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Veer Teja

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Veer Teja
Ji
Veer Tejaji riding a horse
AffiliationDeva, Avatar of Shiva
Weaponspear
GenderMale
FestivalsTeja Dashmi
Genealogy
Born29 January 1074
Died28 August 1103
ParentsTahar Dev (father)
Ram Kunwari (mother)
SiblingsRajal
SpousePemal

Veer Tejaji (29 January 1074 - 28 August 1103)[1] also known as Veer Tejaji Maharaj, or simply Tejaji, was a great warrior, social reformer and folk-deity of Rajasthan.[2] In rural parts of northern Rajasthan, he is revered as a deity and is considered to be one of Lord Shiva's eleven primary incarnations.[3][4]

Early life

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Veer Tejaji was born on 29 January 1074, in the family of Tahar Dev, chieftain in Kharnal, Nagaur and Ram Kunwari in Kharnal village of Nagaur district in Rajasthan. As per the historians, it is believed that Ram Kunwari, Tejaji mother, got a boon from Nagaraja and gave birth to a baby named, Teja Ji. His parents were worshippers of Lord Shiva.[5]

Famous Temples

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Tejaji Temple at Palot Village
Tejaji Temple at Palot Village

Commemoration

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India Post, Government of India releases commemorative postage stamp of Tejaji Maharaj

In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Teja Dashami is celebrated on the Dashami Tithi (tenth day), Shukla Paksha (bright phase of the Moon) in the month of Bhadrapada. The festival commemorates the greatness of Teja Ji Maharaj, and the sacrifice he made to honour his words. Today, on Teja Dashami, know more about Teja Ji Maharaj, who is worshipped by his devotees and hailed as a nobleman. He is believed to be eleventh incarnation of Lord Shiva.[6]

In September 2011, India Post released a commemorative stamp depicting Tejaji.[7]

Rajasthan Govt has constituted Rajasthan State Veer Tejaji Welfare Board for farmers. The board will have seven members including the chairman and vice-chairman. According to the officials, the board will aim to take stock of the condition of the farmers’ society and suggest measures to remove the backwardness of the farmers.[8]

A Rajasthani language movie titled Veer Tejaji, based on the life of Tejaji was made in the 1980s.

In November 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tejaji Temple in Kharnal village, Nagaur, Rajasthan.[9]

Personal life

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Tejaji married Pemal, daughter of Raimal, chieftain of Paner village in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan. He was just nine months old at the time of marriage, while Pemal was six months old, and they got married at Pushkar Ghat on Pushkar Purnima in 1074. Pemal practiced sati pratha when Tejaji sacrificed his life for cows.[10]

See also

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  • 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

References

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  1. ^ Gupta, Dr Seema. "Veer Tejaji - The Symbol of Folk Faith". CENTRAL ASIAN JOURNAL OF LITERATURE, PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE. 01: 42.
  2. ^ "In India, getting bitten by a snake seen as good luck". Reuters Original. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ ANI (16 September 2016). "Rajasthan celebrates unique snake festival to bring good fortune". India.com. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Early Life of Tejaji Maharaj". ABP NEWS. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Teja Dashami: All you need to know about Tejaji Maharaj". Times Now. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  7. ^ Rajasthan Voice: Thursday, September 8, 2011, Special postage stamp released on Folk deity Veer Teja
  8. ^ "Rajasthan government forms Veer Tejaji Welfare Board for farmers". Times of India. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  9. ^ PM Modi performs Darshan and Pooja at Veer Tejaji Temple, Kharnal, Rajasthan
  10. ^ Jain, Pratibha; Śarmā, Saṅgītā (2004). Honour, Status & Polity. Rawat Publications. ISBN 978-81-7033-859-8.

Further reading

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  • 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)