Sanitation in Dashain: The union of science and religion for awakening

Sanitation is also an important part of Dashain. A house made of clay and red clay. The road is paved by weeding through the courtyard. The wall is made clean by removing the smoke from the stove and the spider web. Shine the dishes that have not been used for a long time. Such scenes make Dashain even brighter. Along with Dashain, there is an old tradition of cleaning the house during Tihar, Chhath, Lhosar and other festivals. 

There is really a lot of cleaning work to be done in Dashain, which is celebrated by bathing and putting on new clothes. In other words, the three main areas of sanitation include personal hygiene, home hygiene and community hygiene. With the onset of Dashain, the people of the toll / community have been engaged in the practice of cleaning roads, patipowas or even public gardens since time immemorial. 

THE CUSTOM OF CLEANING DURING FESTIVALS IS IMPORTANT

Sanitation is done with great diligence during festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Chhath and Lhosar. Some even point out that such long-term practices do not contribute much to cleanliness. But former joint secretary at the Ministry of Water and Sanitation and sanitation engineer Abodh Kishor Mishra says such practices are very important. 

Even if it is done for a few days in a year, these are symbolic things. Mishra says, "In our culture, culture, social traditions, personal traditions, manners, hygiene is given great importance. Whatever the festival, special attention is given to hygiene." Our religion has a traditional belief that along with cleanliness of mind, there should be cleanliness of body, cleanliness of home and cleanliness of environment. It shows that our ancestors taught us hygiene in the name of festivals and religion.

Sanitation in the coming decade after the end of the rainy season plays a big role in the sanitation of the home and the environment. In the rainy season, the water in the house is washed away by the calf, so the ancestors used to cover the house with kamero / mud in Dashain. 

As many insects and grasshoppers come in the rainy season, they have littered the house and the house is infested with mosquitoes and other creatures. Mishra added that the ancestors should consider the time of Dashain as the appropriate time to clean the house by throwing garbage made by such creatures. 

During Dashain, Tihar, Chhath and other festivals, it is believed that it is unlucky not to clean the person, the house and the environment around the house and the river lakes. "Even though it is associated with religion, people observe it when it is associated with religion," says Mishra. "Even though the question of how important sanitation is done one day in a year is a symbolic thing, such practices are important for the awareness of sanitation among the people," he said. 

He said that even though the ancestors said that cleanliness should be done for the gods, it was necessary for the people to take the help of religion for compulsory observance. The ancestors used to take the help of sin religion just like they take the help of law now. 

After cleansing, a person becomes healthy. After becoming healthy, it becomes active. After being active, people progress and achieve. That is why the ancestors have given priority to cleanliness and hygiene, adding that they have achieved this because of their religion. According to Mishra, the ancestors used to say that Lakshmi would come if they cleaned the river during the festival or that the gods would give gifts when they clean the river and lake during the Chhath festival. 

AN OLD CUSTOM THAT TEACHES HYGIENE LESSONS  

There are many old customs that have given us the message that people, homes and the environment should be kept clean and tidy. Our ancestors have told us to go out somewhere and come back only after touching the fire. "Touching the water means washing your hands, knees and face and going inside," he said. It is customary to take off such shoes outside the house so that the dirt stuck on the feet does not go inside. 

There are many other customs, such as entering the house only after bathing, touching the fire before touching the children, bathing and cleaning the house in front of the ancestors, covering the house on the full moon, drying the stove after eating, changing clothes while eating, etc. They strive for cleanliness and hygiene.

Although these customs are associated with religion, they are ultimately practiced by the ancestors out of concern for the importance of cleanliness. Many of these are still in vogue today because of the sinful religion or the gods. Many are now refining such practices by adding the meaning of science. As sanitation in Dashain is also a science-related subject, sanitation work is being done from individuals, even in the toll community, says Mishra. 

AN OLD CUSTOM REMINISCENT OF THE CORONA EPIDEMIC

With the onset of the Corona epidemic, old traditions related to our religion / culture related to sanitation have become more popular. Since vaccines and drugs have not yet been invented, sanitation is the main means of preventing corona infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly called for the adoption of hygiene measures, as only clean behavior can prevent infection. 

Our religion has taught us to touch fire and water in the house, to take a bath and become pure, which is now considered to be the main way to avoid corona. Nowadays, there are few people who dare to go out of the house without taking a bath, even without washing their hands and knees and mouth. It is just as important to avoid corona as our ancestors taught us not to lie to others, even when we spit. Since the corona virus is transmitted by nasal secretions, it is best to avoid spitting or spitting on others. 

It is now widely understood that those who have returned from a long distance do not enter the house immediately, do not meet and bathe, those who perform rituals after the death of a person stay away, etc., are very effective ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Therefore, the old customs related to sanitation in Dashain and other festivals have been presented as an important message for sanitation and hygiene, says Abhad Kisor Mishra, former Joint Secretary to the Government of Nepal. 

LET'S ALSO REMEMBER CORONA IN THIS DECADE

With the onset of the Corona epidemic, habits such as hand washing, wearing masks to prevent spitting, keeping distance from people, and frequent cleaning of various structures at home and office have increased. Engineer Mishra requests to do more cleaning by taking care of such things in the decade of this year. As Corona's fears grow this year, she suggests not using other people's hands, washing hands and cleaning the house as often as possible.

In the decade when sanitation and hygiene have been given priority, the government should follow the health standards that are being said to avoid the lack of sanitation and the corona virus that can be transmitted to people. Infectious disease experts are also urging people to celebrate the festival in a clean and tidy manner even if only the family stays at home. 

One day it should not be done by cleaning, but it is a symbolic thing. It should be understood that this is for the Jagran Abhiyan. Sanitation engineer Mala Kharel, who has been involved in cleaning the river every week, says that such cultural cleansing will make people realize the need for sanitation and people will use it in their daily lives. 

Let's celebrate the tenth anniversary of tidying up the house by giving more priority to cleanliness this year. Even though our ancestors were associated with religion, there is a strong basis for science in these things, so from this decade onwards, let us start more initiatives for the cleansing of the individual, the home and the environment.