Hartalika Teej is an important Hindu fasting observed by Hindu women and is dedicated to Goddess Parvati in North India. .Hartalika Teej falls on the third day of the first fortnight of the month of 'Bhadra'. It is a three-day festival which is celebrated by women in honor of Parvati Ma. It is one of three Teej festivals and is mainly observed in North India and western parts of India. Hartalika Teez is observed mainly in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and is some parts of Maharashtra.

Hartalika Teej is the honor the memory of with a ceremony of the reunion of Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi. On this day, idol of Parvati Mata will be dressed up in bright colorful clothes and is taken out in a palanquin in a procession. Parvati idol is also accompanied by wild animals like elephants and camels which is the most attractive part of the Teej procession. Hartalika Teej is very popular festival for Marvadi’s in Rajasthani Women.

Hartalika Teej is celebrated at the end of the Hindu month Sawan, which is also the beginning of ‘Bhadrapada’ also known as ‘Bhado’. According to traditional Hindu lunar calendar, festival of Hartalika Teej falls on the third day of the fortnight in the Bhadrapad month. If considered from Gregorian calendar, Hindu month Bhado falls between August to September. Most of the time, Hartalika Teej falls at the beginning of the month September.

Legend Behind Hartalika Teej

Hartalika Vrat in 2013 will hold a special significance for you if you know the legend behind this beautiful festival. According to the Hindu mythology, Maa Parvati was in love with Lord Shiva. However, he was an ascetic and had no interest in worldly stuff. Goddess Parvati decided to put all her efforts to make Shiva know about her love for him. She did a tough penance of thousands of years in Himalayas. Finally, Lord Shiva noticed the Goddess and realizing her love, he married her. Since then, Goddess Parvati is being worshipped as Hartalika and Teej Mata.