When is Hartalika Teej 2026?

Hartalika Teej is observed every year on Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapada month. In 2026, going by the Udaya Tithi, it falls on Monday, 14 September — the same date as Ganesh Chaturthi. Tritiya Tithi begins at 7:08 AM on 13 September and runs until 7:06 AM on 14 September.

The festival is especially significant in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and neighbouring states, though families across the country observe it. Married women keep the vrat for their husband's long life and a happy married life; unmarried women keep it hoping for a good life partner.

Two puja windows are used for Hartalika Teej: an early-morning Pratahkal muhurat right after the Tritiya Tithi ends, and the Abhijit Muhurat around midday. Most families follow the Pratahkal window.

What You'll Need for the Puja

Keep these ready before the fast begins. Tick items off as you collect them.

Puja Vidhi, Step by Step

1. Get ready

   Wake up early, bathe, and wear traditional red or yellow clothes. Married women should wear sindoor, bangles, kajal and anklets — the full marital shringar.

2. Take the sankalp

   Light a ghee diya in front of the deities and take the vow to observe a waterless fast for the day.

3. Set up the mandap

   Decorate the platform with banana leaves and flowers, then place the Shiva-Parvati idols on it.

4. Place the kalash

   Keep a water-filled kalash beside the idols and light a diya next to it.

5. Worship Lord Shiva

   Sprinkle gangajal and offer sandalwood, bael leaves, shami leaves, durva grass and flowers to Lord Shiva.

6. Worship Goddess Parvati

   Offer sindoor, flowers, a set of clothes, the traditional red veil and shringar items to Goddess Parvati.

7. Offer bhog and hear the katha

   Offer bhog, then read or listen to the Hartalika Teej vrat katha.

8. Continue the fast overnight

   Stay on the waterless fast through the night. The next morning, perform puja and aarti again before breaking the fast.

Rules of the Fast

• Waterless fast. Food and water are avoided from sunrise until the next sunrise — health should always come before strict observance.
• A lifelong commitment. Once a woman begins keeping the Hartalika Teej vrat, tradition holds that she continues it every year through her married life, not just once.
• Colours to avoid. Black, brown, grey and dark blue clothes are avoided on this day.
• The day before. A simple, sattvic meal the day before Teej is traditional, along with disciplined, mindful behaviour.
• Sand idols. Shiva-Parvati are traditionally worshipped as idols made of sand or clay — if you can't make them at home, ready-made sand idols are also used.

How to Break the Fast

The fast is broken the next morning, never before sunrise. Bathe, then perform puja of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati again. Offer sindoor to Goddess Parvati, take a little of it on your dupatta, and apply it to your hair parting. Give charity and dakshina, and only then break the fast.

Why This Vrat Is Kept

The name comes from two words — "Harat", meaning abduction, and "Alika", meaning a close friend. It refers to the story of Goddess Parvati's friend taking her into the forest to protect her from a marriage she didn't want. Living there, Parvati undertook severe penance so that Lord Shiva alone would be her husband. Pleased with her devotion, Shiva appeared before her.

Hartalika Teej is kept in memory of that penance. Married women observe it for Shiva's blessings on their married life; unmarried women keep it hoping for a good life partner and an early, favourable marriage.

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