Hartalika Teej this is the most important one out of the three.
Hartalika is a combination of “harit” and “aalika” which means “abduction” and “female friend” respectively.
As per the Hindu calendar, Hartalika Teej is celebrated on 3rd day of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month Bhadrapada.
This Teej festival is an all-women celebration where married and unmarried women seek the blessings of Goddess Parvati.
Married and unmarried women celebrate this festival by praying and observing Teej Vrat or fasting. Hartalika Teej is similar to another popular traditional festival – Karva Chauth.
According to a spiritual legend, Goddess Parvati performed severe austerity along the banks of the river Ganga. She did this in order to have Lord Shiva as her husband. However, being an ascetic, Lord Shiva did not know about her.
Her father, Himalaya, was concerned on seeing her in this condition. So, at the suggestion of Maharishi Narad, he promised her hand in marriage to Lord Vishnu. Goddess Parvati told her friend about this who then decided to abduct her in order to save her from this marriage.
Goddess Parvati was taken to a thick forest where she performed penance and immersed herself in the adoration of Lord Shiva for many years. Finally, Lord Shiva took notice of her devotion. He appeared before her in his divine form and agreed to marry her.
From that moment onwards, Goddess Parvati has been worshipped as Hartalika and Hartalika Teej is observed in memory of her devotion and penance.
