Hariyali Teej 2019: The Story Of The Celebration Of Hariyali Teej

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In a year, as per the lunar and solar calendars, there are three festivals that come under the name of Teej. These festivals fall in the season of monsoon. The first among the three Teej festivals is the Hariyali Teej.

Hariyali Teej is also known as Chhoti Teej and Shravana Teej. It is celebrated on the Tritiya of the Shukla Paksha or the bright fortnight. It is celebrated in the month of Shravana when the monsoon arrives in India.

In the year 2019, Hariyali Teej will be celebrated on 3 August. Hariyali Teej is a celebration of the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. On this day, women observe fasts and pray for the long lives of their beloved husbands.

The theme of this festival is green, as can be seen from the name 'Hariyali'. Women wear green sarees and green bangles. They dress up in pretty clothes and look beautiful.

The story of the festival of Hariyali Teej is an interesting one. Women read this story or tell and listen to it on the festival day. We bring to you the same story today. Read the story of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Numerous Births of Goddess Parvati

Goddess Parvati is said to have taken an approximate of 108 births to finally become the wife of Lord Shiva. In her final birth, she was born as the daughter of the Kings of Mountains - Parvata Raj. She performed a hard and terrifying penance to please Lord Shiva and receive the boon of having him as her husband.

The Tough Tapas

It is said that Goddess Parvati went atop the Parvata (Himalayan range) to perform a very hard penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband. She was only a child at that time. So involved was she in her Tapas that she became ignorant of the world around her.

At first, she ate fruits and roots that were available in the forest. Later, she ate only dry leaves. Then, she gave up eating altogether and only drank water. In the later stages of her penance, she gave up water too and survived on just air.

Marriage Proposal From Lord Vishnu

When she was still performing the penance, Narada Muni approached Parvati's father, Parvata Raj, with a marriage proposal for Parvati from Lord Vishnu. Parvata Raj was very happy with the proposal and gladly accepted it. When Parvati heard about this proposal, she started weeping.

Her friends and attendants asked her the matter. She told them that she was performing the penance to have Lord Shiva as her husband and her father had agreed to marry her to Lord Vishnu. Her friends and attendants then advised her to run away and hide in the caves and then resume the penance.

According to their advice, Parvati left her position at the Himalayan Ranges and went into thick forests. She found a cave there and started performing the penance in the cave.

Construction Of The Shiva Linga

On the Shulka Paksha of Bhadrapada month, Parvati constructed a Shiva Linga and installed it. The day was that of the Hasta Nakshatra, which is the thirteenth star in the Hindu astrology.

She built the Shiva Linga from the sand that was available in the cave. She worshipped the Shiva Linga with love and devotion. She avoided sleeping at nights to make the penance a little more tough and intense.

The Appearance Of Lord Shiva And Parvati's Marriage

At last, Lord Shiva was pleased with Goddess Parvati's intense penance and appeared before Parvati. Parvati was extremely pleased with the darshan and asked Lord Shiva to marry her. As per her wishes, Lord Shiva married Parvati with a huge pomp and show and all the humans, Gods and Demons were in attendance.

The Hariyali Teej

It is said that the unmarried women who perform this Vrat on the Hariyali Teej day will be blessed with a good husband. Married women who perform this Vrat are blessed with a long life for their husband.