By Editor
Hartalika Teej 2024: Date, Time, Significance, and Rituals
Hartalika Teej is a significant Hindu festival celebrated by women across India with great devotion and enthusiasm. In 2024, Hartalika Teej will be observed on Friday, September 6. This auspicious day falls during the Shukla Paksha Tritiya of the Bhadrapada month. Women celebrate this festival by worshipping Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, seeking blessings for marital happiness, longevity, and the well-being of their families.
Teej Kab Hai in 2024? date and time of this Hindu festival
For those wondering “Teej kab hai in 2024?”, Hartalika Teej is on September 6. The Pratahkala Hartalika Puja Muhurat, which is the most auspicious time for morning prayers, is from 06:03 AM to 08:34 AM, lasting 2 hours and 31 minutes. The Tritiya Tithi, or the third lunar day, begins at 12:21 PM on September 5 and concludes at 03:01 PM on September 6, making this day ideal for the Teej rituals.
Significance and Rituals of Hartalika Teej
The festival of Hartalika Teej is rooted in a unique legend. The word ‘Hartalika’ is derived from ‘Harat’, meaning abduction, and ‘Aalika’, meaning female friend. According to the legend, a friend of Goddess Parvati took her to a dense forest to prevent her from being married to Lord Vishnu, a match arranged by her father. Parvati, however, wished to marry Lord Shiva. In the forest, she performed intense penance, which eventually led to her union with Lord Shiva.
On this day, women create makeshift statues of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati from sand or clay and perform special rituals to pray for a happy and fulfilling married life. While the morning is considered the most auspicious time for the Hartalika Puja, the Pradosh time in the evening is also suitable for the Shiva-Parvati Puja if a morning prayer isn’t possible.
Women begin the day with an early bath, donning fine clothes, and prepare for the Puja. The idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are placed together, and devotees narrate the legend of Hartalika during the ceremony.
Regional Variations and Celebrations
Hartalika Teej is especially popular in North India, with widespread celebrations in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. However, it is observed under different names and forms in other parts of the country. In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, the festival is known as Gowri Habba, during which women observe the Swarna Gowri Vratha to seek blessings from Goddess Gowri for a prosperous married life.
Hartalika Teej is one of three major Teej festivals celebrated during the Sawan and Bhadrapada months, alongside Hariyali Teej and Kajari Teej. Unlike Akha Teej (Akshaya Tritiya) and Gangaur Tritiya, which are observed at different times of the year, Hartalika Teej has its own distinct significance and customs. Celebrated about a month after Hariyali Teej and typically a day before Ganesh Chaturthi, Hartalika Teej is a day dedicated to worship, devotion, and the strengthening of marital bonds.
