Co-host: Mr. Ajit @AjitThite
Host: Dr. K.K.Sharma @SharmaK
Here’s a quick glimpse from our amazing meet-up! 
This meetup was organized to celebrate Connect’s 9th birthday, following a call by @KashifMisidia, and I’m excited to share a colorful experience from the Teej Festival 2025 — one of the most culturally vibrant celebrations of Jaipur, Rajasthan. This year’s Teej was held on 27th and 28th July, and we organized a hybrid meetup to witness the heritage procession of Teej Mata and enjoy the festivities together.
The Teej Festival, celebrated annually in the Hindi month of Shravan, heralds the arrival of the monsoon. Dedicated to Goddess Parvati, it honors the day of her divine reunion with Lord Shiva. During the festivities, young girls and newly married women dress in vibrant traditional outfits, decorate their hands with henna, sing melodious songs of love, and delight in swinging on beautifully adorned swings tied to trees.
Royal Patronage in Jaipur
During the 18th century, the Teej celebration in Jaipur gained royal significance under the patronage of the Kachwaha rulers. The royal family introduced a grand procession of Teej Mata, carried in a richly decorated palanquin, accompanied by:
- Royal musicians and dancers
- Caparisoned elephants, camels, and horses
- A large gathering of citizens and guests
This tradition transformed Teej into an iconic cultural spectacle of Jaipur.
Teej in Jaipur Today
The legacy continues! Even today, the Teej procession remains a highlight of the city’s festive calendar. The beautifully adorned Teej Mata idol is brought out from the Zenana Deori of City Palace and paraded through the Tripolia Gate, which remains privately owned by the Jaipur royal family and closed to the public except during this event. On the occassion of royal processionof Goddess Teej comprising of camels, dancing folk artists, royal planquins, chariots and bullock cart starts from Tripolia Gate (5.35 PM), Chhoti Chaupad, Chaugan, and finally converged at Pondrik Park (7.30 PM). Thousands line up on both sides of the road and rooftops to watch the procession wind its way to Pondrik Park. Folk dances, music, and the majestic cultural charm make it a once-in-a-year experience!
Rajasthan Tourism live-streamed the Teej Festival procession, which is available here. Day 1: 27.07.2025, Day 2: 28.07.2025
Our Local Guides Meetup
This year, our meet-up was planned to witness this grand procession, and it turned into a memorable experience:
- In-person attendees: Arun Kashyap @mrkashyap , @Indraj Gurjar (joined with friends), and myself
- Virtual attendees: 23 Local Guides from across India incuding co-host @AjitThite, @Chandan-shrivastav, @Hemendu, @ShreyaMusings, @NareshDarji, @PrasadVR, @Kumaarsantosh, @PrinceKumar, @Rahul001, @Raj_Tayade, @RJSheetal, @Rushikesh_joshi, @Ssiddharth2000, @Sagarkanherkar, @SarathUpendran, @Saurabh Polekar, @shaileno, @Shrut19, @Supriyadevkar, @TravellerG, @TusharSuradkar, @VikramSingh_Valera, and @YatraBaba. A hearty thanks to each one of you.
- We reached near Tripolia Gate around 4:00 PM. I thought I was early, but crowds were already swelling on both sides of the road. I secured a good observation spot, but due to the rush, it was difficult to meet other friends in the crowd. Despite this, Arun and Indraj managed to find good spots for photos and viewing.
- The main procession began around 5:35 PM and passed our location at 5:50 PM. Meanwhile, the virtual session began at 5:30 PM, during which we showcased the crowd, pre-procession glimpses, and finally, the Teej Mata procession itself.
Cultural Evening at Pundrik Park
After the procession, we moved to Pundrik Park, another venue for Teej celebrations organized by the Rajasthan Tourism Department. Highlights included:
- Cultural stage performances
- Selfie points and traditional photo booths
- Food stalls and local crafts
- Henna/mehndi application, especially enjoyed by female members
- Although the meetup was officially till 7:30 PM, we stayed until 8:00 PM enjoying the vibrant evening and local flavors of Jaipur.
Quiz hosted by Ajit ji
Mr. Ajit hosted an online quiz during this hybrid meetup.
- The winner was Ms. Sheetal
– heartiest congratulations to @RJSheetal! 
. - Mr. Rahul @DaripelliRahul and Mr. Shaunak Chakraborty @Shaunak were the runners-up.
Congratulations to all once again. Your certificates will be sent soon.
thank you for this virtual vibrant experience