Kajari Teej, also known by the name Kajali Teej, Satudi Teej, Badi Teej, Nimadi Teej, is celebrated on the third day of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) during the lunar month of Bhadrapada. According to the Gregorian calendar, the day falls during the months of July or August. Kajari Teej 2018 will be celebrated with full tradition and culture on Wednesday, August 29, 2018. Usually, Kajari Teej comes three days after Raksha Bandhan and five days before Krishna Janmashtami.
Kajari Teej or Badi Teej is a special festival of women. It is celebrated throughout the Northern and the Western parts of India. The celebrations are conducted with much fanfare throughout the states of Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm throughout Rajasthan particularly in the Marwar and Mewar region. Like Hariyali Teej and Hartalika Teej, Kajari Teej also holds an immense importance for married women. A fast observed on the day of Kajari Teej leads to happiness and bliss in married life. Women pray for the safety of their husbands on this day.
Significance of Kajari Teej
Kajari Teej is celebrated by people to welcome monsoons after a harsh summer. साल में चार तीज मनाई जाती है – आखा तीज, हरियाली तीज, कजरी तीज, हरतालिका तीज। अन्य तीज व्रत की तरह ही कजरी तीज भी सुहाग की रक्षा और वैवाहिक जीवन में सुख, समृद्धि बनाए रखने के लिए की जाती है। सुहागिनें जहां अपने पति की लंबी आयु के लिए यह व्रत रखती हैं, वहीं अविवाहित लड़कियां अच्छा वर प्राप्त करने के लिए यह व्रत करती हैं।
It is considered auspicious to worship Goddess Parvati on this day. Women who worship Goddess Parvati on Kajari Teej are blessed with having a dignified relation with their husband. Legend has it that Goddess Parvati was able to marry Lord Shiva after taking 108 births. The day is also celebrated as a mark of respect for the selfless love that Goddess Parvati showed for Lord Shiva. It was this selfless devotion that led Lord Shiva to finally accept Goddess Parvati as his wife.
Women pray for the long life of their husbands on Kajari Teej and observe a fast on this day without even drinking water for the whole day.
Read Too: Hindu Festivals In Bhadrapada / Bhado 2018, One Of The Auspicious Month For Devotion
Sinjara/Dhamoli
Sinjara, the event celebrated one day ahead of Badi Teej. A day ahead of the fast, lots of goodies are prepared and the ladies who planned for fastening on Teej indulged with these delicious treats, fun and games. This is a difficult fast and so to make them comfortable there is custom to organize Sinjara celebrations one day ahead. The married women and young girls apply mehndi on this day and dress up like a newly wedded girl.
Women used to wake up after a small nap around 01:00 am (midnight) to celebrate Dhamoli and have Sweets (Gewar, Rasmalai etc), Namkeen, Snacks etc before officially starting the fast at 04:00 am. As, many ladies used to this fast even without drinking the water, so there is the ritual of Sinjara and Dhamoli in this festival.
Rituals for Kajari Teej
The festival is celebrated with joy and zeal by women. While some regions add their own touch to the festival, the basic rituals which are followed remain the same. These rituals for Kajari Teej are listed below:
- Married women observe fast on this day for the longevity of their husbands, while unmarried girls observe this fast in order to be blessed with a good husband.
- The women celebrate the day by adorning their houses with beautiful swings and ride these swings, and dancing to the tunes of folk-songs. it is also essential to sit on a Jhoola and swing 16 times for married women.
- While swinging is a part of the festival, special preparations and special dressing go hand in hand making this day unique and special.
- For the day of Kajari Teej, several dishes are prepared using barley, wheat, gram and rice mixture (Sattu).
- Special delicacies like Malpua and Ghewar are also prepared for this day. The Sattu too is decorated in different ways to give it a festive look.
- The fast itself is tough as food is eaten only after sighting of the moon that too some only eat Sattu and fruits after offering puja in a specially made Mud Paal or a mini well like structure which is filled with milk and water.
- The fast is concluded when the observer sees the moon. कजरी तीज का पारण भी चंद्रमा की पूजा और दर्शन के बाद होता है. यदि चांद उदय होते नहीं दिख पाये तो रात्रि में लगभग 11:30 बजे आसमान की ओर अर्घ्य देकर व्रत खोला जा सकता है.
If performed accordingly and with unfathomable devotion, the fast can ensure a happy married life for the observers in the long run.
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Puja Vidhi for Kajari Teej
Goddess Neemadi, also known as Neemadi Mata is associated with this sacred festival. The veneration of Goddess Neemdi is performed with devotion on the day of Kajari Teej.
व्रत से एक दिन पहले पूजा में इस्तेमाल होने वाली कुछ चीजें एकत्रित कर लें. जैसे कि कुमकुम, काजल, मेहंदी, मौली, अगरबत्ती, दीपक, तीज गीत की किताब, कुछ सिक्के, चावल, कलश, फल, नीम की एक डाली, दूध, ओढ़नी, सत्तू, घी, दीप जलाने के लिए माचिस etc.
Before performing the puja, there is a ritual of making a pond-like structure (पाल) in Shubh Muhurat using the 
Raw milk and water are poured into the pond, and a lamp (Diya) is lit and kept near it. The Puja thali (plate) is adorned with lemon, cucumber, bananas, apples, Sattu, Vermillion (kumkum), sacred thread, whole rice, etc. Raw milk is taken in a vessel, and in the evening worship of the Goddess should be done according to the rituals (Puja Vidhi) given in the following points:
- Along with sprinkling water and vermillion (Sindoor), rice is offered to Goddess Neemadi.
- On the wall behind the Goddess, 13 dots are marked using henna, vermillion and black kohl (Kajal) each. The 13 dots of henna and vermillion are made by using the little finger, while the 13 dots of kohl are marked with the ring finger.
- अगर विवाहित स्त्री यह व्रत कर रही हैं तो पाल के पास कुमकुम, मेहंदी और काजल के सात गोल डॉट्स बनाना होता है. अगर अविवाहित लड़कियां इसे कर रही हैं तो उन्हें यह 16 बनाना होगा.
- After offering the sacred thread, Goddess Neemdi is also offered henna, kohl and clothes. The wall is embellished with the sacred thread by using the dots marked on it.
- Offer fruits or other oblations to Goddess Neemdi. Apply a Tilak of vermilion on the Puja Kalash (sacred vessel), and tie the sacred thread around it.
- In the light of the lamp (diya) placed near the pond, one should look at the lemon, cucumber, neem twig, Nosepin, सत्तू, फल, सिक्के और ओढ़नी का प्रतिबिंब etc. तालाब में देखें. याद रखें कि प्रतिबिंब बस चढ़ाई गई चीजों का ही देखना है. तालाब में दीप, गहनों और साड़ी के पल्ले को भी देखें.
- Legends associated with Kajari Teej are also shared by the womenfolk among themselves during the course of celebrations. After this, offer Arghya to the Moon God.
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Rituals for offering Arghya to God Moon
After worshipping Goddess Neemdi in the evening, Arghya (Mixture of water and milk) is offered to the Moon God as a part of Kajari Teej rituals. After sprinkling some drops of water; Kumkum, Chaval, Moli and whole rice are offered, along with food oblations to the Moon God.
Holding a silver ring and wheat grains (आखे, गेहूं के दाने) in your hand, offer Arghya to the Moon God. Make sure that you stay in the same place and rotate 4 times in a clockwise direction (Pradakshina).
Kajari Teej 2018 Vrat Muhurat For India
Tritiya Tithi Begins at 20:41:26 on August 28, 2018
Tritiya Tithi Ends at 21:40:13 on August 29, 2018
कजरी तीज व्रत कथा | Kajari Teej Vrat Katha
एक गाँव में एक गरीब ब्राह्मण रहता था । ब्राह्मण की पत्नी ने भाद्रपद महीने में आने वाली कजली तीज का व्रत रखा और ब्राह्मण से कहा, हे स्वामी आज मेरा तीज व्रत है, कहीं से मेरे लिए चने का सत्तू ले आइए। ब्राह्मण बोला में सातु कहाँ से लाऊं, भाग्यवान। तो ब्राह्मणी ने कहा कि मुझे किसी भी कीमत पर चने का सत्तू चाहिए, चाहे चोरी करो चाहे डाका डालो। लेकिन मेरे लिए सातु लेकर आओ।
रात का समय था। ब्राह्मण घर से निकला और साहूकार की दुकान में घुस गया। उसने वहाँ पर चने की दाल , घी , शक्कर लेकर सवा किलो तोलकर सातु बना लिया। इतना करने के बाद ब्राह्मण अपनी पोटली बांधकर जाने लगा । आवाज सुनकर दुकान के नौकर जग गए और चोर चोर चिल्लाने लगे।साहूकार आया और ब्राह्मण को पकड़ लिया ।
ब्राह्मण बोला में चोर नहीं हूँ । में तो एक गरीब ब्राह्मण हूँ । मेरी पत्नी का आज तीज माता का व्रत है इसलिए में तो सिर्फ ये सवा किलो का सातु बना कर ले जा रहा था। साहूकार ने उसकी तलाशी ली। उसके पास सातु के अलावा कुछ नहीं मिला।
चाँद निकल आया था ब्राह्मणी इंतजार ही कर रही थी। साहूकार ने कहा कि आज से तुम्हारी पत्नी को में अपनी धर्म बहन मानूंगा। उसने ब्राह्मण को सातु , गहने ,रूपये ,मेहंदी , लच्छा और बहुत सारा धन देकर ठाठ से विदा किया। सबने मिलकर कजली माता की पूजा की।
जिस तरह ब्राह्मण के दिन फिरे वैसे सबके दिन फिरे । कजली माता अपनी कृपा सब पर करें।
बोलो तीज माता की जय !!!
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