teej

Red velvet mite (Trombidium), also called Teej, appears during the monsoon season.^[2] It is unclear if the mite is named after the festival, or vice versa.

Teej refers to the monsoon festivals, observed particularly in western and northern states of India, Nepal, and in some Southern states of India such a Telangana. The festivals celebrate the bounty of nature, arrival of clouds and rain, greenery and birds with social activity, rituals and customs.^[3]

The festivals for women, include dancing, singing, getting together with friends and telling stories, dressing up with henna-coloured hands and feet, wearing red, green or orange clothes, sharing festive foods,^[3] and playing under trees on swings on Haryali Teej.^[4]

The festivals are dedicated, in many parts of India and Nepal, to Parvati.^[3]