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Teej is one of the most prominent festivals for Hindus living in India and beyond, especially women. There are three main Teej festivals celebrated during the months of Sawan and Bhadrapada—Hariyali Teej, Hartalika Teej and Kajri Teej. Of these, Hartalika Teej falls on the Tritiya Tithi of the Shukla Paksha during the month of Bhadrapada. This year, Hartalika Teej will be observed on September 18, 2023. The Tithi will begin on September 17 at 11.08PM and end at 12.39PM on September 18.
Hindu mythology says there are stories linked to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati during every Teej festival. It is believed that Hartalika Teej marks the day when Goddess Parvati was whisked away to the deep forests of the Ganges plains to escape her father, who wanted to get her married to Lord Vishnu. Goddess Parvati, on the other hand, had pledged herself to Lord Shiva and wanted to marry him. After doing penance or Tapasya in the forest, Goddess Parvati finally united with Lord Shiva.
Given the significance of the penance done by Goddess Parvati, women keeping the Hartalika Teej fast today also undertake a rigorous fast. Most women start the fast with a few auspicious dishes and sweets, then go on to fast for the entire Tithi of the festival. Many women observe the fast without drinking a drop of water. The fast is broken when the Tithi for Hartalika Teej ends and women consume many sweet and savoury delights at this point to break the fast.
Are you observing the Hartalika Teej fast this year? If yes, here are some traditional sweet and savoury dishes you can start or break your fast with.
Video Credit: YouTube/Your Food Lab
Malpua
A festive favourite, malpua is a sweet dish made of flour, milk, bananas, sugar and spices like cardamom and saffron. A thick batter is made by mixing these ingredients together. Ladleful of the batter is then fried to make a golden-brown pancake, which is then dipped in sugar syrup and served with a topping of chopped almonds, cashews and more. Many people also love to add chopped fruits and nuts in the batter itself.
Ghewar
Hailing from Rajasthan, Ghewar is a sweet dish made with a chilled flour-milk-sugar batter that is deep-fried in ghee. Intricate to look at and rich in taste, the batter for ghewar is fried in ghee until it gets a lattice-like texture that is as pretty to look at as it is to eat. Served with rabdi or malai and chopped dry fruits, Ghewar is a must-have during Hartalika Teej festivities.
Thekua
A staple in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, Thekua is made for major festivals like Chhath and Teej. Made with simple ingredients like whole wheat flour or atta, ghee, jaggery and a bit of dry fruits and nuts, Thekua is famed for the intricate shapes it comes in. This is thanks to the moulds used to give the atta cookies their signature shape.
Khaja
A layered, sugar-coated and crispy sweet dish, Khaja is very popular in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Usually made with a ghee-soaked refined flour dough which is thinly rolled out and layered, Khaja is a deep-fried sweet treat. The deep-fried Khaja is then soaked in syrup and dried before serving on occasions like Hartalika Teej.
Gujiya
Also known as Pirukiya in Bihar and Jharkhand, Gujiya is a delectable sweet that is equally popular in North India. The shell of the Gujiya is made with refined flour, ghee and water, while the stuffing can be made with coconut, dry fruits, jaggery and cardamom. Many people also make the Gujiya stuffing with mawa or khoya. The crescent-shaped sweets are deep-fried and then dipped in sugar syrup before serving.
Sabudana Vada
A savoury dish that can be eaten to both start and break the Hartalika Teej fast, Sabudana Vada is made with sago pearls, mashed potatoes and mild spices. Soaked sago or sabudana is first mixed together with mashed potatoes, cumin seeds, sendha namak, green chillies and other vrat-friendly ingredients. The dough is then shaped into vadas and fried.
Kuttu Paratha
A wholesome and millet-packed dish, Kuttu Paratha is made with buckwheat flour, ghee, sendha namak and water. The stuffing for the paratha can be made with potatoes or paneer, as both are allowed for consumption during Hartalika Teej fast. Because this dish is very filling and nutritious, it makes for the perfect food to break your Teej fast with.
Rajgira Tikki
Also known as Amaranth, rajgira is a millet that is very popular for fasts like Hartalika Teej and Kajari Teej, not to mention Navratri. The amaranth flour is mixed with mashed potatoes, green chillies, cumin, coriander leaves, sendha namak and ginger. The dough is then shaped into round tikkis and shallow-fried until golden on both sides.
