This year, the sacred festival of popular faith, Chhath, will begin on November 5 with Nahay-Khay. This festival will last four days. Then, Kharna will end on November 8 with evening Arghya and morning Arghya.
Chhath is the most popular festival in North India. It is particularly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. In this, women worship the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya and observe a waterless fast for 36 hours. It is considered one of the most difficult fasts.
During this fast, women enter the water offering Arghya to the Sun God. For this, nearby ponds and rivers are used. Beautiful ghats are prepared there, but due to overcrowding, rapid water flow or high water depth, the risk of accidents increases. Apart from this, contamination of pond or river water also increases the risk of many health problems. To avoid these dangers, some precautions are necessary.
Therefore, today in the news of need we will know what precautions should be taken while bathing in Chhath Ghats. You will also learn that-
What is the first aid if a person drowns in water? What are the things to keep in mind after bathing in a pond or river? What should our diet be after fasting?
Expert: Dr Amrita Mishra, nutritionist and dietetic (New Delhi)
Expert: Dr Urvi Maheshwari, physician, Genova Shelby Hospital (Mumbai)
Question: What kind of precautions should be taken while bathing at Chhath Ghats?
Answer: On the great festival of popular faith, Chhath, Arghya is offered to the setting and rising sun. This means that Arghya is offered at the time of sunset and at the time of sunrise. For this, a large number of people reach the nearby pond or river ghats.
Many times accidents are witnessed due to crowding at the ghats. Last year, around 22 people died due to drowning in Chhath Ghats in Bihar.
This is the reason why, in view of the rush of Chhath Puja, arrangements are being made at the administrative level for signs indicating deep waters of rivers, police force and ambulances to deal with emergency situations. So, if an accident occurs, it can be dealt with immediately. Therefore, always bathe in a place where administrative authorization and arrangements have been made.
Understand from the graphic below what kind of precautions should be taken before visiting Chhath Ghats.
Question: What kind of precautions should be taken after bathing in Chhath Ghats?
Answer: Bathing in a pond or river during Chhath has a special significance. Thousands of people bathe together in faith at Chhath Ghats. Nowadays, the water in most ponds and rivers has become very polluted. Bathing in such water increases the risk of skin infections, including the eyes, nose and ears.
Physician Dr Urvi Maheshwari says we should avoid bathing in contaminated water. If you swim in a pond or river, take care that water does not enter the body through the mouth, nose or ears. Also, after bathing, one should take a bath once with clean water. This can avoid the risk of infection.
Question: What things should fasting people keep in mind after Chhath Puja?
Answer – During Chhath, women who are fasting remain fasting for 36 hours without eating or drinking. In such a situation, the risk of dehydration of the body is greatest. Apart from this, the metabolism also slows down due to the absence of food for several days. In such a situation, after completing a long fast, one should avoid overeating at once. This could worsen your health. Apart from this, things like junk food and fast food should not be consumed.
Nutritionist Dr Amrita Mishra says one should drink coconut water and lemon water regularly for a few days after fasting. This helps in hydrating the body. Apart from this, you can consume easily digestible foods like fruits, boiled vegetables or light soups. This will help the digestive system to gradually harmonize.
Question- If a person drowns in water, what measures can be taken for first aid?
Answer: There are reports of people drowning in water due to crowds at Chhath Ghats. In such a situation, if there is a delay in getting administrative help, then you can help people yourself. To do this, follow these steps.
If you know how to swim, first remove the drowned person using a rope or cloth. Next, check to see if anything is stuck in the person’s mouth or nose. If something is stuck, remove it. If no pulse or breathing is detected, give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the drowned person. Additionally, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may also be administered. This is an emergency treatment, carried out when a person’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped, and can help save the life of a person drowning in water. This can restore the person’s heartbeat. If the person can cough or talk, encourage them to do so. If the drowning person’s stomach is bloated, it is likely that water entered their stomach during drowning. Immediately have the person lie on their stomach and place a pillow, cloth, or other soft object under their stomach. After that, gently press the lower back and squeeze out the water. After resting, have the person lie on their back again and take them to the nearest hospital immediately. To do this, use all means available on site. Apart from this, you can get help from an ambulance by calling 108 or 102.
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