Veer Teja
| Veer Teja Ji | |
|---|---|
 Veer Tejaji riding a horse | |
| Affiliation | Deva, Avatar of Shiva |
| Weapon | spear |
| Gender | Male |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 1074 |
| Died | 1103 |
| Parents |
|
| Siblings | Rajal |
| Spouse | Pemal |
Veer Teja Ji or Tejaji is a Rajasthani folk deity. He is considered one of the major eleven incarnations of Shiva and worshipped as a deity in whole (Rural & Urban) Rajasthan.[1][2] Veer Teja was born around 29 January 1074 in Kharnal, Rajasthan, India. वीर तेजाजी का जन्म नागौर जिले के खरनाल गाँव मे धौलिया जाट परिवार मे हुआ तथा तेजाजी 36 कौम के देवता है, मुख्यत: जाट समाज के पूज्य है ! His parents, Ramkunwari and Tahar, were Jats.[3]
Famous Temples[edit]
Legend has it that Teja died in 1103. The story says that he died because of snake bite, he allowed a snake to bite his tongue, that being the only unwounded area of his body. In return, the snake promised that no person or animal would die from a snakebite if they sought the blessings of Teja.[4]
People in Rajasthan particularly call upon this promise on Shukla tenth of the month of Bhadrapada, a day that is set aside for marking his death.[4] Anthropologists say the Tejaji following sect is protagonist that includes an element of protest against the caste system.[5]
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Painting depicting Tejaji's marriage at Pushkar -
See also[edit]
- Tejaji Temple at Kharnal - place where Tejaji was born
- Tejaji temple at Paner - place where Tejaji was married
- Shree Veer Tejaji samadhi sthala Temple, Sursura - place where Tejaji attained Nirvana
Commemoration[edit]
In September 2011, India Post released a commemorative stamp depicting Tejaji.[6]
A Rajasthani language movie titled Veer Tejaji, based on the life of Tejaji was made in the 1980s.
References[edit]
- ^ Unknown. "In India, getting bitten by a snake seen as good luck". Reuters Original. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ ANI (16 September 2016). "Rajasthan celebrates unique snake festival to bring good fortune". India.com. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ Murphy, Anne (2003). "TĒJAJI". In Mills, Margaret A.; Diamond, Sarah; Claus, Peter J. (eds.). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 596. ISBN 978-0-415-93919-5.
Tējaji was a Jāt of Karnala near Nagaur, in Marwar
- ^ a b Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa Publications. p. 428. ISBN 978-8129108906. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ Dhali, Rajshree Popular Religion in Rajasthan: A Study of Four Deities and Their Worship in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century, 2014, p. 229
- ^ Rajasthan Voice: Thursday, September 8, 2011, Special postage stamp released on Folk deity Veer Teja
Further reading[edit]
- Madan Meena: Tejaji Gatha (Hadoti & Hindi), Kota Heritage Society, Kota, 2012 ISBN 978-81-8465-686-2 (Published under the World Oral Literature Project, University of Cambridge, UK)