A group of women of Indian descent from Eden Prairie celebrated the Hindu festival of Hariyali Teej at Riley Lake Park earlier this month.

Residents of Hennepin village participated in the festival, which has special significance for married women. Hariyali Teej, which will be celebrated on August 7 in 2024, honors the relationship between the Hindu god Shiva and the goddess Parvati.

The color green, participants explained, is associated with Teej because the festival in India occurs during the transition to the rainy season and the color is associated with leaves and greenery. To celebrate the festival, they said, women dress up in beautiful clothes, including bangles, and gather with other women. They may also prepare sweets to distribute and decorate their hands with henna.

The celebrations in India, the women say, also include swings hanging from trees.