#My Friend Alexa Post 1-: Festive Week 1

HARTALIKA TEEJ

This is my first post regarding My friend Alexa. I decided my theme long back for it, but due to the nonstop schedule of festive I am a little late in posting. Still, nevertheless, my friend Alexa is no less than a festival of writing and reading for me, so here I am, with my fresh post about an opener festival of month September and i.e., HARTALIKA TEEJ, celebrated in various states of India like eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat.

Basics of Hartalika

It falls under the Hindi month of Bhadrapada, it is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of the north Indian lunar month of Bhadrapada. Married and unmarried women both can keep fast on this auspicious day in the worship of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva for the long and healthy life of their husbands or would-be husbands. According to Hindu mythology, the Hartalika word has been originated by the amalgamation of two words and i.e. Hart + aalika, where “Hart” means “Abduction” and “Aalika” means ” Female Friend” .

On this auspicious day, women in India, observe one of the most toughest Nirjal (without a sip of water) fast for almost 24 hours, they adorn themselves with all the :Saaj Shringar”, new clothes, jewelry, applies henna/Mehendi in hand, sings bhajans all together, recite Teej Katha to seek the blessings of Goddess Parvati, and the next day “Paaran” done to end the fast successfully.

Story Behind Hartalika Teej

According to the Hindu Mythology, a friend of Goddess Parvati took her to the thick forest so that her father can’t marry her to Lord Vishnu against her wish. On the sudden disappearance of Goddess Parvati, her father thought that someone has kidnaped his daughter. Hence this day is known as Hartalika or Haritalika. Goddess Parvati lived in a dense forest’s cave, observed fast, did severe penance in the forest to please Lord Shiva. Due to the great determination of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva blessed her with the wish to marry Him would be fulfilled. Friend of Goddess Parvati helped her to get Lord Shiva as her husband by abducting her, that’s why fast commonly named as Hartalika. From that day Hartalika Teej is believed to be observed by both women married and unmarried to fulfill the wish of getting the husband of their choice and also for the long life of their husbands.

MY CELEBRATION OF HARTALIKA TEEJ

This is my fifth Hartlika Teej celebration in the USA,however, it was the most perplexed Teej I have ever faced and the reason was the date, as the Tritya Tithi got distributed between two days i.e. 1 Sep and 2 Sep 2019. In India, it was celebrated on 2nd Sep by most of the people.

Whereas, here in the USA , according to some knowledgeable persons in temples, Sep 1, 2019, is the only and final date to observe the Teej fast,so I follow the same and started my first day of September month with all the zeal, energy and enthusiasm, observed the fast on this auspicious day to seek the blessings from Goddess Parvati.

At Friend’s Home

Just like every year my Nirjal fast started by waking up in the morning, got ready with all the saaj shringaar, went to my Maharashtrian friend’s house, where we performed all her rituals of Hartalika pooja, had some photoshoot, as usual, NO NO, it wasn’t the part of rituals, it is the rule of our fun-loving gang, to cherish every moment ,Yes I thoroughly enjoyed a lot despite of being on without food and water for the whole day.

Photoshoot Mode ON
Teej Morning
Teej Evening

It would be very selfish of me if I forget to mention about my major source of strength and Yes you got right that’s one and only my dear Husband ,i can’t express my gratitude in words how much he supports and comforts me by taking care of kids, engaging them in fun activity on this day, just to smoothen my day; moreover my husband doesn’t promote anyone to do this kind of tough fasting, according to him fasting is ok but like this without a single drop of water is scientifically wrong, it can tolls on anybody’s health on this ground even I support his thoughts.

My Source Of Strength

I would like to mention here, this is something very different from my Indian schedule, being a North Indian we use to do pooja and Hartalika Katha in the evening only and that too at our home followed by going to the temple. In the USA only I got this wonderful experience of doing pooja with friends also, later in the evening I did my pooja rituals also.

At My Home

Now next early morning it’s time to end our fast before which I again worship Goddess Parvati following by aarti of both Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Prepare poori and Halwa for bhog by having this in the morning i break my fast.

So, after completion of all the rituals of Hartalika Teej, we get ready ourselves with double enthusiasm to welcome The Lord Ganesha at our home “Ganpati Bappa Morya”.

My next blog will be about, my second celebration in the queue and i.e one and only my favorite “GANPATI BAPPA MORYA” !!!!!!!!!

Stay Tuned!!!

#MyFriendAlexa!!

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26 thoughts on “#My Friend Alexa Post 1-: Festive Week 1”

  1. Glad to know more about this festive from this post. That’s an intriguing read, Loved the post and your unique writing style.

  2. Loved reading about the ritual. Being from the South, we have a different day for the same purpose. The legend revolves around Goddess Parvati too. However, being the kind who will go weak if I miss my breakfast alone, I’ve never dared to take this fast.

  3. I actually did not know the intricacies of this festival. It was very interesting to read all the information in your post.

  4. Knowing about traditions is so heartwarming. I love reading about our traditions and even after reading about them for so many years, i come across something new. Loved it.. Kudos to u for following the culture even when u r away from the mainland. 🙂

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