Teejadi (Teejari)
Tejadi (Teejari) - Karvachoith
Sindhi festival celebrated during the rainy season in the scared Hindu month of Savan or Shiravan [Shiravan]. In fact, this is a kind of fast observed by ladies for the life and wellbeing of their husbands. The Sindhi fragrance of this festival lies with “Asur” [early dawn food taking] and Mehndi. Hindu Festival “Karva Choith” [young generations born abroad might have seen this festival in Indian movies] of north India and this sindhi festival resembles to a large extend for way of celebration and purpose, the only major difference is Sindhi festival Teejadi is celebrated in the Shiravan month where as Karva Choith is celebrated on the fourth day after the full moon day in the month of Kartik.
Schedules of Teejari day:
Celebration of Sindhi festival Teejadi starts in the hours of early dawn. Food (Asur) is taken and after that work of creating artistic Mehndi get started. In the recent times Mehndi work is finished on the night before the celebration because due to change in life style time of Asur is changed from early dawn to any time before the sun rise. Teejari fast starts from the sunrise and ends with moon rise.
After keeping fast for whole day, at night “Argu” [Milk, rice & sugar] is offered to moon, but before that ladies recites “Katha of Tijadi Mata” and food is taken afterwards. To mark the festival mood at some cities Mehndi competitions are also arranged on this day.
In the evening all the ladies dressed up with jewellery and other sings of being wedded and go to nearby temple for listing Katha. After the moon rise, on Karvachoth they see the moon through net and soon after that face of their husband but on Teejari Sindhi women neither see moon through net nor husband’s face soon after that, they simply see the moon and offer Argu. This marks the end of fast and celebration.
Historical Backdrop
According to Puranas there was a married woman named Karva, she was said to be have Shakti just because of her immense love and dedication towards her husband. Once while bathing in river husband of Karva was caught by a crocodile and was like to die but Karva with her spiritual powers not only saved life of her husband but also tied the crocodile with cotton yarn and asked Yama for sending the crocodile to hell. First Yama refused to do so but remembering the powers of Karva and under the influence of fear of being cursed by her agreed and sent the crocodile to hell.
In the Mahabharata era Draupadi also observed this fast.