Being blessed with a Super-Mommy, who's a beautiful blend of modernity and traditions-- I have had the good luck of being very closely exposed to both these facets extremely well. My childhood comprised of learning twinkle twinkle and Johny Johny rhymes as well as Mahabharata and Ramayana stories running pararelly.. thus, I can say I have a fairly good knowledge of both sides of the coin. My mother has a very spiritual bend in her personality and since a very early age I was involved into the why's and how's of the various festivals, ceremonies and fastings that she carried out.
This post today talks about one such Hindu festival which though isn't very pan-indian, yet it holds a lot of significance in certain parts of the country-- the festival of Teej.
Teej is celebrated across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh mainly and is predominantly a women-lore fest. The reason for celebrating this day are two-- I) It denotes the arrival of Rains and thus fertility and relief from the scorching heat, imparting a festive onset on the minds of people.
ii) It signifies the togetherness of Lord Shiva and his beloved wife Parvati, as it is known that this was the day when they finally united and Parvati reached the abode of Shiva-- hence the importance among women-lore.
Women, also girls occasionally, are known to keep a one day fast, without even having water, to enrich the love for their husbands and celebrate their togetherness, girls keep the fast in anticipation of getting a husband like Shiva
Its not just the fast that marks the festival though, women get decked up from head to toe, its believed that married women must do '16 Shringar' of which the Mehendi, bangles and the Sindoor are mandatory. Regional folk songs are sung, happiness is spread and love is revisited
Personally, I have seen my daddy dearest go out of his way on this particular day and shower utmost affection on mom, and why wouldn't he?-- all the fast and the celebration is done by her keeping him as the epicentre after all!!
For me, its a beautiful and pure way both of them thank each other for their togetherness-- touchwood!!
This post today talks about one such Hindu festival which though isn't very pan-indian, yet it holds a lot of significance in certain parts of the country-- the festival of Teej.
Teej is celebrated across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh mainly and is predominantly a women-lore fest. The reason for celebrating this day are two-- I) It denotes the arrival of Rains and thus fertility and relief from the scorching heat, imparting a festive onset on the minds of people.
ii) It signifies the togetherness of Lord Shiva and his beloved wife Parvati, as it is known that this was the day when they finally united and Parvati reached the abode of Shiva-- hence the importance among women-lore.
Women, also girls occasionally, are known to keep a one day fast, without even having water, to enrich the love for their husbands and celebrate their togetherness, girls keep the fast in anticipation of getting a husband like Shiva
Its not just the fast that marks the festival though, women get decked up from head to toe, its believed that married women must do '16 Shringar' of which the Mehendi, bangles and the Sindoor are mandatory. Regional folk songs are sung, happiness is spread and love is revisited
Personally, I have seen my daddy dearest go out of his way on this particular day and shower utmost affection on mom, and why wouldn't he?-- all the fast and the celebration is done by her keeping him as the epicentre after all!!
For me, its a beautiful and pure way both of them thank each other for their togetherness-- touchwood!!
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