pujas and observances
What is a Hariyali Teej puja and how do women observe it?
The religious meaning
Hariyali Teej falls on the third day of the bright half of Shravan, the monsoon month. The word hariyali means greenery, and the festival marks the earth turning lush with rain. At its heart is the story of Parvati and Shiva. Tradition holds that Parvati observed a long and difficult fast and deep devotion to win Shiva as her husband. The festival celebrates their reunion. Married women observe it to pray for the long life and wellbeing of their husbands. Unmarried women may observe it to pray for a good match.
The puja and the vrat katha
On the day of the puja, women bathe and dress in green clothes, which are seen as auspicious during Shravan. They set up an image or idol of Parvati and Shiva and offer flowers, fruits, and sweets. The puja includes the vrat katha, a story of Parvati's devotion that is read aloud or listened to as part of the ritual. Hearing the katha is considered an important part of completing the vrat properly. Many women observe a nirjala fast, meaning no food or water, though some keep a partial fast. The fast is broken the next morning after the puja is concluded.
Mehendi, green clothes, and swings
Three things stand out during Hariyali Teej. Green is worn everywhere, in sarees, dupattas, and bangles, because it is the colour of Shravan's rains and new life. Mehendi, or henna, is applied on the hands and feet, and this is seen as auspicious for married women. Swings, called jhula, are hung from trees or set up in courtyards. Women sing traditional songs and take turns on the swings. The swing is tied to the image of Parvati and Shiva coming together, and the songs are often about longing, love, and the rains.
Regional differences
The festival is celebrated most visibly in Rajasthan and across North India, including parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. In Rajasthan it is a large public occasion. Processions carry images of Parvati through the streets, and women gather in groups to sing and swing together. In other regions it tends to be a quieter home observance. The details of the puja, the foods offered, and the fasting rules vary from family to family and from region to region. Some communities send gifts of clothes and sweets from the bride's family, a custom called sindhara.
How it is kept today
Women in cities and in the diaspora still observe Hariyali Teej, often gathering with family or friends to do the puja together. Mehendi artists are busy in the days before the festival. Some women keep the full fast, others observe it in a lighter way. The festival has also become a social occasion, a time for women to meet, dress up, and celebrate together, separate from its religious core. Both the devotional and the social sides continue side by side.