Hartalika Teej is a Hindu festival celebrated by Suhagin(Married) women in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra, is a significant fasting event for their husband’s long life.
This year, on August 26, the fast of Hartalika Teej is being observed. Every year, to achieve unbroken good fortune, women observe fast on the Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month. This fast is considered very special for Suhagin(Married) women. On this day, Suhagin(Married) women observe Nirjala fast for unbroken good luck and a happy married life.
The festival is dedicated to Maa Parvati. Gauri-Shankar worship, with a clay statue of Gauri-Shankar being a significant attraction. On this day, all women pray to Goddess Gauri for the long life of their husbands and worship her with bhajans and kirtans.
Why is this Fast Called Hartalika Teej?
According to the legend, she was kidnapped and hidden in the forest by Mata Parvati ji’s friends. So that Goddess Parvati does not have to marry Lord Vishnu against her wishes. Actually, Parvati ji had accepted Shiva as her husband. So her friends took her into the dense forest.
Within a cave in the forest, Goddess Parvati worshipped Lord Shiva and Parvati ji duly worshipped in Hasta Nakshatra on the day of Bhadrapada Tritiya Shukla Paksha. Also, she awakened overnight. Lord Shiva was happy with Parvati’s tenacity and accepted her as a wife. In this way, due to his dearness by her friends, the name of this fast became a ‘Hartalika’(Abduction by a female friend).
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Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha:
According to mythological belief, Goddess Parvati could not bear insulting her husband Lord Shiva in the father’s sacrifice and she had consumed herself in the fire of yagya. After this, she took the next birth in King Himachal’s house and even in this birth she did harsh penance to get Shankar ji as her husband. Goddess Parvati was always absorbed in the penance of Lord Shiva. Seeing his condition, King Himachal started worrying and talked to Narada ji. He decided to marry Parvati ji to Lord Vishnu. But Goddess Parvati did not want to marry Vishnu. In such a situation, knowing her mind, her friends kidnapped her and went into the forest.
It is believed that in the Hasta Nakshatra of Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya Tithi, Goddess Parvati made earthen Shivling and praised Bholenath and awakened at night. During this time she also offered food. Her harsh penance lasted for 12 years. Pleased with this harsh penance of Parvati, Mahadev appeared and accepted her as his wife as per wish. Since then, every year women observe the fast of Hartalika Teej for unbroken good fortune.
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Disclaimer : This article is based on folk beliefs. Kirtan Chalisa is not responsible for the accuracy and accuracy of facts given here.