Hartalika Teej is an immensely auspicious fast observed by Hindu women especially during the monsoons. On this day, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshipped for their marital bliss. This year, the festival will be celebrated on August 21 (Friday).
To note, there are three important Teej festivals in India – Hartalika Teej, Hariyali Teej and Kajri Teej, Hartalika is celebrated with much ardour and sincerity. On this day, women get all decked up, decorate their hands with henna and also observe a fast.
The word is made up of ‘Harat’ and ‘Aalika’ which means “abduction of a woman friend”. As the legend goes by, Parvati’s friend once took her into a thick dense forest forcefully so she could marry Lord Vishnu. However, that was not to be the case.
The festival, celebrated during Shukla Paksha Tritiya of Bhadrapada month, comes one month following Hariyali Teej and is mostly celebrated one day before Ganesh Chaturthi. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi falls on August 22.
On this day, temporary statues of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are sculpted with clay or sand to be worshipped for marital bliss and progeny.
As per drikpanchang.com, the puja muhurat is from 5.54 am to 8.30 am and Pradosh kala timing is from 6.54 pm to 09.06 pm on August 21. While morning looks like a good time to perform the puja, if not possible, one can perform the puja in the pradosha kaal also.