Hartalika Teej Overview
Hartalika Teej is a well-known Hindu festival. Hartalika Teej holds special significance, especially for women. This festival is devoted to the meeting of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Women keep fast for the entire day during Hartalika Teej and keep Nirjala fast. It is believed that this fast was first kept by Mata Parvati in order to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Therefore, women observe a fast on this day for good luck.
Hartalika Teej Vrat is observed in Bhadrapada month during the Shukla Paksha Tritiya. On this auspicious day, statues of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are carved out of the sand and worshiped for marital bliss.
This festival is celebrated in different states of India under different names. In the southern states of India Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Gauri Habba or Swarna Gauri Vrat. Whereas in the northern states, mainly Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, it is celebrated as Hartalika Teej.
Hartalika Teej – Date, Puja Muhurat and Timings
30 August 2022
Sunrise – 06:12 AM.
Sunset – 06:42 PM.
Tritiya Tithi Starts – 29 August, 2022 03:21 PM.
Tritiya Tithi Ends – 30 August, 2022 03:33 PM.
Pratahkal Hartalika Teej Pooja Muhurat- August 30, 06:12 AM – August 30, 08:42 AM
Pradoshkal Hartalika Teej Pooja Muhurat August 30, 06:42 PM – August 30, 03:33 PM
Story and Significance of Hartalika Teej Vrat
Basically, Hartalika meaning is made using two Sanskrit words, ‘Harat’ and ‘Alika’, which means ‘abduct or take away’ and ‘friend’, respectively. In Hinduism, there is a great significance of keeping fast or vrat to get the blessings of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati.
Hartalika Teej festival is devoted to the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. On this day, Goddess Parvati performed austerity in order to have Lord Shiva as her husband. Even her father Himalaya became downhearted on such condition of the Goddess. One day, on behalf of Lord Vishnu, Maharishi Narad came with a marriage proposal. But when Goddess Parvati came to know about it, she started to mourn.
Goddess Parvati went to the forest and immersed herself in the adoration of Lord Shiva.
During the time of Hasta Nakshatra on the third day of Shukla Paksha in Bhadrapada month, Goddess Parvati made a Shivalinga from sand and devoted herself to worship Lord Shiva. On witnessing the severe austerity of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva appeared and accepted Goddess Parvati as his wife.
Hence, women consider Shiva and Parvati as a couple that epitomizes happy marriage and worship them on Hartalika Teej for a blissful married life. Unmarried women also keep vrat on this day to get their ideal husband.
Rituals of the Hartalika Teej
On this day, big processions carrying beautifully clad statues or idols of Goddess Parvati are taken out in different parts of India. The procession is made more joyful by performances from varied artists. The idol of Parvati is escorted by camels and elephants to make teej procession attractive. In some places, festive fairs are also organized on the day of Hartalika Teej.
Hartalika Teej is observed especially by married women with extreme enthusiasm and zeal. According to the rituals married women on this auspicious day return to their parent’s home to celebrate hartalika teej. On this special Teej, women wear new clothes, and jewelry and apply beautiful Henna designs on their hands. Green is considered auspicious on this occasion. During this time, every woman desires to look their best.
In the midst of the celebrations, married women keep a strict fast for a period of 3 days for the welfare and long life of their husbands. They spend these days without having food and water. On the day of Hartalika Teej, women who keep Vrat get up early and take a dip in the holy waters. They visit the temple and touch their husband’s feet on returning home. Before sunset, women again take a bath and get dressed as newlyweds.
In the afternoon, the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshipped and offered flowers, Bilwa leaves, and incense sticks. Mantras are recited all throughout and the pooja is followed by Hartalika Teej vrat Katha.
Various sweets and other delicacies are prepared and offered to Goddess Parvati. Fresh fruits and vegetables are offered to the deity. As a ritual, women gift beautifully painted coconuts to friends and relatives. A special sweet is made from rice and coconut milk. On this day, women worship Goddess Parvati with full dedication. Unmarried girls also keep this fast to get the choice of their husbands.
Traditional Sweets to enjoy on Hartalika Teej
The festival is known as the fasting occasion. However, to add an essential enhancement like every Hindu festival, here are famous sweets prepared on the occasion of Hartalika Teej and offered to the deity which is later on distributed and relished with friends and family.
Gujiya
To make this delicious recipe, knead the dough and keep it aside. Next, prepare a stuffing with coconut, jaggery, dry fruit, and nuts. Take small dough balls, make small puris and add stuffing, seal the corners. Next, deep fry the Gujiyas, and meanwhile prepare sugar syrup and keep it aside. Now dunk the gujiyas in sugar syrup and serve!
Kheer
Just add full-fat milk to a vessel, and add sugar along with some cardamom powder. Let it boil. Once the milk is reduced to half, add rice and allow it to cook, add condensed milk and dry fruits for garnishing. Serve as bhog and enjoy!
Coconut Ladoo
To make these quick Ladoos toss grated coconut in some ghee, add powdered jaggery/sugar, dry fruits, and sesame seeds. Make small Ladoos, roll over some desiccated coconuts, and serve as bhog.
Panchamrit
To make this easy and quick Panchamrit recipe, just mix milk, curd, honey, sugar, and ghee.
