Kajari Teej 2026 – Festival of Songs, Fasting and Marital Well-being

Full Date

30 August 2026 09:36 AM (Tritiya tithi begins) – 31 August 2026 08:50 AM (Tritiya tithi ends)

Muhurat Timings in India

• Kajri Song-Night & Swing Gathering

  On the eve of Kajari Teej, women gather under trees, swing together and sing Kajri folk songs late into the evening leading into the fast day on 31 August 2026.

  30 August 2026 Evening after sunset – 30 August 2026 Night late (before midnight)

Introduction

Kajari Teej is a special monsoon-festival for women, celebrated on the Tritiya of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. It honours the spirit of song (‘kajri’), gathers women in jubilant swings, and includes fasting and prayers for marital harmony, fertility and well-being.

Other Names

Kajri Teej, Badi Teej, Satudi Teej

Pooja Vidhi

• Begin the day with a bath and wear green or bright clothes; apply mehndi on hands.
• In the evening gather neutrally under a tree (preferably neem) and prepare a puja thali with flowers, rice, sweets, kumkum and fruit.
• Offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati for marital happiness and break the fast after the designated muhurat or after family ritual.
• Decorate a swing, invite neighbours and friends for singing kajri songs and sharing prasad.
• Distribute sweets and food to the community, especially women, and spend time in devotional singing and socialising.

Rituals

• Women fast for the full day and pray for the health and longevity of their husbands or for getting a good husband.
• Early morning bath and clean traditional dress; women apply mehndi and jewellery and decorate themselves.
• Women worship Neem tree by offering kumkum, rice, flowers and fruit under its branches in the evening.
• Women gather, swing on decorated swings under trees, sing Kajri folk songs, play dholak and celebrate together.
• Special festive foods and sweets like sattu, puri, halwa are prepared and distributed among friends and family.

Regional Highlights

• Kajari Teej is widely celebrated in the Bhojpuri-region (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand) with enchanting folk-kajri songs that express longing during monsoon. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
• In Rajasthan (especially Bundi) the ‘Kajali Teej Mela’ is held with processions, fairs and cultural performances. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
• The festival follows about 15 days after Hariyali Teej and precedes Janmashtami, making it a key event in the Teej-festival cycle across North India. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

History

The festival of Kajari Teej has its roots in the folk-traditions of North India and the Bhojpuri region, where women sing kajri songs about longing, rains and reunion, and worship Neem trees for marital longevity and well-being of their families. Its name derives from the folk song genre ‘kajri’. It evolved as a companion to Hariyali Teej and Hartalika Teej in the cycle of Teej festivals.

Additional Information

• Though dates may vary slightly by region and lunar calculation, August 31 2026 is the widely accepted date for Kajari Teej. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• The term ‘Kajri’ also refers to a style of folk-song sung during the monsoon about separation and longing — reflective of the festival’s mood. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
• Women who begin the Kajari Teej vrat often continue the tradition annually, sometimes for 16 years, as noted in regional customs. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}