Teej

Teej
Women celebrating Teej in Nepal
Also called	Monsoon Festival/Dedicated to Goddess Parvati
Observed by	Women
Type	Monsoon festivals
Begins	Haryali Teej: Third day of the bright half of the lunar month of Shraavana. Kajari Teej: the third day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada. Hartalika Teej: third day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.
Date	July/August/September
2016 date	Haryali Teej: 5 August Kajari Teej: 21 August Hartalika Teej: 4 September

Teej is a generic name for a number of festivals that are celebrated in Nepal, Northern and Western India. Haryali Teej, Kajari Teej and Hartalika Teej welcome the monsoon season and are celebrated primarily by girls and women, with songs, dancing and prayer rituals. The monsoon festivals of Teej are primarily dedicated to Goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva.

Teej refers to the monsoon festivals, observed particularly in western and northern states of India and Nepal. The festivals celebrate the bounty of nature, arrival of clouds and rain, greenery and birds with social activity, rituals and customs.

The festivals for women, include dancing, singing, getting together with friends and telling stories, dressing up with henna-coloured hands and feet, wearing red, green or yellow clothes, sharing festive foods, and playing under trees on swings on Haryali Teej.

The festivals are dedicated, in many parts of India and Nepal, to Parvati.

"Teej" refers to the "third" day that falls every month after the new moon (Amavasya), and the third day after the full moon night of every month. The monsoon festivals of Teej include Haryali Teej, Kajari Teej and Hartalika Teej.

Teej festivals are traditionally observed by women to celebrate the monsoons, on the third day of the Indian month of Shravan, and on the third days of the waning and waxing moon of the Indian month of Bhadrapud. Women also pray to goddess Parvati seeking the wellness of their husband, children and their own self.

Haryali Teej is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of the North Indian Lunar month of Shraavana. As Shraavana (or Saawan) month falls during monsoon or rainy season when the surroundings become green, the Shraavana Teej is also called Hariyali Teej (Green Teej). A fast is kept and the focus is the moon.

The Hariyali Teej festival is also celebrated to remember the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, the day when Lord Shiva accepted Goddess Parvati as his wife. Goddess Parvati fasted and was austere for many years and was accepted by Lord Shiva as his wife in her 108 birth. Goddess Parvati is also known as Teej Mata.