Chandigarh, August 12: Hariyali Teej was celebrated with great enthusiasm and traditional fervour at the Chandigarh residence of Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, ‘Sant Kabir Kutir’. On the auspicious occasion during the month of Sawan, the entire Chief Minister’s residence was filled with the vibrant colours of Haryanvi culture, the melodious strains of folk songs and the aroma of traditional delicacies.
The celebrations formally commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Guests arriving from across the state were given a warm welcome at the entrance amid the beats of dhols and nagadas and traditional folk songs. The entire premises was beautifully decorated with colourful swings, marigold flowers and traditional Haryanvi rural handicrafts.
Several prominent women from the fields of politics, social service and administration attended the special cultural gathering. Smt. Anita Kataria, wife of the Governor of Punjab; Smt. Mitra Ghosh, wife of the Governor of Haryana; and Smt. Suman Saini, wife of the Chief Minister of Haryana and Vice Chairperson of the Haryana State Council for Child Welfare, were prominently present at the event.
Women and guests from across Haryana also attended the celebrations, including Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Smt. Shruti Choudhry; MLAs Smt. Shakti Rani Sharma, Smt. Savitri Jindal, Smt. Renu Bala and Shelly Chaudhary; BJP State President Dr. Archana Gupta; Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Scheduled Castes Smt. Banto Kataria; and Vice Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women Smt. Meena Parmar, among other distinguished women.
The guests and women thoroughly enjoyed the traditional Sawan swings installed in the premises of the Chief Minister’s residence. Amid the pleasant monsoon season, women enjoyed swinging high on the peengs and sang traditional Teej folk songs. Women also performed Haryanvi folk dances, bringing the rich cultural heritage of Haryana alive and creating a festive atmosphere.
A major attraction of the Teej celebrations was Haryana’s traditional cuisine. Special delicacies associated with the festival were prepared at the Chief Minister’s residence, and guests relished traditional dishes including ghevar, suhali, gulgule and shakkarpare.
Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini extended his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all the guests present at the event and to the people of the state on the occasion of Teej. In his warm address, the Chief Minister highlighted the significance of Teej and said that Teej is not merely a cultural festival, but a celebration of greenery, joy and the rich traditions of our society, as greenery is nature’s true adornment.
Emphasising the importance of strengthening relationships, he said that just as the deeper the colour of mehendi on our hands, the stronger should be the trust in our social harmony and family relationships.
The Chief Minister laid special emphasis on the bright future and empowerment of daughters and made an emotional appeal to society to educate and encourage them to move forward. In his heartfelt message, he said that just as the swings rise higher during Teej, the dreams of our daughters and their aspirations should soar even higher.
He said that Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi had launched the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ campaign from the land of Panipat. It was a national resolve to change the mindset of society. Haryana transformed this resolve into a mass movement. He said he was proud that today, the daughters of Haryana are bringing glory to the Tricolour and the state in every field—from sports arenas to scientific laboratories, from the armed forces to administration, and from agriculture to startups. He said this was evident from their achievements in the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow recently.
The Chief Minister said that the state government views women as a powerful force for nation-building. Therefore, several schemes are being implemented to make women economically self-reliant. To further strengthen their financial independence, the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana in Haryana provides eligible women with monthly assistance of Rs. 2,100, offering them a foundation of dignity and social security. So far, around 10 lakh women have been provided assistance amounting to Rs. 2,042.31 crore. Initiatives such as ‘Har Ghar-Har Grihini’ also provide relief to household budgets. Under this scheme, eligible women are provided LPG cylinders at Rs. 500 per month.
Smt. Suman Saini, wife of the Chief Minister and Vice Chairperson of the Haryana State Council for Child Welfare, extended her greetings to everyone on the occasion of Teej. She said that Teej is not merely a festival but a celebration of Haryana’s rich cultural heritage, love for nature and respect for women’s empowerment. Such events play an important role in connecting the younger generation with its roots and folk traditions.
At the conclusion of the event, kothli was also presented to all the women. The grand celebration concluded with prayers and wishes for the peace, prosperity and well-being of the state.
