Kevada Trij (Hartalika Teej) 2026 Date & Tritiya Tithi

Kevada Trij / Hartalika Teej 2026: Date, Puja Vidhi, Vrat Katha and Significance

Kevada Trij 2026, also widely known as Hartalika Teej, falls on Monday, September 14, 2026, observed on Shukla Paksha Tritiya in the Bhadrapada month. This is one of the most significant fasts kept by women across India, where married women pray for their husband's long life and unmarried girls pray for a devoted husband like Lord Shiva. The festival holds deep importance in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Here you will find the exact date, Tithi timing, the story behind the festival, puja steps, fasting rules, and how Kevada Trij is celebrated across different states.

Kevada Trij (Hartalika Teej) 2026 At a Glance

Kevada Trij Date and Tithi 2026

Kevada Trij is observed on Tritiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapada month every year. Since the date follows the lunar calendar, it shifts each year. This year, the Tritiya Tithi begins at Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 7:08 AM and ends at Monday, September 14, 2026 at 7:06 AM, with the festival falling on Monday, September 14, 2026.

In Gujarat, this day is called Kevada Trij, named after the Kevada flower, also known as Kewra or Pandanus, which holds special significance in the puja. The Kevada flower is offered to Lord Shiva on this day, making it central to the festival's rituals in Gujarati tradition. Outside Gujarat, the same festival is celebrated as Hartalika Teej, with the puja following the same core rituals but with regional variations in how women observe the fast and decorate themselves.

What Is Hartalika Teej

Kevada Trij and Hartalika Teej are two names for the same festival, observed on the same Tithi but with regional differences in traditions and naming. Both are centred on Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, and the main purpose of the day's fast is to seek blessings for a long, happy, and harmonious married life.

The word "Hartalika" comes from two Sanskrit words "Harat" meaning abduction and "Aalika" meaning friend. Together they refer to the story of Parvati's sakhi, who carried her away into the forest to prevent a forced marriage to Lord Vishnu, so that Parvati could continue her devotion to Shiva. The word "Kevada" in the Gujarati version refers directly to the Kevada flower used in the puja. Together, the two names capture the two central elements of the festival the story and the ritual.

The Story Behind Kevada Trij

The story of Kevada Trij goes back to Goddess Parvati's previous life as Sati and her rebirth as the daughter of the Himalayas. From childhood, Parvati was devoted to Lord Shiva and determined to marry only him. Her father, Himalaya, had other plans and began arranging her marriage to Lord Vishnu instead.

Learning of this, Parvati's close friend, her sakhi, helped her escape into a dense forest so she could continue her penance and devotion to Shiva without interference. In the forest, Parvati made a Shivalinga from sand and spent the night in prayer and fasting, neither eating nor sleeping. Her steadfast devotion moved Lord Shiva himself, who appeared before her and accepted her as his wife. This night of prayer is what Hartalika Teej commemorates.

The name Hartalika directly honours the sakhi, the friend who made Parvati's devotion possible by protecting her choice. The festival is therefore a celebration of both Parvati's faith and the courage of a friend who stood by her when it mattered most.

Why Is the Kevada Flower Important in Kevada Trij

In Gujarati tradition, the Kevada flower, also known as Kewra, holds special ritual importance on this day. Lord Shiva is said to have a particular connection with the Kevada flower, and offering it during the puja is considered highly auspicious. The fragrance of the Kevada flower is believed to be especially pleasing to Shiva, and women in Gujarat make it a point to bring fresh Kevada flowers for the puja on Kevada Trij.

Some legends also associate the Kevada flower with a story where it was used as a false witness, after which Shiva cursed it never to be offered to him. But in the Kevada Trij tradition of Gujarat, the flower's offering has remained central to the puja for generations and continues to be an essential part of how women observe this festival in the region.

Hartalika Teej Fasting Rules

Hartalika Teej is considered one of the strictest fasts in the Hindu calendar. Women observe a nirjala fast on this day, meaning they avoid food and water entirely for the full day and night. The fast begins in the morning and is broken only the following morning after completing the puja and listening to the Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha.

Women who observe Kevada Trij do not sleep through the night and spend time singing devotional songs and doing puja for Shiva and Parvati. This night vigil is called Jagaran and is a required part of the vrat in many regions. The idea behind staying awake is to mirror Parvati's own night of prayer when she first made her Shivalinga in the forest.

Some women observe a partial fast rather than a nirjala fast, depending on health and family tradition. In such cases, fruits and milk are allowed but grains and salt are avoided through the entire vrat period.

Kevada Trij Puja Vidhi

Start the day with an early bath, wearing new clothes or traditional green and red attire, which is associated with this festival. Set up the puja space with idols or images of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. In Gujarat, include fresh Kevada flowers prominently in the puja arrangement. The puja thali should have Kumkum, Haldi, Akshat, Bel leaves, Kevada or other seasonal flowers, a diya, incense, fruits, sweets, and sindoor.

Make a Shivalinga using sand or clay if possible, following the tradition from Parvati's own story. Place it on a clean platform, offer Bel leaves and Kevada flowers to the Shivalinga, apply Kumkum and Haldi to the Parvati idol, and light the diya. Offer the puja thali items one by one, chant the following mantras, and then listen to the Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha.

Om Namah Shivaya — offered to Lord Shiva for protection, strength, and long life of the husband.

Om Gauryai Namah — offered to Goddess Parvati for blessings in marriage and family life.

In the evening, perform aarti again and spend time in prayer and bhajan through the night if keeping the Jagaran. The puja is repeated the following morning before breaking the fast.

Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha

Listening to the Hartalika Teej Vrat Katha is a required part of the puja. The katha retells Parvati's story her escape into the forest with her sakhi, her night of prayer making the sand Shivalinga, and Shiva's eventual acceptance of her as his wife. Hearing this katha is considered essential to completing the vrat; without it, the fast is not believed to carry its full benefit.

The katha also tells of another woman who observed Kevada Trij sincerely and was rewarded with a long and happy married life after facing hardship. This second story within the katha serves as a direct encouragement to women observing the vrat, showing that consistent devotion brings the blessings they are seeking.

Kevada Trij Puja for Unmarried Girls

While Hartalika Teej is primarily associated with married women praying for their husbands, unmarried girls also observe the fast with great devotion. The prayer in this case is for a husband as devoted and strong as Lord Shiva someone who will be a faithful companion through life. Many young women begin observing Kevada Trij in their teenage years and continue after marriage, shifting their prayer from seeking a good husband to preserving the one they have found.

Hartalika Teej Across India

In Gujarat, Kevada Trij is the name used for the festival, and the puja on this day specifically includes the Kevada flower as an offering to Shiva. Women dress in traditional attire, visit Shiva temples, and observe the full day fast. The atmosphere in Gujarati homes and temples on Kevada Trij morning is particularly vibrant, with women gathering early to perform the puja together.

In Rajasthan, Hartalika Teej is celebrated with great fervour. Women wear green lehengas and heavy jewellery, apply mehendi days in advance, and swing on decorated jhulas as part of the celebrations. Processions of Goddess Parvati's idol are taken out through the streets in some towns, accompanied by music and singing.

In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, women observe the nirjala fast strictly and gather at temples for the puja and katha. In Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the festival has a quieter character but is no less devoutly observed, with women fasting through the night and breaking the fast only after morning puja the next day.

Kevada Trij and Married Life

Kevada Trij carries a straightforward message about what makes a marriage strong unwavering devotion, the courage to stand by one's choices, and the support of people who care. Parvati's story is not just about winning Shiva; it's about refusing to settle for less than what she believed was right for her, and having a friend who supported that decision.

For women observing Hartalika Teej today, the vrat is a day to step away from routine and spend time in genuine prayer for the person they share their life with. The nirjala fast is physically demanding, and that very difficulty is part of the point. it takes commitment to go through an entire day and night without food or water, and that commitment mirrors the kind of dedication the festival is ultimately about.

Hartalika Teej Today

Many women living in cities away from their families still observe Kevada Trij by performing the puja at home or visiting a nearby Shiva temple. Online puja kits with Kevada flowers, sindoor, and other vrat items are now available in cities where fresh Kevada may not be easy to find. Women living abroad sometimes perform the Hartalika Teej puja together with other women from their community, keeping the social and devotional side of the festival alive even far from home. The core of the day remains the same regardless of where it is observed fasting, prayer, and the story of Parvati's devoted faith.