Veer Teja
Veer Teja Ji, or Tejaji, is a Rajasthani folk deity. He is considered to be the eleventh incarnation of Shiva and worshipped as a deity in all of Rajasthan (rural and urban). Veer Teja was born around 29 January 1074, in Kharnal, Rajasthan, India. His parents, Ram Kunwari (mother) and Tahar Dev (father), were Jats. In India, Veer Tejaji, due to his sacrifice, is known as the God of Snakes. History 
Tejaji was born around January 29, 1074, in Kharnalia village of Nagaur district in the Nagvanshi Kshatriya Jat family. At the age of just 9 months after birth, Tejaji got married to 6-month-old Pemal in Pushkar, Ajmer. Tejaji was known for his unwavering commitment to truth and his dedication to social service, animal welfare, and women's protection. His life's purpose was driven by these principles. One day, when Tejaji went to his in-laws' house riding the mare 'Leelan' to pick up his wife Pemal, he learned that bandits were threatening the cows of Lachha Gurjari. He fearlessly confronted them to safeguard the animals. While Tejaji was going to confront the bandits, he rescued a snake engulfed in flames,but the snake became angry at him and wanted to bite Tejaji because the snake was separated from his mate, and that's why snake was engulfed in flames. Undeterred, Tejaji spoke calmly to the snake, explaining his mission to protect the cows. He made a promise to the snake that it could bite him upon his return. Tejaji valiantly defended the cows, but he sustained injuries in the process. When he approached the snake to honor his promise, it hesitated upon seeing his wounds. Yet, to uphold his commitment, Tejaji extended his tongue and declared that it was unwounded. Moved by Tejaji's sacrifice and determination, the snake reluctantly bit his tongue, and Tejaji died on August 28, 1103 (Bhadrapada Shukla) in Sursura, near Kishangarh. His wife, Pemal, also sacrificed her life for him. Seeing Tejaji's commitment, the snake gave him a boon. Since then, due to the boon, Tejaji has been worshiped as the god of snakes. Commemoration
In September 2011, India Post released a commemorative stamp depicting Tejaji. A Rajasthani language movie titled Veer Tejaji, based on the life of Tejaji was made in the 1982. Every year there is a tradition of celebrating Teja Dashmi festival on the tenth day of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month. Gallery

Further reading
 Madan Meena: Tejaji Gatha (Hadoti & Hindi), Kota Heritage Society, Kota, 2012  (Published under the World Oral Literature Project, University of Cambridge, UK)

See also
Tejaji Temple at Kharnal, Nagaur - place where Tejaji was born
Tejaji temple at Paner, Ajmer - place where Tejaji was married
Tejaji Samadhi sthal Temple, Sursura - place where Tejaji attained Nirvana

References

Folk deities of Rajasthan
Hindu folk deities
1304 deaths
1250s births
Regional Hindu gods