Lay to rest your worries about visiting Rajasthan in the off-season. Most tourists from all over the globe wrap up plans for trips way ahead for the bright and beautiful days of winter to explore India’s royal desert state. But now there’s a growing number of itinerant visitors who have discovered its wonders in the monsoon season, setting a fresh trend for “Monsoon Tourism”.

The rainy season has a very special meaning for Indians, inspiring poets and artists and even traditional perfumers (ittar makers) to capture the essence of this season of rejuvenation and plenty after a long hot summer.

In Rajasthan this wonderment finds voice in the lively Teej festival, dominated by the women folk. Celebrated on the third day after the full moon in the month of July–August or Shravana/Sawan of the Hindu Calendar marks a momentous time in the sacred narrative of Lord Shiva and his spouse Parvati.  It took 108 births for a penance to arouse Lord Shiva from his meditative state, which followed the grievous death of Sati, who had set herself on fire. On Teej, Sati is reincarnated as Parvati. Her joyful reunion in wedded bliss with Shiva is marked by exuberant celebrations by women who seek the blessing of the Parvati for a long and happy married life.

Teej, also known as Haryali Teej because the land is lush and green once again, celebrates the onset of monsoon with merriment and abandoned delight in the darkening sky, birdsong and pitter patter of raindrops on the thirsty earth.

Wandering around Jaipur, Udaipur Jodhpur and Jaisalmer,  the primary tourist hubs, you will come upon lively ladies dancing and singing and joyful as young children on swings adorned with trails of flowers wound around the sturdy ropes, in public parks and gardens in their homes.

Women begin the day by observing nirjala vrat (fasting without water). Then adorned in bright and bold colours of green, red and orange, and beautifully hennaed hands, they gather in giggling, laughing close groups and sing traditional folk songs to welcome the rain and praise Parvati, a symbol of endurance, strength and unwavering love and devotion for her husband.

An unmissable treat is the colourful pageant where an ornately decorated Goddess Parvati, protected under a canopy from the rain, is taken in procession through the main streets, followed by entranced devotees. When Parvati is paraded thus during the Gangaur festival (March–April) in spring, she has no protective covering. The auspicious occasion is also marked by parents giving their married daughters traditional gifts known as sindhara, comprising beautiful new clothes, bangles, mehendi (symbolising love and fertility), bindi— and a special monsoon treat— the luscious confection known as ghevar. The festival is also known as ‘Sindhara Teej.

You don’t need to be married to enjoy this traditional Rajasthani sweet, which requires many intricate steps in the making of this honeycomb-like dessert topped with cream and dry fruits. There are shops in these tourist towns who are renowned for making this utterly sinful dessert-sweet. So do try it. It's ambrosial!

It’s interesting to note that Rajasthan celebrates Teej twice. The second one, also known as Badi (bog) Teej, is Kajari Teej, which falls in August–September or the Hindu the lunar month of Bhadrapada, on the third day of the waning-moon fortnight.

Teej offers an exceptional introduction to Rajasthan in the rains. Pack your bags and leave now!