Hartalika Teej 2023: Food rules to follow while fasting

The colorful festival of Hartalika Teej, which falls on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, is here. Hartalika Teej is marked on the Shukla Paksha Tritiya of the Bhadrapada month of the Hindu Calendar, which continues from August to September. The festival is celebrated by married women, who renounce water and food for 24 hours for the longevity of their husbands. During the muhurat, they worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and offer prayers to the deities after performing solah shringar.
As per Panchang, this year the festival will be celebrated on September 18. The Tritiya Tithi will begin at 11:08 AM on September 17 and end at 12:39 PM on September 18, and the festival will be celebrated on September 18.

Pooja Samagri required for the festival
As per experts, the pooja rituals require idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati along with ghee, camphor, lamps, agarbati, flowers, coconut, cotton sticks, mango leaves, betel leaves, banana leaves, dhatura fruit, coconut, sandalwood, fruits, and flowers. The festival also requires shringar essentials like bangles, sindhore, mehndi, saree, toe ring, nailpaint, and more.
Here are some food rules and other restrictions that one should keep in mind while fasting for Hartalika Teej:
1. The fast is observed by married women for the long lives of their husbands. According to experts, if the fast is observed once by a married woman, it has to be observed every year.
2. On the day of fasting, women renounce water and food for 24 hours and eat only after the muhurat ends next morning, after offering vermilion to Goddess Parvati.
3. During the muhurat time, women offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and perform arti of both deities, and pray for the long lives of their husbands.

4. The list of dishes offered to the deities includes halwa, poori, thekwa, gujiya, kheer, coconut laddoo and fresh fruits. In some places, people also offer ready-made sweets like khaja, ghewar, and gulab jamun.
5. After performing the evening puja, the women observing fast touch the feet of their husbands and seek blessings.
6. During the puja muhurat, Lord Shiva is offered cow milk, bel batra, dhature ke phool and leaves as a part of the puja ritual. It is believed to be Lord Shiva’s favourites.
7. Next morning, women break the fast with something sweet along with poori made in desi ghee.

8. On the day of the festival, no onions or garlic are cooked in the house. Also, the consumption or cooking of meat is avoided on the day of the festival.
9. It is also suggested to avoid consuming alcohol, tobacco, and eggs on the day of the festival.
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