September 5, 2026
Hartalika Teej
A women's fasting festival across north India and Nepal. The food that breaks the fast is gentle, fragrant, deeply spiced — and a long-running case study in how heritage spice protects the gut.
Rituals & recipes
- A vrat-friendly khichdi with rock salt and cumin
- A ginger-jaggery decoction to break the fast
- A coconut-cardamom kheer for the evening
Gifting
A fasting-friendly trio for the women in the family.
Read next
New essays publish weekly in the lead-up to Hartalika Teej.
Browse essays on Hartalika Teej →