are just a few rituals that are performed during this festival. Some other prominent rituals performed by women and girls are:
- Swinging and dancing in the rain
- Singing folk songs
- Applying mehendi on their palms
- Dressing in new clothes and jewelry
- Preparing a lavish feast
An idol of Goddess Parvati is decorated and taken out on a venerated procession across the Jaipur city starting from the City Palace which is a fine reminiscence of Mughal art and architecture. Now a museum, the City Palace is home to an exhaustive collection of paintings, textiles, weapons and manuscripts.
The procession of these two idols consist of ancient but royal gilt palanquins, cannons on the wheels which is driven by bullocks, happily decorated elephants, chariots, camels and horses with dancers moving along. As many as 8 men dressed in red clothes carry the palanquin and lead the grand procession with men and women following in huge numbers behind, all singing and dancing merrily.
The Sawan Teej festival is celebrated with a lot of fervor and joy to mark the beginning of the monsoons and the harvest season. It is also a very special moment for women and young girls as they sing and dance along worshipping Goddess Parvati in the hope of finding a good husband and a happy married life hence.
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