Hartalika Teej 2024: The Significance of Makeup Donations by Married Women

Hartalika Teej Vrat, a significant Hindu festival, is set to be observed on September 6, 2024. This festival holds special importance for married women, who observe a strict Nirjala fast (a fast without water) to pray for the long and healthy life of their husbands. One of the unique traditions of this festival is the donation of makeup-related items to Brahmins, which is believed to have deep religious significance.

The Tradition of Donating Makeup Items

During Hartalika Teej, married women offer makeup items, also known as Shringar, to Brahmins as part of their religious observance. According to religious beliefs, anything given in charity to Brahmins is considered as an offering to God. This practice is rooted in the idea that by donating their makeup items, women are symbolically ensuring the safety and well-being of their husbands. In addition to makeup items, prasadam (sacred food offerings) and fruits are also donated, often tied to branches as a gesture of reverence.

The Market Buzz Around Hartalika Teej

As the festival approaches, markets in regions like Medininagar, Jharkhand, become vibrant with stalls selling items for the puja. Makeup items, traditionally given as donations, are being sold in various forms. Stalls offer these items in beautifully decorated branches, with prices ranging between Rs 50 to Rs 80. According to local vendors, the garlands of makeup items typically include essentials like bangles, vermilion, blouse pieces, nail polish, mirrors, and other beauty products, catering to the different needs and budgets of the devotees.

Hartalika Teej 2024: The Significance of Makeup Donations by Married Women

Hartalika Teej is observed on the Shukla Paksha Tritiya (third day of the waxing moon) in the month of Shravana. The festival honors the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The name "Hartalika" is derived from the words Harat, meaning abduction, and Aalika, meaning friend, signifying the incident where Goddess Parvati's friends abducted her to prevent her from marrying Lord Vishnu, as per her father’s wishes. They hid her in a forest where she performed severe penance to win Lord Shiva as her husband, which she ultimately succeeded in doing.

This festival, therefore, celebrates the devotion and perseverance of Goddess Parvati, making it a day of great spiritual significance for married women who seek blessings for their marital bliss.