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About Hartalika Teej

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About Hartalika Teej

Hartalika Teej falls on the third day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, in August or September, usually the day before Ganesh Chaturthi. Women fast, often without water, and pray to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

The name comes from harat (taken away) and aalika (friend): Parvati's friend is said to have taken her into the forest so she would not be married against her wish, and there she prayed until Shiva accepted her. Married women pray for their husbands and families, and young women for a good partner.

Women wear green and red, apply mehendi, make clay figures of Shiva and Parvati, hear the Hartalika katha and stay awake singing through the night. It is kept in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Nepal, and Karnataka keeps Gowri Habba on the same day.

  • Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya
  • August or September
  • Fast without water
  • UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra

Where it began

Hartalika comes from words meaning taken away and friend. Legend says Parvati's friends led her away into the forest so that she would not be married to someone else.

In the forest, one story tells, Parvati made a Shiva linga of sand and prayed with great devotion. Shiva was pleased and accepted her as his wife.

Women keep the same faith on this day. They fast, worship clay or sand images of Shiva and Parvati and listen to the story of the day.

Women gather for Teej, in a painting from the early 1800s

How it grew over time

  1. Ancient times

    Prayers to Shiva and Parvati for married life are part of folk customs in many regions.

  2. Medieval period

    The Hartalika story is told in vrat books, and the fast spreads across north and central India.

  3. Modern times

    The day becomes a time for women to gather, sing and stay awake through the night.

  4. Today

    The fast is kept in India and Nepal, and women in many cities pray together in temples.

How it is celebrated in different places

  • Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh

    Women make clay images, decorate a small mandap with flowers and banana leaves, and pray through the night.

  • Maharashtra

    Women and girls worship Parvati and her friend with green leaves, and the day comes just before Ganesh Chaturthi.

  • Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

    Women in new clothes and mehndi gather to sing and listen to the Teej story.

  • Nepal

    Women in red sing and dance at Shiva temples, especially Pashupatinath in Kathmandu.

Hartalika Teej moments

A Maharana of Udaipur at a festive court gatheringUdaipur, Rajasthan
Women swing at the Teej festival while a ruler rides pastMarwar, Rajasthan
Green sprouts and a divine couple set out for Teej

Hartalika Teej today

Women wake early, dress in bright clothes and bangles, and keep a strict fast. In the evening they worship together, and they end the fast the next morning.

How people celebrate Hartalika Teej

  • A nirjala fast through the day and night
  • Clay idols of Shiva and Parvati
  • Green bangles, mehendi and new clothes
  • The Hartalika katha
  • Night-long songs and prayers

How to wish well

  • Send wishes in the morning, before the fast begins in earnest.
  • Wishes about strength for the fast and Shiva Parvati's blessings are always welcome.
  • Husbands can send a loving note; a gentle joke about doing the chores is fine.

Questions about Hartalika Teej

When is Hartalika Teej 2026?

Hartalika Teej falls on the third day of the bright half of Bhadrapada; see the date shown on this page. In 2026 it falls close to Ganesh Chaturthi on 14 September.

What is the meaning of Hartalika?

Harat means taken away and aalika means friend: Parvati's friend took her to the forest, where she prayed for Shiva.

Who keeps the Hartalika Teej fast?

Married women pray for their husbands' long life, and unmarried girls for a good husband.

How is Hartalika Teej different from Hariyali Teej?

Hariyali Teej comes in Shravan, with swings and green clothes; Hartalika Teej comes a month later in Bhadrapada, with a strict fast.

What do you say on Hartalika Teej?

Say "Happy Hartalika Teej". In Hindi, "Hartalika Teej ki hardik shubhkamnayein".

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