KajTeej01 Dark monsoon clouds
Kajari Teej
(22.08.2024)
-Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
Kajari (कजरी), Kajali (कजली), Satudi (सतुदी) Teej (तीज) is celebrated by women in North India. The word Kajari is derived from the Awadhi [2] word Kajra or Kohl (literally meaning dark, and refers to black clouds). Kajari is a form of semi-classical folk singing in Bhojpuri [3], traced to and popular in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (eastern), especially Mirzapur district/ area.
Kajari Teej is celebrated on Tritiya Tithi (third day) of Krishna Paksha (waning or dark phase of the Moon) in the month of Bhadrapada, corresponding to August/ September of the Gregorian Calendar.
Three famous and special Teej celebrations during Shravana and Bhadrapada months are- Haryali Teej (07.08.2024), Kajari Teej (22.08.2024), and Hartalika Teej (06.09.2024). Shravana and Bhadrapada months coincide with Varsha Ritu (वर्षा ऋतु) or monsoon, making the festivals special.
Kajari Teej celebrated on the fifteenth day after Hariyali Teej, is also known as Badi Teej. Kajari Teej comes three days after Raksha Bandhan and five days before Krishna Janmashtami.
The two other Teej/ Tritiya [4] named festivals - Akha Teej (Akshaya Tritiya) and Gangaur Tritiya are not part of the group of three Teej festivals celebrated in Shravana and Bhadrapada months.
Kajari Teej celebrates womanhood, blissful married life and is for longevity and prosperity of respective husband.
Like in several other festivals, unmarried women on Kajari Teej observe an upvasa (उपवास, fast) for finding a life partner of their choice, by seeking blessings of Gods/ Goddesses.
Women observe a day-long (sunrise to moonrise) upvasa without partaking food or water (निर्जला उपवास) and perform rituals seeking blessings of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Women get up before sunrise and have some food and water before the day/ fast starts.
Women get up early and finish their work. They wear new clothes and adorn themselves with सिंदूर (sindoor, Vermilion applied on the parting of the hair by married women), बिंदि bindi and छुरियां (churiyan, bangles). It is customary for women to dress up as newlywed brides.
Women apply मेहंदी (Mehndi, henna) on their hands, wrist, forearms, and feet, in attractive designs in the Indian sub-continent and among the diaspora. [5] मेहंदी (Mehendi) is derived from the Sanskrit word मेन्धिका (Mendhika), [6] which is the name of a plant whose leaves give a red dye/ colour. A paste prepared from the leaves is applied overnight/ for a long duration. It serves as a herbal cum medicinal dye, leaving a red colour. Mehendi ceremony is an important function before weddings in most religions in the Indian sub-continent.
KajTeej02 Mehendi art on a palm
Women gather in small groups and perform puja around a neem tree, [7] with कुमकुम (Kumkum, red colour), चावल (chawal, rice), हल्दी (haldi, turmeric), मेहंदी (Mehndi, henna) and also offer fruits and sweets. They also recite/ listen to the ‘Kajari Teej Katha’.
KajTeej03 Neem tree
Festivities include songs, dance, kirtan (collective chanting of prayers), gathering and customary rituals. On Kajari Teej day, swings are put up on trees. In the evening, women in a neighbourhood, dress up and gather for puja (prayers).
KajTeej04 Swings on a tree
KajTeej05 Ghevar, sweet prepared on Teej
After sighting चन्द्रमा (Chandrama, moon), women worship चन्द्रमा and break their fast. In some communities women break their fast by eating ‘Sattu’ (roasted gram flour) [8] and/ or fruits.
Any festival is incomplete without sweets and savouries. Women prepare खीर, Kheer; बादाम का हलवा; Badam ka Halwa; गुजिया, Gujiya; and घेवर, Ghevar. Sattu (roasted gram flour) sweet and snacks, are an important preparation, which is why it is also called Satudi Teej.
In villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (eastern), women sing ‘Kajari Songs’, which are in Bhojpuri, and an integral part of the celebration. Themes of Kajari, inspired by tradition, express the pain of brief separation from the husband or longing of a maiden for her lover. Kajari is also sung as an ode to the dark/ black clouds which bring rains. The motifs in Kajari music include Radha and Krishna –divine lovers.
Some noted exponents of Kajari semi-classical and/ or folk singing are Begum Akhtar, Girija Devi, Pandit Channulal Mishra, Rajan Mishra, Rasoolan Bai, Sajan Mishra, Sharda Sinha, Shobha Gurtu, Siddheshwari Devi, and Ustad Bismillah Khan,
Lyrics of two Kajari songs
अब के बरस भेज भैया को बाबूल [9]
अब के बरस भेज भैया को बाबूल
सावन में लीजो बुलाय रे
लौटेंगी जब मेरे बचपन की सखिया
दीजो संदेसा भिजाय रे
अंबुवा तले फिर से झूले पड़ेंगे
रिमझीम पड़ेंगी पुहारे
लौटेंगी फिर तेरे आँगन में बाबूल
सावन की ठंडी बहारे
छलके नयन मोरा कसके रे जियरा
बचपन की जब याद आये रे
बैरन जवानी ने छीने खिलौने
और मेरी गुड़िया चुराई
बाबूल थी मैं तेरे नाजों की पाली
फिर क्यों हुई मैं पराई
बीते रे जुग कोई चिठीया ना पाती
ना कोई नैहर से आये रे ।। ३ ।।
Lyrics of the second Kajari songs
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
फुलवारी मुस्काये कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। १ ।।
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
फुलवारी मुस्काये कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। २ ।।
तोड़ रहे थे फूल राम जी, गिरिजा पूजन चली जानकी
तोड़ रहे थे फूल राम जी, गिरिजा पूजन चली जानकी
पायल की झंकार से उनकी,
पायल की झंकार से उनकी,
रोम रोम हर साये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। ३ ।।
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
फुलवारी मुस्काये कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। ४ ।।
सिया मुख चंदा उगा सामने भुला दिया सब शान राम ने
सिया मुख चंदा उगा सामने भुला दिया सब शान राम ने
नैन वैन सब ने गति छोड़ी,
नैन वैन सब ने गति छोड़ी,
मन विन मोल बिकाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। ५ ।।
पहली झुला लगी बाग में
बंधे परस्पर प्रेम धाग में
लगे झूमने दोनों के दिल
स्नेहलता लतराये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। ६ ।।
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
राम सिया के मधुर मिलन से
फुलवारी मुस्काये कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये, कोयलिया कजरी गाये
कोयलिया कजरी गाये ।। ७ ।।
[1] Author, Freelance, Indian Economic Service (Retired), former Senior Economic Adviser, Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and former Adviser (P 4) UNDP, Yemen has in posts
on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site),
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twitter (https://twitter.com/rohitkparmar?s=09),
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been writing/ sharing varied topics and can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com.
[2] Awadhi is a dialect of Hindi, spoken in and around Awadh, erstwhile province of Nawabs of Awadh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
[3] Bhojpuri is another dialect of Hindi, spoken mainly in the Bhojpuri region of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and in the Gandaki, Lumbini and Madhesh, provinces of Nepal. Bhojpur is also a district in Bihar.
[4] A festival with Teej/ Tritiya suffix suggests that it falls on the third day of the lunar month (either waxing or waning phase).
[5] This author observed women from the Indian sub-continent and some European, getting मेहंदी (Mehndi or henna) applied to their hands on festivals/ other days, on the promenade of a remote town Morecambe, Lancashire, England during his stay, 1996-98.
[6] Henna plant (Lawsonia inermis), is a shrub and grows as a beautiful hedge.
[7] This contrasts with Haryali Teej, where activity revolves around a Vat Vriksha (banyan tree).
[8] While Sattu is generally made from Gram flour, it is also made from wheat and rice.
[9] These are words of a Kajari song in the Hindi movie Bandini (1963), sung by Asha Bhosle, lyrics by Shailendra and Music by Sachin Dev Burman.
[10] There are some local variations in the lyrics for example फूल बगिया could be called फुलवारी, सिया राम could be राम सिया.
[11] Grateful to a friend and his family for getting the lyrics correct.
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