The festival of Chhath is approaching and preparations for it have already begun. However, before starting any rituals, it is important to maintain purity and cleanliness. The rules of purity and cleanliness are so strict that people have to undergo hardships for a year or two before starting the Chhath fast. Once one becomes a devotee, they have to strictly follow the rules as a way to test their devotion.
Before taking a bath or eating anything, it is not possible to consider anything pure. As soon as the month of Kartik begins, many non-vegetarian households also stop consuming garlic and onions. In Bihar, most households avoid these things starting from Dhanteras. Although many people start consuming rock salt from Dhanteras or Diwali, they completely avoid normal salt as soon as Kartik begins. Despite doing all this, it is still necessary to maintain purity for Chhath. Pandit Arun Kumar Mishra says, “If we are going to observe the Chhath fast to please Lord Surya and worship Chhathi Maiya, then we need to be pure. We need to cleanse ourselves. This is why the ritual of taking a bath and having a pure meal before starting the Chhath fast is important.”
After taking a bath and having a pure meal, it is necessary to avoid certain mistakes. Pandit Shashikant Mishra says, “Taking a bath and having a pure meal means cleansing of tamasic tendencies. One needs to maintain distance in physical relationships. One should consume less and easily digestible food so that the internal parts of the body also get cleansed. This is why during the bath and meal, dal-kaddu made by mixing kaddu in arwa rice or chana dal is consumed. It should be prepared in a separate utensil kept for the puja and ideally cooked on a mud stove using firewood. Purely prepared vegetables can also be consumed in small quantities. It is important to use pure ghee for cooking.”
In conclusion, before starting the rituals of Chhath, it is important to maintain purity and cleanliness. This includes taking a bath and having a pure meal. Certain foods like dal-kaddu made with arwa rice or chana dal mixed with kaddu are consumed during this time. It is also important to cook these meals in separate utensils and using pure ghee. By following these rules, one can ensure the proper observance of the Chhath festival.
