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calendar_today May 15, 2026
Book Griha Pravesh Puja Online Book Now Book Griha Pravesh Puja Online Book Now Teja Dashmi commemorates the death anniversary of Veer Tejaji, a Jat folk hero and warrior of Rajasthan, revered by many as one of the eleven principal incarnations of Lord Shiva.
Tejaji was born in 1074 CE in Kharnal village, Nagaur district, to Tahar Dev, a Jat chieftain, and his wife Ram Kunwari. (His birth is Tejaji Jayanti, a separate festival in the month of Magha, don’t fold it into the Teja Dashmi date.)
According to legend, he died from a snake bite he willingly accepted after rescuing a herd of cows stolen by raiders, having given the snake his word that he would return to be bitten once the cows were saved. The snake, moved by his honesty, blessed him: that anyone who prays sincerely to Tejaji would be protected from snakebite.
Let’s gets rich insights into Teej Dashmi 2026 along with the history and significance associated with the day.
Devotees will celebrate Teja Dashmi 2026 on the birthday anniversary of Tejaji, which falls on the same day as Bhadrapad Shukla Dashmi or the 10th day of Shukla paksha.
According to hindu calendar, it will be celebrated on Monday, 21 September 2026.
Teja Dashmi is celebrated as a festival in Hinduism dedicated to loving the folk deity of the Rajasthan State.
Tejaji is revered as a folk deity and, in Rajasthan’s oral tradition, considered one of Shiva’s incarnations, worshipped alongside other regional folk deities such as Gogaji, Pabuji and Ramdevji.
Teja Dashmi marks his death anniversary and falls on Bhadrapada Shukla Dashami every year. On this particular day, everybody visits the temples and prays for their peace of soul.
A large group of people devotes raw milk and milky coconut packs to the holy temples with added churma in the packets.
Tejaji is worshipped across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
He is popularly known as the “God of Snakes” in Rajasthan and is worshipped for protection from snakebite. This is a devotional belief, not a medical claim, anyone bitten by a snake needs immediate medical treatment.
Devotees visit several shrines where the deity is located and present churma, raw milk, and milky coconuts to them, seek their blessings, and pray for their good fortune.
They also hold a tradition or ritual of bringing colourful umbrellas to provide to the deity.
Several destinations and their period are listed below, briefly explaining the details for better readers’ knowledge.
The people of Malwa City are well known for their extreme celebration of the Teja Dashmi festival. They celebrate numerous fairs in different shrines dedicated to the Tejaji deity.
Devotees gather in large numbers to worship and fetch blessings for a healthy and prosperous life.
Malwa has the oldest and finest temple to celebrate Teja Dashmi, named Tejaji Temple, where a large group of people come together and pray obeisance.
This city is well-known for its beautiful celebration of Teja Dashmi. Various devotees visit the Lord Teja temples to celebrate the occasion.
Devotees also offer bright-coloured umbrellas and bring out the procession through dancing and singing the chants on drum beats.
Jaipur conducts many fairs in all the temples and holy places in the rural city and the Pink City. Various communities pray in temples and seek blessings for a healthy and peaceful life.
People whose snakes have been beaten also visit the temple and get cured of the snake’s venom.
Ajmer has numerous events and locations that celebrate the festival. Many temples are recognized as Tejaji’s temples and provide fairs to organize temple fairs and donations.
On Teja Dashmi 2026, devotees across the country pray to Veer Teja. Devotees recognise him as the famous folk deity of the Rajasthan state.
He died protecting a herd of cows from raiders who had stolen them. His tongue was the only part of his body left unwounded, which is why the snake bit him there.
All his devotees believe that if they pray to Veer Teja well, he will always bless them. Hence, devotees celebrate the festival of Teja Dashmi with many prayers and fairs.
Teja Ji Maharaj is recognised as a nobleman. Maharaj considers the day as his greatness and practices it to highlight his teachings and words.
According to the Gregorian period, he was chaotic in the year 1074 to Tahar Ji, a recognized Jat, and his beloved wife Ramkumari on the occasion of Chaturdashi Tithi occurring in the month of Magha, Shukla, and Paksha.
He was chaotic after his guardians practised amends to delight Lord Shiva and his beloved wife, Goddess Parvati.
However, his parents were completely aware of his short life and divine qualities.
According to one of the closest legends of Teja Ji, some thieves had once robbed cattle from his sister’ martial shelter, and with no delay, he went there with his friends to save the cows.
On the way, he found a snake that wished to bite him. Tejaji asked the snake to let him first go and free the cows, promising to return afterward and accept the bite. The snake agreed. Teja Jii Maharaj fought bravely and sustained injuries.
After rescuing the cows, though badly wounded, he kept his word and returned to the snake. His body was covered in wounds from the fight, so he offered his tongue, the only unwounded part for the bite.
Moved by his honesty, the snake revealed itself as Nag Devta and blessed him: that anyone who worships Tejaji with true devotion would be protected from snakebite.
Therefore, people mostly watch devotees praying to Teja Jii and binding threads to protect themselves from any snake bite.
In many rural parts of Rajasthan State, as well as in many parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, people consider Teja Dashmi 2026 as the celebration of Veer Teja, a folk deity.
On this magnificent day known as Teja Dashmi, people celebrate Veer Teja, acknowledging him as one of the brilliant incarnations and personalities of Lord Shiva.
Devotees visit nearby temples and holy places on this day to offer prayers and chants.
Teja Dashmi 2026 is an exceptional day for the devotees of Lord Shiva and Snakes.
Observed every year on Bhadrapada Shukla Dashami, the day is a tribute to his honesty, courage and self-sacrifice: having promised a snake he would return after rescuing a stolen herd of cows, he kept his word even at the cost of his own life.
Devotees across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat visit Tejaji temples on this day, offering raw milk, coconut and churma, and seeking his blessings for protection and prosperity. Many also tie a sacred thread as a symbol of his protection against snakebite.
Devotional belief holds that sincere worship of Tejaji protects against snakebite. This is a matter of faith, not a medical safeguard, anyone bitten by a snake should seek immediate medical treatment regardless of any puja performed.
If you’d like to observe Teja Dashmi with a puja at your home or at a Tejaji shrine, you can book an experienced pandit ji through 99Pandit.
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Teja Dashmi is celebrated as a Hindu festival. It occurs on the Bhadrapada Shuk Dashmi.
Teja dashi is celebrated because of Teja's martyrdom. Scholars study that he saved a herd of cows from a snake, gained intelligence, and received a blessing from the PST mythology. If anyone in the future follows his teachings, they will never die through a snake bite.
The people of Rajasthan celebrate Teja Dashmi gracefully.
The festival is not only celebrated in Rajasthan but also across the country by Teja Ji’s devotees.
