Kajari Teej 2024: Date, Time, Puja Vidhi, and Significance

Kajari Teej 2024 is a significant Hindu festival celebrated predominantly by women across India. It marks the third day of the Krishna Paksha (the waning phase of the moon) in the lunar month of Bhadrapada, falling around July or August each year. This year, Kajari Teej will be observed on Thursday, 22 August 2024.
Women from states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan celebrate this festival with great fervor and devotion. Known by other names like Satudi Teej and Boodhi Teej, this festival is dedicated to marital bliss and prosperity.

Kajari Teej 2024 Date & Time

• Kajari Teej Date: Thursday, 22 August 2024
• Tritiya Tithi Begins: 05:06 PM on 21 August 2024
• Tritiya Tithi Ends: 01:46 PM on 22 August 2024

Significance of Kajari Teej

Kajari Teej holds immense significance for married women who fast and pray for the longevity and well-being of their husbands. It is one of the prominent Teej festivals, alongside Hartalika and Hariyali Teej, that celebrates womanhood and the sanctity of marriage. For unmarried women, observing the fast on this day is believed to help them find a suitable life partner.

This festival also marks the arrival of the much-awaited monsoon season, bringing a sense of joy and celebration after the scorching heat of summer. Kajari Teej is a celebration of love, devotion, and the strong bond between a husband and wife.

Rituals and Customs of Kajari Teej

The rituals of Kajari Teej vary slightly across regions, but the underlying customs remain the same. Here's a look at how the festival is celebrated:

1. Fasting for Marital Bliss: Married women observe a fast on Kajari Teej, praying for the longevity of their husbands. Unmarried women fast with the hope of finding a good husband.

2. Traditional Foods: Women prepare various delicacies using sattu, a mixture of barley, wheat, gram, and rice. After the moon is sighted, the fast is broken.

3. Reverence for Cows: A unique aspect of the Kajari Teej festival is the reverence shown to cows. Women offer small chapatis made from wheat flour, fried in ghee, and sweetened with jaggery to cows before partaking in the feast themselves.

4. Decorated Swings and Folk Songs: Women decorate swings in their homes and sing Kajari songs to celebrate the occasion. These songs, along with the beats of traditional drums, add a joyful rhythm to the celebration. The people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are known for their spirited Kajari song performances.

5. Dress and Decorations: Women dress in bright, traditional clothes and adorn themselves with jewelry, mehndi (henna), and sindoor (vermilion). Married women worship Goddess Parvati, seeking her blessings for the well-being of their families.

Puja Vidhi for Kajari Teej 2024

The Kajari Teej puja is a key ritual of the festival. Women wake up early and take a bath before adorning themselves in their finest clothes. They prepare a small altar with idols or pictures of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The puja involves:

• Offering fruits, sweets, and flowers to the deities.
• Performing an aarti while singing devotional songs.
• Reciting the Kajari Teej Katha, which narrates the story of Goddess Parvati’s deep love and devotion for Lord Shiva.
• Concluding the puja with prayers for marital bliss and family prosperity.

The puja ritual symbolizes the devotion and commitment that women have towards their husbands, seeking protection and longevity through divine blessings.

Wrapping Up Words

Kajari Teej is a celebration of the love, commitment, and bond between husband and wife. It not only highlights the deep-rooted traditions of Indian culture but also marks the advent of the monsoon season, bringing with it an air of joy and festivity. As women across India fast, sing, and pray on this auspicious day, they celebrate the enduring power of devotion and the blessings of Goddess Parvati. Let us all embrace the spirit of Kajari Teej 2024 with love, joy, and respect for these beautiful traditions.