The festival is observed with great devotion by women across India, who keep a strict 'nirjala' (without food or water) fast and perform rituals for marital harmony, prosperity, and divine blessings
Women get their hands decorated with henna ahead of Hartalika Teej festival, in Prayagraj. PIC/ PTI
Hartalika Teej 2025, one of the most sacred Hindu festivals dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, is being celebrated on Tuesday, during the Shukla Paksha Tritiya of the Bhadrapada month. The festival is observed with great devotion by women across India, who keep a strict 'nirjala (without food or water)' fast and perform rituals for marital harmony, prosperity, and divine blessings.
On this day, women observe a fast, adorn themselves in festive attire, apply mehendi, and perform special pujas, seeking blessings for their husbands’ longevity and the prosperity of their families.
Puja timings (as per Drik Panchang)
Festival date: Tuesday, August 26
Pratahkala Puja Muhurat: 5.56 am to 8.31 am
Tritiya Tithi Begins: 12.34 pm on August 25
Tritiya Tithi Ends: 1.54 pm on August 26
Morning puja is considered most auspicious, but devotees who miss it can perform rituals during Pradosh Kaal in the evening.
Significance of Hartalika Teej
The word Hartalika is derived from “Harat” (abduction) and “Aalika” (female friend). According to legend, when Goddess Parvati’s father wished that she marry Lord Vishnu, her friend abducted her and took her to the forest. There, Goddess Parvati performed an intense penance to win Lord Shiva as her consort. Impressed by her devotion, Lord Shiva accepted her, and their union became a symbol of eternal love and faith.
Thus, the festival represents devotion, sacrifice, and marital bliss. Married women observe the fast for the well-being and longevity of their husbands, while unmarried women pray for an ideal life partner.
Regional celebrations
In North India, women observe the fast with prayers, sweets, and fruits, seeking their husbands’ prosperity.
In South India, the festival is celebrated as Gowri Habba, where women perform the Swarna Gowri Vratha for a happy and blessed married life.
Beyond rituals
Hartalika Teej is not merely an occasion of fasting; it is a profound celebration of divine love, unwavering faith, and immense spiritual strength. Rooted in the legend of Goddess Parvati’s penance to attain Lord Shiva, the festival carries a message of dedication, sacrifice, and the triumph of devotion. The fast is undertaken with deep faith, as women gather to offer prayers, sing devotional songs, and perform elaborate pujas invoking the blessings of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva.
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