Hartalika Teej Festival

Hartalika Teej Vrat is one of the primary Vrats in Hindu religion. Hartalika Teej is celebrated on the third day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. Actually, worshiping Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati holds a lot of thrust in the Hast Nakshatra of the third day of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapada month. Hartalika Teej is observed by unmarried girls and married women both. Moreover, widows can also observe this Vrat. Hartalika Teej Vrat is kept without the intake of grains and water. It is believed that in order to have Lord Shiva as her husband, Goddess Parvati was the first one to observe this Vrat. Undertaking Hartalika Teej Vrat enables women with marital bliss and happiness.

Hartalika Teej 2023: What to do

Women wake up early in the morning and wear nice clean clothes.
On this auspicious day, women wear vibrant colour clothes and adorn themselves with jewellery and do 16 shringaar.
Take a Chowki and cover it with a red or yellow colour cloth and place an idol of Shiva Parivaar.
Some women make clay idol of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
If you can not make clay idol by yourself then you can purchase prepared idols from market.
Light a diya, offer homemade sweet (Kheer, Halwa or any other sweet) but it should be homemade.
Offer white flowers or vermillion to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Married or unmarried women who observe fast, offer shringaar items to Goddess Parvati and pray to get desired wish fulfillment.
Recite Hartalika Teej Katha and aarti.
After performing pooja, distribute prasad among all the family members and take the blessings from elderly people by touching their feet.
The fast can be broken in the evening after sunset by having satvik meal or fruits, milk etc.
Women mus wear green colour saree, suit or whatever they like. If not Green then can choose red colour clothes.

How is this festival celebrated?

Women who celebrate this festival keep fast for peaceful and happy marriage life. They also pray for the happiness of their husbands and family members. The two other Teej, Haryali Teej, and Kajari Teej are celebrated by women visiting their parent's houses. However, Hartalika Teej is celebrated when they come back to their in-law's house. Most of the people wake up early in the morning on the day of this festival and wear new clothes, mostly saris.

They also put on the best jewelry that they have and receive many gifts from their parents and in-laws. The gift is known by various names such as Shrinjhara or Sindhare and it includes bangles, dresses, sindoor, etc. Many women also organize Hartalika Pooja and they gather near a temple or in a garden for this. The idol of Goddess Parvati is placed at a particular place and women encircle it from all around. They offer sweets, flowers, and fruits, and the stories of Teej Katha are narrated.

Rules of Hartalika Teej Vrat

There should be no intake of water during Hartalika Teej Vrat. One can have water the next day after the Vrat.
Once the Hartalika Teej Vrat is observed by a person, it cannot be left undone. It should be performed with proper rites and rituals.
On the day of Hartalika Teej Vrat, one should stay awake at night and celebrate while singing religious hymns in groups.
Hartalika Teej Vrat is observed by unmarried girls and married women. According to the scriptures, widows can also undertake this Vrat.

Major Attractions

Various Dishes are Prepared

Ghevar

This is one of the most widely prepared dishes during the festival seasons. Generally, it is round-shaped and made using flour, ghee, dry fruits, sugar, and malai. It is prepared mainly in Rajasthan, western parts of Uttar Pradesh, and other northern states of India.

Thekua

This sweet dish is prepared in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. It is prepared by mixing flour dough with sugar syrup, coconut, etc.

Gujiya

Without gujiya, the festival of Teej is incomplete. It is quite popular in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, etc. This dish is made using dough, dry fruits, suji, khoya, etc.

Kheer

It is the most popular sweet dish of any festival and it is prepared by people from all sections of society. Rice is mixed and boiled in milk along with sugar for some time.

Halwa Puri

People on this day also prepare Halwa-puri which is one of the favorite dishes . It is quite well-liked by the children and the elderly groups.

Traditional dresses

Women across India wear traditional and cultural attires such as saris, Lehenga, Ghagra-Choli-chunni, etc. The man also wears new clothes such as Kurta-pyjama. These dresses are quite colorful and they represent the festive mood of the day.

Hartalika Teej Vrat Puja Vidhi

On the pious occasion of Hartalika Teej Vrat, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are reverenced and worshiped. Steps of Puja Vidhi are as follows:

Hartalika Teej is done in the Pradosh Kaal. Pradosh Kaal is referred to as the three Muhurats after the sunset. It signifies the time when day and night coincide.
Hand made idols of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha should be made from sand and black soil.
Decorate the worship place with flowers and place an altar there. After keeping banana leaves on the altar, establish the idols of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha.
Inviting all the deities, you need to start the Shodashopchar Puja of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva.
Offering auspicious symbols of married women arranged in a sacred enclosure to Goddess Durga is the most significant tradition of this Puja.
In this Puja, traditional attire of men (dhoti and angocha) is offered to Lord Shiva. All these sacred symbols of marriage should be donated to brahmins after seeking the blessings of mother-in-law.
After the Puja, listen to sacred stories and vigils should be performed at night. The next morning, after the aarti, offer vermilion and cucumber sweet to Goddess Parvati and then conclude your fast.

Spiritual Significance of Hartalika Teej

Hartalika Teej festival is dedicated to the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. According to a spiritual fact, Goddess Parvati performed austerity in order to have Lord Shiva as her husband. Along the banks of the river Ganga on Himalayas, Goddess Parvati performed severe austerity. Even her father Himalaya became downhearted on witnessing such condition of the Goddess. One day, on behalf of Lord Vishnu, Maharishi Narad came with a proposal of marriage. But when Goddess Parvati came to know about it, then she started to mourn. She told her female companion that in order to have Lord Shiva as her husband she is performing this austerity. After this, on the advice of her companion, Goddess Parvati went to the forest and she immersed herself in the adoration of Lord Shiva. During this time, in the Hasta Nakshatra of the third day of Shukla Paksha in Bhadrapada month, Goddess Parvati made a Shivalinga from sand and after that she drenched herself in worshiping Lord Shiva. On witnessing the severe austerity of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva came before her in his divine manifestation and accepted Goddess Parvati as his wife.

From then only, Hartalika Teej Vrat is observed by unmarried girls and married women for a good husband and well being of their husband respectively. Thus, through this Vrat, they also seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati by worshiping them.

We wish all our readers a very happy Hartalika Teej Vrat. We sincerely hope, that you will be blessed with the grace of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.