About Hartalika Teej
Hartalika Teej is a Hindu fast kept mainly by women on the third day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, usually the day before Ganesh Chaturthi, and in 2027 it falls on Friday, 3 September 2027. Women worship Shiva and Parvati, often with idols shaped from sand or clay, and many keep a nirjala fast without food or water. It is strongest in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and in Nepal, where it is a public holiday.
The name tells the story. Drik Panchang explains Hartalika as harat, abduction, and aalika, a female friend. It is the festival of the friend who ran away with Parvati.
What is the story behind Hartalika Teej?
Hartalika Teej remembers a story in which Parvati's friend carries her off to the forest to stop her father marrying her to Vishnu. Parvati had set her heart on Shiva. Hidden in the forest, she worships him with a long, hard penance, until Shiva is moved and agrees to marry her.
Two ideas come out of the story, and they help explain the day's rituals. The first is resolve: Parvati gets what she wants by her own discipline, and the fast is an imitation of her tapasya. The second is friendship: the heroine is rescued by another woman, which is part of why Teej is kept among women, in groups, with songs.
How is the Hartalika Teej date decided?
Hartalika Teej falls on Tritiya, the third lunar day, of Shukla Paksha, the bright fortnight, of Bhadrapada. That usually puts it in late August or September, the day before Ganesh Chaturthi, which falls on the next tithi.
Because a tithi can start and end at any hour, the two festivals sometimes land on the same calendar day. In 2026, Tritiya ran from about 7 am on 13 September to about 7 am on 14 September in Delhi, so Hartalika Teej and Ganesh Chaturthi were both kept on 14 September, while a panchang set to Abu Dhabi gave 13 September. Families abroad should always check a panchang for their own city.
Drik Panchang treats the morning, pratahkal, as the best time for the puja and allows the evening, pradosh, if the morning is not possible.
How is the Hartalika Teej fast kept?
Hartalika Teej is kept with a strict fast, a puja to Shiva and Parvati using idols shaped by hand, the reading of the katha, and in many homes a night of staying awake.
- PreparationMehendi the evening before, and new or festive clothes, usually red or green, with bangles and jewellery.
- Nirjala fastMany women take no food or water from sunrise until the next morning. Others keep a lighter fast on medical advice or family custom.
- Making the idolsSmall images of Shiva and Parvati, and sometimes Parvati's friend, are shaped from sand or clay and placed on a decorated platform.
- Puja and kathaWomen worship the idols, often together, offer flowers, leaves and shringar items to Parvati, and listen to the Hartalika story read aloud.
- JagranMany women stay up through the night with prayers and Teej songs.
- ParanaThe fast is broken the next morning, and many families then immerse the clay idols.
Unmarried women keep the fast too, praying for a husband as devoted as Shiva. Practice varies a great deal between families, and how strict to be, especially for older or unwell women, is a family decision.
How is Teej kept across India?
Hartalika is the last of three Teej festivals in the monsoon months, and it is the one with the hardest fast.
| Festival | When | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| Hariyali Teej | Shravan | Welcomes the rains and the green season |
| Kajari Teej | About fifteen days later, in the waning half | A second monsoon Teej, kept with its own songs and fast |
| Hartalika Teej | Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya | Parvati's penance for Shiva; the strict nirjala fast |
Regional forms differ. In Maharashtra, as in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the day is called Hartalika and falls just before Ganeshotsav begins. In Karnataka, the same tithi is Gowri Habba: married women perform the Swarna Gowri Vrata with a turmeric image of Gowri, tie a sixteen-knot thread called gowridara on the right wrist, and exchange baagina, gift trays of turmeric, kumkum, bangles and grain. Parents send gifts to married daughters that day. In Nepal, Teej is a public holiday, and Teej songs there have long been a space for women to speak about their own lives and the problems in their communities.
Wishing someone on Hartalika Teej
A woman keeping a nirjala fast is working through a long, thirsty day. Keep messages short, and offer help rather than just good wishes.
Do
- Wish for strength and a good puja; mention Parvati's resolve.
- If you live with someone who is fasting, take over the cooking and errands for the day.
- Include unmarried friends and sisters who are keeping the fast.
Avoid
- Don't use "sada suhagan raho" or "akhand saubhagya" with widowed, divorced or single women unless they use it themselves.
- Don't schedule a lunch meeting or a long drive for a colleague who is fasting.
- Don't tease someone who has chosen not to fast; many women now skip it or keep a lighter version.
Happy Hartalika Teej. You fast for both of us; I'll handle dinner, the dishes and anything else today. Tell me when you need water the minute it's allowed.
Teej ki shubhkamnayein, Maa. Please don't overdo the nirjala this year. The puja counts even if you take a sip of water.
First Hartalika Teej. Wishing you Parvati's patience and a very good breakfast tomorrow.
Happy Teej. Whatever you're praying for this year, I hope it's as sure of you as Shiva was of Parvati.
Wishing you a peaceful Hartalika Teej. Take it easy today; the report can wait until tomorrow.
Gowri Habbada shubhashayagalu. Hope the baagina trays are ready and Ganesha arrives on time tomorrow.
- Teej
- The third lunar day; the name of three women's festivals in the monsoon months.
- Hartalika
- "Carried off by a friend", from harat and aalika.
- Nirjala
- A fast without water.
- Tapasya
- Austerity or penance, which Parvati performs in the story.
- Gowri Habba
- The Karnataka festival on the same tithi, with the Swarna Gowri Vrata.
- Baagina
- Gift trays exchanged among married women on Gowri Habba.
Karwa Chauth, in autumn, is the other big fast kept for a husband's long life. Shiva's own night, Maha Shivaratri, comes in late winter.
How to wish someone on Hartalika Teej
Hartalika Teej wishes are for women who are fasting, often without water, so the kind message is short and practical. Wish them strength for the day and a good puja, mention Parvati's resolve rather than only the husband, and ask if they need anything. Avoid "sada suhagan raho" unless you know it is welcome, and remember unmarried women keep the fast too.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + regional language.
When is Hartalika Teej in 2026 and 2027?
Hartalika Teej is set by the Hindu lunisolar calendar, so it falls on a different date each year. In 2027 it falls 11 days earlier than in 2026.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is Hartalika Teej in 2027?
Hartalika Teej 2027 falls on Friday, 3 September 2027.
Why is it called Hartalika Teej?
The name comes from harat, meaning abduction, and aalika, meaning a female friend. In the story, Parvati's friend carries her off to the forest so that she is not married against her will, and Parvati worships Shiva there until he agrees to marry her.
Can unmarried women keep the Hartalika Teej fast?
Yes. Unmarried women and girls often keep the Hartalika Teej fast to pray for a good husband, following Parvati's example. Married women keep it for their husband's long life and a happy marriage.
What is the difference between Hariyali, Kajari and Hartalika Teej?
Hariyali Teej, in Shravan, welcomes the monsoon. Kajari Teej comes about fifteen days later in the waning fortnight. Hartalika Teej, on the third day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, marks Parvati's penance and has the strictest fast.
Is Hartalika Teej the same as Gowri Habba?
They fall on the same tithi and both honour Parvati. In Karnataka the day is called Gowri Habba and centres on the Swarna Gowri Vrata and the exchange of baagina, while in north India Hartalika Teej centres on the nirjala fast and the story of Parvati's penance.
What time is Hartalika Teej puja done?
Panchangs treat the early morning, pratahkal, as the best time for Hartalika Teej puja, with the evening as an alternative. The exact window depends on local sunrise, so check a panchang set to your own city.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .