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| Hartalika
Teej |
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| Celebrated In
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September |
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| THE STORY |
This is a three-day festival, celebrated by
women also in honor of Parvati, in the month of Bhadrapad. By praying to
Parvati on these three days, unmarried girls hope to get a husband like Shiva.
Married women pray to her for marital bliss. According to Hindu mythology,
Parvati was in love with Shiva. Being an ascetic however, Shiva was not aware
of her. Parvati performed penance on the Himalayas for many years before Shiva
finally noticed her.
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| Realizing the depth of her love
and devotion, he agreed to marry her .Since then Parvati has been worshipped as
Haritalika.
Women and young girls maintain nirjala vrata on these three days, and keep
awake all three nights. This is symbolic of the penance which Parvati undertook
to get Shiva as her husband. They offer food to Brahmins and young girls. In
Maharashtra, women wear green bangles, green clothes, golden bindis and kajal
for luck. They distribute beautifully painted coconuts to their female
relatives and friends and offer fresh fruit and green vegetables to the goddess
as thanks giving. When the rituals are over, they eat a feast of jaggery and
rice patolis steamed in banana leaves, a sweet made from coconut milk and rice,
and mixed vegetables cooked with spices and coconut milk. Tender coconut water
is the treat of this day.
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