When Maa Parvati (Gaura then) was praying to get Lord Shiva as her husband, she fasted for 12 years without food to fulfill her resolution. This is when Sage of the Gods Narad came to her father and said that Lord Vishnu is interested in marrying Gaura as he is happy with her austerity. Here, it is important to know that Shri Narad’s role in mythology is that of a messenger, which he sometimes takes a step further and creates messages ☺ Maa Gaura’s father Himalaya was very happy and he agreed. Then Shri Narad went to Lord Vishnu and said that Maa Gaura’s father would like him as his son-in-law. Lord Vishnu agreed happily as well. After this, Shri Narad went to Maa Gaura and told her that her marriage is fixed with Lord Vishnu by her father.

Listening to this Maa Gaura was very upset and she asked her friends to help her elope and they took her to a secluded cave where she started praying to get Lord Shiva as her husband again. She made a Shivalinga with sand on the third day of Bhadra month’s waxing moon phase which is now known as Hartalika Teej. Maa Gaura fasted the whole day and whole night without even consuming a drop of water and was up all night praying as Jagran. When Himalaya reached the cave looking for his daughter and learned of her reasons for eloping and her wish to marry Lord Shiva, he apologized to Lord Vishnu and agreed to Maa Gaura and Lord Shiva’s wedding.

This was probably the first time since inception that a father gave in to his daughter’s demands and since then, daughters on this day make demands that their fathers fulfill. Celebrated as a festival now, Hariyali Teej is observed in most parts of Northern and Western India when girls put henna on their hands, go shopping and are pampered and spoiled by their families.