Ranchi: Chaiti Chhath, the festival of folk faith started on Friday, April 12 with Nahay Khay. Chhath Mahaparv, which lasts for 4 days, starts from the Chaturthi date of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month. Nahay Khay has special significance in the festival of Chhath.
On this day, the devotees purify themselves and start their fast. After this, the fasting people eat food only after Chhath is over. On the day of Nahay Khay itself, wheat is washed and dried for the special Prasad (Thekua) offered during Chhath. Special care is taken of cleanliness and purity in Chhath Puja. From this day the production of garlic and onion stops at home.
On the day of Nahay Khay, a vegetable made of Arwa rice, gram dal and pumpkin is prepared in a stove made of clay and mango wood. Ghee and salt are used in cooking. After offering food to the Sun God, the fasting people eat food. After this, everyone in the house accepts it as Prasad.
On this day, fasting people sleep on the ground instead of in bed. Bottle gourd vegetable is especially prepared on the day of Nahay Khay. The belief behind this is that gourds are very sacred. Besides, it contains water in sufficient quantity (96 percent).
By eating this there is no shortage of water in the body. Not only has this, eating bottle gourd also cured many diseases. Eating gram dal in Nahay Khay also has special significance. It is said that gram pulses are the purest compared to other pulses.