Phool Bangla Utsav celebrated from Kamada Ekadashi (Chaitra Shukla Paksh Ekadashi) till Haryali Amavasya or Shravan Amavasya (No Moon day in Shravan month) at Vrindavan Banke Bihari ji Temple in Uttar Pradesh is a festival dedicated to Banke Bihariji (Lord Krishna) during which House of Flowers are erected daily evening. In 2010, Phool Bangla will begin on March 26^th.

Phool Bangla Utsav is celebrated for more than 4 months. During the festival of flowers Lord Shri Vrindavan Banke Bihari ji enjoys the fragrance and the ambience of spring and summer flowers.

For more details browse the official website of Vrindavan Bankey Bihari Ji Temple. Image source is the official website of Vrindavan Temple.

Pithori Amavasya or Pitori Amavas is the festival observed on the Amavasya (No Moon day) during Bhadrapad or Bhadra month. In 2009, the date of Pithori Amavasya is August 20, Thursday. As per Marati Calendar, Pithori Amavasya, also celebrated as Pola, falls on Amavasya in the Sravana month.

Pithori Amavasya is an observance performed by married woman for their children health and prosperity. ‘Pith’ means flour by which the name comes into existence. On Pitori Amavas, married women, especially mothers, worship 64 Goddesses for their children long life. In the past, idols of these 64 Goddesses were made of ‘Pith’ and some special recipes were offered to the Goddesses.

In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Shravan Amavasya is observed as Polala Amavasya. On Pithori Amavasya, performing Pitru Tharpan or the Pinda daan to dead ancestors is highly meritorious.

Polala Amavasya Puja is observed on the Amavasya (No moon day) during Shravan masam. Polala Amavasya is dedicated to Goddess Poleramma, who is considerd as the Goddess for protection of children. In 2010, the date of Polala Amavasya is September 8, 2010.

Polala Amavasya – Sheetala Saptami:

Polala Amavasya is mainly observed in Andhra Pradesh and in some parts of Karnataka. Polala Amavasya Devata, Goddess Poleramma, is Goddess of the diseases like Chicken-Pox and Small Pox.

A similar festival called ‘Sheetala Saptami’ is celebrated in North India. Poleramma, an aspect of Goddess Parvati Devi, is very similar to the North Indian Goddess, Sheetala Mata. In Tamilnadu Mariamman is worshipped in a similar way.

Polala Amavasya is celebrated as Pithori Amavasya in North Indian states and Pola in Maharashtra and some other regions of North India.

Haryali Teej or Singhara Teej, also known as Teejan, is the festival of monsoon celebrated on the third day after Hariyali Amavasya (Shravan Shukla Tritiya), which falls during the month of Shravan (July – Aug). In 2009, Hariyali Teej is celebrated on July 24, Friday. Haryali Teej or Singhara Teej, the festival of monsoon, mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Haryali Teej or Teejan is an important festival celebrated in North India especially in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Haryali Teej or Singhara Teej – Rituals and Pujas:
On Haryali Teej or Singhara Teej, Goddess Parvati is worshipped. As a tradition, women wear green coloured dresses and green bangles to symbolize the lush greenery during the month of Saawan. On this day of Haryali Teej, women also worship the Moon God. Women gather to wish each other and adorn their hands with mehandi (henna) patterns.

On Hariyali Teej, women worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and sing songs associated with Shiva and Parvati Kalyan (Marriage of Shiva and Parvati). Hariyali Teej is the most auspicious amongst the three Teej festivals.