Banjara Teej is a popular Vrat and festival for Banjara people all over India. In 2019, Banjara Teej begins on August 18. It is observed in Shravan Month as per Hindu calendar.
Usually, this vrat is observed for 15 days. This Vrat is celebrated mostly in Banjaras among Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
During the festival, groups of young girls sing and dance with the ‘Teej’ on their heads, seeking prosperity for the village and the community. Teej is the festival of young girls who pray to the revered Seva Lal for their well-being. The ‘Teej’ consists of wheat saplings raised in a small basket made of bamboo, which symbolises prosperity.
The ‘Teej’, which rests on the traditional ‘phuliagano’ on the head of the girls, is immersed in water on Janmashtami by the girls, who reach the water bodies singing songs. The music is usually played on a typical and traditional drum by the brothers of the girls.