
Teej
is a women centric festival and naturally gifts form a central theme of
the event. The gifts given on Teej are all women assets. All married and
engaged girls receive gifts from their parents and parents-in-law. They
also receive gifts like jewelry and other precious items from their
husband. These gifts symbolize love between a married couple. Women
fasting for long secured lives and well-being of their husbands are
rewarded by different gifts like designer clothes and enchanting
jewelry. Sometimes, husbands take out their wives for dinner to make
them feel happy after the moil of fasting.
Many days before the festive season, all the fabric shops display
heavily embroidered designer clothes and the jewelry makers work
come in full action. Competitive spirit prevails everywhere. When the
occasion is near, whole market is beautifully decorated looking like a
newly wed bride.
The most popular and extremely important traditional gifts of Teej are
briefed below:
Baya
Baya is a traditional gift given to newly wed women on the occasion of
Teej. It is given by mothers of newly wed girls on the day of the
festival. Baya is considered very auspicious to gift to the women
observing the fast. Baya is supposed to bring good luck for the families
of the women observing the fast. The gift package usually includes dry
fruits, mathris, new clothes, bangles, jewelry etc. As per the rituals,
Baya thalis are circulated in the evening Puja ceremony.
Shrinjhara
Apart from the married women, Teej is celebrated with earnest devotion
by the engaged girls also. They get Teej gifts from their future
father-in-laws, a day before the festival. This traditional gift package
is called
Shrinjhara which is given to the unmarried girls. This
traditional name Shrinjhara originated from a Hindi word Shringar
meaning adornment. The gift pack includes Ghewar (sweet), Laheria dress
(tie & dye fabric), Henna and Lac bangles.