Hariyali Teej, Kajri Teej and Hartalika Teej may be a fasting festival related to women, but their time, regional recognition and method of worship are different.
Hariyali Teej is a festival of welcoming greenery and rain. This festival is a symbol of unbroken good fortune for Suhagan women. This further strengthens the love and trust of the husband and wife. This day is full of makeup, cultural folk songs, and collective gaiety. Also, it is also a celebration of nature love.
Hariyali Teej
When: On Tritiya of Shukla Paksha of Sawan month (in the beginning of Sawan)
Where famous: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
Main Puja: Worship of Shiva-Parvati ji
Headlines:
Married women fast for their husband’s long life
New clothes, dressing, swinging and singing songs are part of this day. On this day, women make 16 adornments, so it is also called “Shringar Teej”.
Mythology of Hariyali Teej
The story related to Hariyali Teej is related to Shiva-Parvati marriage.
Mata Parvati did harsh penance to get Lord Shiva as a husband for 107 births and in the 108th birth she performed rigorous practice on the Himalayan Mountains. After which Lord Shiva was pleased with his loyalty and accepted him as a wife. The festival of Hariyali Teej is celebrated on the occasion of this reunion. This is a symbol of Teej Parvati’s dedication and married love.
Worship of Hariyali Teej
Take a bath in the morning and take a pledge to fast.
Women wear new clothes and make up (green bangles, henna, bindi etc.).
Establish a Shiva-Parvati statue made of clay and worship it with smell, flower, bell-paper, incense-lamp.
Listen to the story of Teej Mata.
On this day, fasting women observe waterless fast throughout the day.
After the puja, Bhajan-Kirtan, Jhoola swing and folk songs are part of the tradition.
Hariyali Teej
On this day, women wear green clothes which are a symbol of greenery and prosperity. Jhoola swing, henna, and traditional song singing adorns this festival.
Kajri Teej
Kajri is a celebration of Tijalok tradition and female reverence. This fast is considered extremely fruitful for good luck, child happiness and family progress. Folk songs and celebrations have special significance in this fast celebrated in the rainy season. This fast also becomes a medium for mutual interaction, cultural expression and folk traditions in women.
When: Bhadrapada (Bhado) to Tritiya of Krishna Paksha of month (comes after Rakshabandhan).
Where famous: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, especially Banaras and nearby.
Main Puja: Worship of Neemadi Mata or Maa Durga.
Headlines:
Women sing folk songs (Kajri). That is why it was named “Kajri” Teej.
There are traditions related to farming and rain.
Virgin girls also fast with the wish of a good groom.
Legend of Kajri Teej
A major folklore associated with Kajri Teej is prevalent. Was a poor Brahmin and his wife. He was very devotees. Once the Brahmin decided to observe Kajri Teej, but there was a lack of food in the house. The Brahmin still fasted with determination. The same night, the goddess appeared in the dream and blessed that your house will never be short of food. The next day his house was filled with food.
Method of Kajri Teej fast
Fasting resolution: Take a bath in the morning on Tritiya Tithi and resolve the fast.
Neemdi Pujan: Women in villages worship neem dali or neemdi, water is offered on it.
Shiva-Parvati and Neemadi Mata are worshiped.
The fasting women worship neem twigs, Ganga water, roli, rice, flowers and sweets.
Women sing traditional Kajri songs at the time of worship.
Kajri story is heard at night.
Vrati keeps fast or fasting fast and observes the fast by offering arghya to the moon at night.
Kajri Teej specialty
The fasting of Kajri Teej is as religious, the more cultural festival is also. In this, women delight their minds and dedicate their mind through traditional swing, henna, and song and music.
Hartalika Teej
Hartalika Teej is a very holy and fasting fasting, which is celebrated on the Tritiya Tithi of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha. This fast is mainly Kuwanri girls and Suhagan women to receive the blessings of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. In this, Vrati Nirjala fasts and worships God with night awakening.
When: On Tritiya of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha (one day before Ganesh Chaturthi)
Where famous: Maharashtra, North India, Nepal
Main Puja: Fasting done by Parvati ji to get Shiva.
Headlines:
This fast is considered very rigid. Water is not drunk (Nirjala fast).
Virgin girls fast with the wish of a good husband.
The story of Shiva-Parvati (Hartalika Katha) is heard.
Story of Hartalika Teej
Mother Parvati did a lot of penance on the Himalayan mountain to get Lord Shiva as her husband. When his father decided to marry him to Vishnu, Parvati ji’s friends quietly took him to the forest and hid him. There, he did the rigorous practice to get Lord Shiva by observing waterless fasting. Shiva ji pleased with his penance and accepts him as a wife. Because on this day the friends had killed Maa Parvati, this fast is celebrated in the name of “Har-Talika” i.e. Har (Kidnapping) and Table (Sakhi).
Hartalika Teej Fasting method
Take a bath in the morning and take a pledge to fast.
Keep a waterless fast throughout the day (without food and water).
After noon, install the idol or picture of Lord Shiva-Parvati.
Worship the idols of Lord Shiva, Mother Parvati and Ganesh ji with soil.
Worship Roli, Akshat, Flower, Belpatra, Dhatura, cannabis, sweetness etc.
Listen to the story – the fast story of Hartalika Teej.
Wake up overnight, do song and worship.
The next day, pass the fast in Brahmamuhurta.
Hartalika Teej Fasting
This fast is done by making the mortal idols of Lord Shiva and Gaura Maa. On this day women keep them to get the special grace of Gaurishankar.