This preparation account moves from household and kitchen cleaning to washing and drying the wheat used for Thekua. It then describes shopping for baskets, stoves, wood and fruits, and setting aside a clean room. The article shows how the source presents Chhath as a coordinated household effort.
The Intense Preparation Behind Chhath Puja
Preparation for Chhath begins immediately after Diwali. The entire household operates with a single focus: achieving absolute purity for the upcoming rituals.
The Deep Clean
The house is scrubbed from top to bottom. The kitchen undergoes a massive overhaul: all traces of onion, garlic, and non-vegetarian food are removed. Sinks and stoves are washed meticulously.
Washing the Wheat (Gehun Dhona)
A communal event where women of the family gather to wash the whole wheat grains used for making Thekua. The wheat is washed, spread on clean cotton cloths under the sun to dry, and guarded closely to ensure no birds or insects touch it.
Shopping and Organization
Families purchase new clay stoves (chulha), dry mango wood, bamboo baskets (Daura and Soop), and unblemished fruits. A designated clean room is set up where the Vrati will sleep on the floor and where the Prasad will be stored.