Devi · Parvati, Shiva, Neemadi Mata, the Moon
Kajari Teej
A monsoon vrat of songs and the evening moon, kept by women for their families' well-being.
Also known as: Badi Teej, Kajali Teej, Satudi Teej
Date and muhurat
✓ 28.6519°N, 77.2315°E · Asia/Kolkata
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When is it observed?
On the third day (Tritiya) of the dark fortnight following the full moon of Shravana. By the purnimanta count used in north India this is Bhadrapada Krishna Tritiya, while amanta calendars call the same day Shravana Krishna Tritiya. It falls about three days after Raksha Bandhan. The fast is broken after the moon is seen in the evening.
About Kajari Teej
Kajari Teej is the third of the Teej festivals of the rainy season and is kept mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The name comes from kajri, a style of folk song sung in the monsoon about love, separation and the longing for a loved one to return.
Married women keep a fast through the day, worship Parvati and Shiva, and in many homes also Neemadi Mata beside a small mud-rimmed pond that holds water and a neem twig. In the evening they look at the moon, offer arghya to it, and then eat.
Significance
The vrat is traditionally kept for the long and happy life of the husband and for the welfare of the children, and unmarried girls keep it hoping for a good partner. It is based on the same belief as the other Teej days: that Parvati's steady devotion to Shiva is worth following.
Socially it gives women a chance to gather, sing and swing together at the height of the monsoon. Fairs and kajri competitions are held in towns such as Mirzapur and Varanasi, and the music itself is a living regional art that the festival keeps alive.
Kajari Teej vrat and puja
- 1Rise early, bathe and take the sankalp for the fast. Many keep the fast strictly without food or water (nirjala), though pregnant women and those unwell may take fruit or a light meal as the family allows.
- 2In the evening, make a small pond on the ground or a wall with a raised rim of mud or flour, fill it with water and place a neem twig, a lit lamp and a small container of milk.
- 3Worship Neemadi Mata with roli, rice, mehndi, kajal and a little jaggery or ghee. Mark the dots on the wall above the pond (traditionally thirteen, with mehndi, roli and kajal) in the order your family follows.
- 4Offer Parvati and Shiva flowers, bilva leaves, fruit and sweets, and read the Kajari Teej katha.
- 5When the moon appears, offer it water and milk, often while holding a silver ring and a few wheat grains, and then turn around once in place, as the family custom goes.
- 6Break the fast with sattu, fruit or sweets (sattu is the traditional food of this day), usually after seeing the moon and touching the feet of elders.
- 7Share the prasad and sing kajri songs together before the evening ends.
The story
A widely told folk story tells of a poor Brahmin whose wife asked him to bring her sattu for the Kajari Teej fast. With no money, he went to a shop at night and took some sattu quietly, but the shopkeeper woke up and stopped him. When the Brahmin explained that it was for his wife's fast, the shopkeeper was moved, gave him more than he asked, and called the woman his sister.
Beyond that folk tale, the day is also linked to Parvati's long wait for Shiva and to the legend of the Kajali forest in central India, where a king named Dadurai (Dadu) is said to have ruled. According to the legend, his queen became sati when he died, and the grieving people began to sing songs of separation that became kajri. Sources differ on the king's name and on whether the place was central India or the Mirzapur area, so it is best read as folklore.
What to do
- ✓Keep the fast according to your health and family tradition.
- ✓Offer arghya to the moon after it rises, before breaking the fast.
- ✓Wear festive or green clothes and sing kajri songs.
- ✓Seek the blessings of elders, especially the mother-in-law.
- ✓Share sattu and sweets with relatives and neighbours.
What to avoid
- ✕Do not break the fast before the moon is seen and worshipped.
- ✕Do not push the fast if you are ill, pregnant or on regular medicine; a lighter observance is acceptable.
- ✕Avoid arguments and unkind words during the day.
- ✕Do not leave the lit lamp near the pond unattended.
- ✕Do not discard prasad or waste food.
Around the country
- Bundi, Rajasthan: a well-known fair and a procession of decorated Teej Mata mark the day, and it is also called Badi Teej.
- Uttar Pradesh and Bihar: kajri songs and swings are the heart of the day, especially around Mirzapur and Varanasi.
- Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh: women gather for the puja at dusk and share sattu and sweets.
- Rajasthan and Haryana villages: Neemadi Mata is worshipped by the pond, and the fast ends with the moon arghya.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kajari Teej in Shravana or Bhadrapada?
It is the same day under two month-counts. North Indian purnimanta calendars call it Bhadrapada Krishna Tritiya, while amanta calendars call it Shravana Krishna Tritiya.
Why is the moon worshipped on Kajari Teej?
The fast is broken only after the moon rises, as with other Teej and Karva Chauth-type vrats. The moon is traditionally regarded as a symbol of calm and a witness to the day's devotion.
What is kajri?
Kajri is a semi-classical folk song form from the Bhojpuri and Awadhi regions, sung in the rainy season. Its themes are the clouds, the beloved's absence and the joy of reunion.