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In the Sanatan Dharma tradition, the festival of Hartalika Teej, celebrated on the Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month, holds the highest place among the most sacred and fruitful fasts for married women and unmarried girls. On this auspicious occasion, married women keep a very strict waterless fast for the entire twenty-four hours to ensure long life, good health and unbroken good fortune of their husbands, while unmarried girls jointly worship Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati to get a suitable, loyal and pleasing groom like Devadhidev Mahadev. The main tradition of this Mahavrat is that in this, idols of Lord Shiva, Mother Parvati and the first revered Shri Ganesha are made with their own hands from pure black soil or sand of the river bank and they are worshiped in the Shodashopachar method. Often this natural curiosity arises in the minds of people as to why this great festival of Teej is not just called Teej and is specifically called ‘Hartalika’. The secret behind this is not linked to any grammar but to a wonderful mythological story of Mother Parvati’s exclusive love for Lord Shiva and the immense dedication of her friends.
According to Sanskrit and Vedic scriptures, the word ‘Hartalika’ has been formed by the combination of two root words – the first word is ‘Harat’ which literally means ‘to abduct’ or to take somewhere secretly, and the second word is ‘Aalika’ which means ‘friend’ or ‘friend’. Thus, the direct and clear meaning of Hartalika is ‘kidnapping done by friends’. According to the ancient story described in Shiva Mahapuran, this fast was first observed by Mother Goddess Parvati to get Lord Shiva as her eternal husband. Being the daughter of Parvatraj Himalaya, Mother Parvati had considered Lord Shankar as her everything and her husband since childhood, but her father Giriraj Himalaya wanted to get his daughter married to Lord Vishnu, the protector of the world, on the proposal of Devarshi Narad. When Mother Parvati realized that her marriage was being arranged against her wishes, she was plunged into deep grief and separation. Then her close friends understood the mental distress of Mother Parvati and made a secret plan and abducted her from the palace. The Sakhis hid him in a cave in a very rugged, quiet and safe forest area, away from the royal comforts, so that he could complete his spiritual practice without any family interference. Since this entire penance started after being kidnapped by the Sakhis, the name of this holy date and fast became immortal for ages as ‘Hartalika Teej’.
Hiding in the dense forest, Mother Parvati started such a severe penance to please Mahadev that even the world of gods was astonished to see it. He completely gave up the 56 pleasures and food and water of the royal palace and performed penance for 17 consecutive years, eating only dry leaves, roots and finally fasting, without worrying about extreme cold, sun and rain. Finally, on the Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month, when there was an auspicious combination of Hasta Nakshatra in the sky, Mother Parvati created Shivalinga with her own hands from the sand of Ganga or holy river and kept vigil throughout the night by offering Belpatra, Dhatura, hemp and flowers. Pleased with this selfless devotion, rigorous penance and unwavering loyalty of Mother Parvati, Bholenath himself appeared in that rugged forest and gave the boon of accepting Mother Parvati as his better half. Since then, Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya with Hasta Nakshatra started being celebrated as a festival of unbroken good fortune.
The ritual of Hartalika Teej is mainly performed in three stages. A day before the fast, i.e. on Dwitiya Tithi, married women go to their maternal home or to their in-laws’ house. A special ‘Sinjara’ is sent for them from their maternal home, which includes traditional clothes, henna, wedding box, bangles, sweets and fruits. On the main day of the fast i.e. Tritiya, women wake up before sunrise, take bath etc. and take a strict resolution of Nirjala fast. Not a single drop of water is consumed throughout the day. During Pradosh Kaal i.e. twilight time, a pavilion made of banana leaves is made and Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha made of clay are installed on the clean altar. Women wear sixteen adornments and collectively listen to the sacred story of Hartalika Teej fast and perform special aarti and bhajan-kirtan for four prahars throughout the night. Next day in the morning, after Chaturtha Prahar, after taking bath, all the material of suhaag – like vermilion, bindi, mahavar and clothes – are offered to Goddess Parvati, they are donated to the Brahmins and after that, this difficult fast is duly broken by consuming Charanamrit and water. The scriptures say that whichever woman follows this sacred ritual with devotion, her married life remains free from all troubles and she is blessed with unbroken good fortune throughout her life.