On which occasion are Lahariya worn by women in Rajasthan?

Lahariya is a resist-dyed (bandhej-family) textile tradition of Rajasthan: cloth is folded diagonally, tied at intervals, and dyed to produce vibrant diagonal wave-like stripes. In Rajasthan, each such traditional textile style is conventionally tied to a specific festive occasion.

The occasion conventionally linked with Lahariya is Savani (Sawan/Hariyali) Teej, celebrated in the monsoon month of Shravan: women wear Lahariya odhanis and sarees, apply mehndi, and swing on decorated jhulas, and Lahariya forms part of the 'Sinjara' gift sent to married daughters for this Teej.

• Kajali (Badi) Teej falls in Bhadrapad and is observed mainly in the Bundi region as a distinct, separate festival, not the occasion identified with Lahariya.

• Akha Teej (Akshaya Tritiya) falls in Vaishakh and is the auspicious wedding muhurat, an occasion for new beginnings, not for the Lahariya tradition.

• Ram Navami falls in Chaitra and marks Lord Rama's birth, a religious observance with no link to Rajasthan's Lahariya attire custom.

Hence, the correct occasion is Savani (Sawan) Teej.