Kajari Teej 2023: Date, shubh muhurat, history, significance, rituals, celebrations and all you need to know

The auspicious festival of Kajari Teej is right around the corner, and Hindu women are gearing up to celebrate this holy occasion. Also known as Kajali Teej, Kajri Teej or Boorhi Teej, the festival falls on the Tritiya Tithi of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month. Devotees of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati observe this festival, worship the gods, keep a nirjala fast (fasting without water), visit temples, and more. Women also wear new clothes, apply henna on their hands, don ornaments, and pray for their husband's long and prosperous lives. If you are marking Kajari Teej, it is important to learn about the date, shubh muhurat, history, significance and celebrations of this day. Scroll ahead to find out.

(Also Read | Kajari Teej 2023: Dos and don'ts to follow during Kajari Teej fast)

Kajari Teej 2023 Date and Shubh Muhurat:

Every year, Kajari Teej comes after fifteen days of Hariyali Teej, three days after Raksha Bandhan and five days before Krishna Janmashtami. This year, Kajari Teej falls on September 2, Saturday. According to Drik Panchang, Tritiya Tithi of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month will start at 11:50 pm on September 1 and end at 8:49 pm on September 2. Additionally, the shubh muhurat for performing Kajari Teej puja would be on September 2 from 7:57 am to 9:31 am. Meanwhile, the shubh muhurat during the nighttime will prevail from 9:45 pm to 11:12 pm.

Kajari Teej 2023 Significance and History:

Hindus mark three main Teej festivals - Hariyali Teej, Hartalika Teej, and Kajari Teej. Each of these Teej festivals holds great significance for married women who observe a day-long nirjala fast. The occasion is marked by women in North Indian states, especially in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. While married women pray to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and observe a nirjala fast (without food and water) for the well-being of their husbands, unmarried girls perform the same rituals to wish for a suitable partner.

According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Parvati wanted to marry Lord Shiva, and she did severe penance to make her wish come true. It is believed that one can get the blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati - the divine representation of a happily married couple - on this day by worshipping them and keeping fasts.

Kajari Teej 2023 Celebrations and Rituals:

Married women celebrate Kajari Teej by singing folk songs about short separation from their husbands, observing nirjala fasts, praying to Lord Shiva and Parvati for their husband's long life, and performing a sacred puja of the neem tree amid various rituals and traditions.

On this day, devotees also wake up early to take a bath and purify themselves. Fasting women wear new traditional clothes and do shringar. They also place clay idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on a red cloth and worship them by performing aarti, lighting incense sticks and lamps. One should also offer 16 items related to married women to Maa Parvati, present Bel leaves, cow's milk, Ganga water and Dhatura to Lord Shiva, and listen to the story of Shiv-Gauri's wedding.