The Untold Story of Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha – Why Women Stay Without Water All Day for Lord Shiva’s Blessings
Hartalika Teej 2025: Discover the ancient legend of Goddess Parvati’s fierce penance that led to her divine union with Lord Shiva…..
New Delhi, August 26, 2025:
Hartalika Teej, one of the most significant festivals for married as well as unmarried women in North India, is being celebrated today, Tuesday, August 26, 2025. On this sacred day, women observe a nirjala vrat (fast without water) and worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati with utmost devotion. The ritual involves preparing idols of Shiva and Parvati from sand or clay and performing special prayers during pradosh kaal, the period considered most auspicious — around 45 minutes before and after sunset.
But what is the real story behind this vrat that promises eternal marital bliss and long life for husbands?
According to the ancient legend, Goddess Parvati in her childhood made a firm resolve to accept only Lord Shiva as her husband. To fulfill this divine wish, she went deep into the Himalayas and began an extreme penance near the banks of River Ganga. She abandoned food entirely, surviving first on dry leaves and eventually only on air, while meditating with her face downwards. Witnessing his daughter’s suffering, her father was deeply distressed.
One day, Sage Narad arrived with a marriage proposal from Lord Vishnu on behalf of the gods. Delighted by the offer, Parvati’s father readily agreed. But when Parvati came to know about this decision, her heart sank. She revealed to her close friend that she had undertaken this fierce tapasya only to attain Lord Shiva as her husband, not anyone else. On her friend’s advice, Parvati secretly left her home and retreated into a dense forest. There, inside a secluded cave, she immersed herself in the worship of Lord Shiva.
It is said that on the Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, Parvati created a Shiva Lingam out of sand and performed night-long worship with unwavering faith. Moved by her immense devotion and sacrifice, Lord Shiva appeared before her and accepted her as his eternal consort.
Since that day, the tradition of Hartalika Teej Vrat began. It is believed that women who observe this fast with complete faith are blessed with marital bliss and the long life of their husbands. Unmarried girls who keep this fast are said to receive the boon of a desired husband, just as Goddess Parvati did.
Thus, Hartalika Teej is not just a festival, but a celebration of love, determination, and unwavering devotion.
