These days the festive season is going on in Chhattisgarh, festivals and fasts are coming one after the other. Haritalika i.e. Teeja, the festival of wishing for the long life of the husband and happiness and prosperity of the family, will be celebrated on Monday, 17 September 2023. Women will stay fast on this day. Before this, on Sunday night, women will start their fast by eating Karu Bhaat.
What Happened Karo Bhat:-
In Chhattisgarhi, bitter means ‘Karu’ and cooked rice is called ‘bhaat’. One day before this fast and puja, she will eat vegetable rice made from bitter gourd in the evening meal and will sleep after eating cucumber, so that she does not burp food. Don’t eat anything after this. On this day, bitter gourd vegetable is specially prepared in every house in Chhattisgarh.
How Is Fast Observed In Teeja? :-
Astrologer Pandit Manoj Shukla said that in Chhattisgarh there is a tradition of eating Karu (bitter) rice at the Teeja festival. Karu Bhaat is eaten a day before observing the Teeja fast. Karu Bhaat means that bitter gourd vegetable is prepared and eaten on that day. What happens is that on the second day when the Nirjala fast is observed, the bitter gourd in a way releases fluid from the body. This does not cause thirst, hence there is a tradition in Chhattisgarh that sisters and daughters are fed with bitter gourd vegetables. It is popular by the name of Karu Bhaat.
Importance of Hartalika Teej :-
Hartalika is made up of two words Harat and Aalika. Harat means kidnapping and Alika means friend. In the background of Hartalika Teej, there is a story from the life of Mother Parvati. It is said that Mother Parvati’s father wanted her to marry Lord Vishnu, but Goddess Parvati loved Shiva. Then her friends took Parvati ji from the palace and hid her in a cave. Their Mother Parvati attained Lord Shiva as her husband through rigorous penance.