Teeyan / Teej
The Festival of Sawan
After the scorching heat of a Punjabi summer — when temperatures can exceed 45°C — the arrival of the monsoon rains in Sawan (the month of July-August) is nothing short of redemption. The earth cracks open, the sky darkens, and the first drops of rain transform the landscape from dusty brown to lush green within days.
Teeyan celebrates this moment. It is primarily a women's festival — married women return to their parents' homes (a tradition called "peekey jaana"), and communities of women gather for days of gidda, boliyan, swinging, and feasting. It is one of the few traditional festivals centred entirely on feminine experience and expression.
The Swing (Peenga)
The most iconic image of Teeyan is the swing — called a peenga or jhula. Decorated swings are hung from the branches of large trees, especially neem and mango trees. Women in colourful suits and phulkari dupattas take turns swinging, singing boliyan as they go. The swing is both literal and metaphorical — the soaring and returning mirrors the emotions of the festival: joy and nostalgia, freedom and longing.
Boliyan sung during Teeyan are often about the monsoon rains, the pain of separation from loved ones, teasing about in-laws, and the beauty of the season. The verses are improvised, witty, and often delightfully irreverent.
ਸਾਵਣ ਦੇ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਆਈਆਂ ਤੀਆਂ
"In the month of Sawan, the Teeyan have arrived"
— the opening line of countless Teeyan songs, signalling the start of celebration.
Gidda & Boliyan
Teeyan is where gidda reaches its fullest expression. Women form circles, clapping rhythmically, while individual performers step into the centre to sing their boliyan. The couplets cover everything: the monsoon clouds, missing a husband, mocking a rival, celebrating a new baby, or commenting on village gossip. The art is in the improvisation — the best boli singers can compose verses on the spot that make the entire circle collapse with laughter.
In the Diaspora
Teeyan melas have become major cultural events in the Punjabi diaspora. In cities like Surrey, Birmingham, and Brampton, Teeyan celebrations attract thousands of women for gidda competitions, food, mehndi (henna), and community bonding. These events have become important spaces for preserving feminine folk traditions that might otherwise be lost in modern urban life.