Celebrate Hariyali Teej 2023, a Hindu festival honoring goddess Parvati's determination to marry Lord Shiva. Married women pray for husbands' well-being, unmarried seek suitable partners. Rituals include fasting, adorning green attire, crafting idols, offering 16 shringar items to Parvati, reciting stories, and seeking blessings through puja. Discover the essence of devotion, love, and empowerment in this cherished celebration--by Amrita Ghosh

Hariyali Teej, an annual Hindu festival, is set to be observed on August 19th this year. This festival commemorates the unwavering determination of goddess Parvati in her pursuit of Lord Shiva's companionship. Legend has it that goddess Parvati underwent 108 incarnations in her quest to secure Lord Shiva as her spouse. Hariyali Teej marks her resolute commitment towards achieving this goal. Primarily celebrated in northern India, married Hindu women partake in this festival to pray for the longevity and well-being of their husbands.

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Unmarried women also observe this fast with the hope of finding a suitable life partner and nurturing a blissful family life. According to the Hindu Panchang, this festival falls on the Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the auspicious month of Shravan, specifically in the Bhadrapad month. It is believed that goddess Parvati proclaimed that women who undertake fasting on this day would be blessed with harmonious marital lives.

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The festival pays homage to the divine union of Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati. According to Hindu mythology, goddess Parvati had to undergo penance to earn Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. She retreated to a dense forest, where she embarked on strict fasting and worshiped a Shiva idol. Lord Shiva, moved by her dedication, granted her wish. After learning of this, Parvati's father, Himalaya, consented to her marriage with Shiva. The nuptials were conducted with due rituals, sealing the joyful union between Parvati and Lord Shiva. Subsequently, Lord Shiva declared that any woman who observed a sincere fast on this auspicious day and worshiped him devoutly would have her desires fulfilled.

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Women observing the Hariyali Teej fast commence their day early, preferably during the Brahma Muhurta, and proceed with a purifying bath. They adorn themselves in vibrant green attire before conducting the Hariyali Teej puja during the Pradosh Kaal. The puja involves crafting clay idols of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and Goddess Parvati. Offerings comprising 16 shringar items are presented to Goddess Parvati, symbolizing the essence of a blessed and contented married life. Additionally, offerings are made to Lord Shiva, followed by the recitation or listening to the Hariyali Teej Katha. The puja concludes with the recitation of Lord Ganesh and Lord Shiva's aarti, a ceremonial practice to invoke blessings and good fortune.

In essence, Hariyali Teej is a celebration that signifies the perseverance of goddess Parvati, the divine union with Lord Shiva, and the aspirations of married and unmarried women alike for enduring happiness in their married lives.