Hartalika Teej 2023: Date, history, significance and celebration of the festival

Hartalika Teej will be celebrated on September 18 this year. Here's all you want to know about the history, significance and celebration of the festival.

Hartalika Teej 2023: The auspicious festival of Hartalika Teej is just around the corner. It is primarily a women's festival celebrated on the third day of the bright lunar fortnight or Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha. The occasion is celebrated with much fanfare in eastern UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, just like the two Teejs that precede it (Kajari Teej and Hariyali Teej). On this day, people worship idols of Lord Shiva, Maa Parvati and Lord Ganesha made of sand or clay. Both married and single women follow the 'nirjala' fast in order to pray for the long lives of their husbands and, respectively, to find the partner of their choice. Keep on reading to know more details.

When is Hartalika Teej 2023?

According to Drig Panchang, this year's Hartalika Teej will be observed on Monday, September 18, 2023. Find the puja muhurat, the beginning and end tithi of Hartalika Teej Tritiya and more here.

Muhurat of Hartalika Teej Puja 2023: 06:07 AM to 08:34 AM

Beginning of Haritalika Teej Tritiya Tithi: 17 September 2023 at 11:08 AM

End of Haritalika Teej Tritiya Tithi: 18 September 2023 at 12:39 PM

History and Significance of Hartalika Teej

The name "Haratalika" is composed of the words "alika", meaning female acquaintance, and "harát", meaning abduction. According to mythology, Goddess Parvati underwent arduous penance on the banks of the Ganga river in order to wed Lord Shiva. But when he saw her in this state, Parvati's father Himalaya made the decision to wed her to Lord Vishnu. When Goddess Parvati shared her misery with her friend, she decided to help her and kidnapped her. She led her to a dense forest, where Maa Parvati practiced her sadhana until Lord Shiva became aware of the goddess' devotion and consented to her marriage. Since that time, the Hartalika Teej has been observed by the women in order to get a husband of their choice.

Hartalika Teej celebrations

Women, whether married or single, observe a nirjala vrat, during which they abstain from food and drink for about 24 hours. On this day, people worship Lord Ganesha, Maa Parvati, and Lord Shiva. Some of the delectable dishes that are offered as part of a magnificent feast are bedmi poori, raseele aloo, dal baati, besan kadhi, malpua, ghevar, kheer, thekua, and gujia. It is the day when married women receive gifts of clothes, jewellery, cosmetics and other items from their families while being pampered in their mayke and sasural.

To celebrate, women decorate their hands with beautiful mehendi patterns and dress in the finest traditional attire, especially in shades of green and red. In several regions of the country, women observe their fast by staying up all night and joining a group of other women to sing traditional songs. The vrat usually ends in the morning of the following day and Teej Puja is usually performed in a group.