Hariyali Teej 2026: Date, Puja Vidhi, Mehndi & Celebrations
Hariyali Teej 2026 falls on July 27, 2026 (Monday), Shravan Shukla Tritiya. The vibrant monsoon festival of green clothing, jhula swings, mehndi, and Ghewar sweets celebrates Goddess Parvati's reunion with Lord Shiva.
Hariyali Teej 2026 Details
- Date: July 27, 2026 (Monday)
- Tithi: Shravan Shukla Tritiya
- Color: Green (ghagra, saree, bangles)
- Special sweet: Ghewar
- Famous celebration: Rajasthan's Teej Mela and Teej Sawari
- Next Teej: Kajari Teej August 9 / Hartalika Teej August 26
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Hariyali Teej 2026?
Hariyali Teej 2026 falls on July 27, 2026 (Monday), Shravan Shukla Tritiya (3rd day of the bright fortnight in Shravan month). This is the first and most widely celebrated Teej festival of the monsoon season, also known as Shravani Teej or Chhoti Teej.
What is the meaning of 'Hariyali' in Hariyali Teej?
Hariyali means 'greenery' in Hindi. The festival is named for the lush green landscape of the monsoon season. Women wear green clothing (green sarees, green bangles, green lehengas), celebrate the green fields, and honor the rejuvenating energy of the monsoon rains. The green color represents fertility, prosperity, and the renewal of nature celebrated during Shravan.
How is Hariyali Teej celebrated?
Hariyali Teej celebrations: Women fast from sunrise to moonrise or sunset. Apply mehndi (henna) on hands and feet. Wear green sarees, ghagra-choli, or salwar-kameez with green dupatta. Wear green glass bangles. Swing on decorated jhulas (swings hung from trees or frames). Sing Teej ke geet (traditional songs). Perform Shiva-Parvati puja. Ghewar (the Teej sweet) is prepared or bought.
What is the Hariyali Teej puja vidhi?
Hariyali Teej puja: Create a puja place with images of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Offer green items to Parvati: green saree or dupatta, green bangles, green fruits (mango, gooseberry). Offer bilva patra to Shiva. Light a diya. Recite Hariyali Teej Vrat Katha. Worship the Teej Mata (Parvati) for marital happiness and husband's long life. Break the fast after moonrise.
What is the Shiva-Parvati story behind Hariyali Teej?
Hariyali Teej celebrates the reunion of Goddess Parvati with Lord Shiva after her intense penance. In a previous life as Sati, Parvati burned herself when her father Daksha insulted Shiva. She was reborn as daughter of the mountain king Himavan. To be reunited with Shiva in her new life, Parvati performed severe tapasya (austerities) in the forest for years. Shiva, pleased by her devotion, married her in Shravan month, making Hariyali Teej the celebration of their divine reunion.
What is Ghewar and why is it special on Hariyali Teej?
Ghewar is a disc-shaped Rajasthani sweet made by deep-frying a wheat flour batter, resulting in a porous, crispy disc soaked in sugar syrup and sometimes topped with mawa, dry fruits, or saffron. Ghewar is the quintessential Hariyali Teej sweet. Families prepare it at home or buy special varieties from sweet shops. The sweet is gifted between families, distributed as prasad, and is inseparably associated with the Teej season from Rajasthan to UP.
Is Hariyali Teej celebrated differently in different states?
Regional variations: Rajasthan celebrates most elaborately with Teej processions (Teej ki Sawari), decorated elephants carrying the idol of Teej Mata. The Rajasthan government organizes Teej Mela in Jaipur and Bundi. In Madhya Pradesh and UP, the focus is more on the jhula and mehndi traditions. In Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the festival is celebrated with local folk songs. In Delhi NCR, markets are full of mehndi artists and Teej specials.
What is the difference between Hariyali Teej and Hartalika Teej?
Hariyali Teej (July 27, 2026, Shravan Shukla Tritiya) is the first and gentler Teej, celebrating the monsoon and greenery. Hartalika Teej (August 26, 2026, Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya) is the strictest Teej fast, often nirjala (without water), and is named after Parvati's friend (hartala) who helped her escape to worship Shiva. Hartalika has a more elaborate clay idol worship. Both celebrate Parvati-Shiva devotion but with different emphasis and strictness.
What mehndi designs are popular for Hariyali Teej?
Hariyali Teej mehndi designs typically feature: peacock motifs (associated with rain and fertility), lotus flowers, Shiva's trident (trishul), Parvati's image, bridal paisleys, and intricate floral patterns. Dark mehndi color is considered auspicious. Women book mehndi artists days in advance before Teej. Mehndi is applied the evening before Teej so it darkens by the festival day.