Sawan Teej Festival, Jaipur

Sawan Teej Festival, Jaipur

This year the Department of Tourism is celebrating four days long Saawan-Teej Festival from 6th to 9th August 2005. A Craft Bazar & Food Court is being setup in the lawns of Tourist Hotel, M.I. Road besides these Kids Zone, Swings, Mehndi (henna) applying and performances of folk artists are some of the other attractions in this ‘Saawan Mela’ which will last for four days from 6th to 9th August this year from 2pm to 10 pm daily.

A ‘Teej Fair’ will be organised at Hotel Khasa Kothi on 8th and 9th August from 12 noon to 4 pm daily. In this fair performance of folk artists, decorated Swings for entertainment, shops of handicraft items, camel & elephant rides, mouth-watering shops of Ghewar (a round sweetmeat) are main attraction for tourists. Many entertaining competitions like mehandi, bangles, turban tying, lehariya competitions etc are also organized. Foreign and domestic tourists equally enjoy this fair, which is held at Hotel Khasa Kothi for two days on i. e. 8th and 9th August this year. Entries for various events may be sent to Tourist Reception Centre, Government Hostel, M.I.Road Phone 0141-5110598.

In the evening the traditional procession of Goddess Teej is brought out amid royal paraphernalia which comprises of caparisoned elephants, dancing folk artists, royal palanquins, chariots, bullock carts, from the City Palace (The residence of earstwhile king of Jaipur), winding its way through Tripolia Bazzar and Chhoti Chaupar on two consecutive day this year on i. e. 8th and 9th August.

Teej is the festival of swings. It marks the advent of the monsoon month of Sawan (August). The monsoon rains fall on the parched land and the pleasing scent of the wet soil rises into the air. Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers. Young girls and women dressed in green clothes sing songs in celebration of the advent of the monsoon. This festival is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati,commemorating her union with Lord Shiva. Goddess Parvati is worshipped by seekers of conjugal bliss and happiness. An elaborate procession is taken out in Jaipur for two consecutive days on the festive occasion which is watched by people in large numbers. The teej idol is richly decorated with ornaments and gaudy dresses. The Teej idol is covered with a canopy whereas the Gangaur idol is open.