The Head Bath Tradition

 Taking a head bath as we call it is mandatory on all puja/festival days. 

Sometimes you are required to take a simple head bath, and on other occasions, you are required to take an oil bath of the head. That is, you need to oil your head at least briefly and then do the head bath routine.

A head bath is a quick pouring of water on the head followed by a shampoo wash. It is not an extensive and elaborate hair wash. 

It is a part of the purification process before a puja or before cooking the prasadam for the gods.

Ideally all members of the family including children should undertake this routine.

Pujas when you need to take only head bath (no oil on head):

Garuda panchami nombu

Varalakshmi nombu, on the day of the festival and on the previous day, when you will make the preparations for the festival prasadam and kalasam.

Vinayaka chaturthi, on the day of the festival and on the previous day, for preparing idli batter and kozhakottai poornam.

Masi Panguni nombu 

Gokulashtami

karthigai Deepam first day

Pongal

Sri Rama Navami

Tamil New Year's Day

Aadi Kiruthigai

Thai Kiruthigai

Aadi amavasya and Thai amavasya and all other amavasya, head bath to be taken by the couple doing tarpanam (tarpanam routine begins after the loss of the father/patriarch of the family. Those whose fathers are alive do not take head bath on amavasai days. 

Occasions on which you are required to take an oil bath of the head

Navaratri first day, Fridays, Saraswathi Pujai

Deepawali - oil bath to be taken very early before the starting of amavasai thithi

Bhogi Pandigai _ day before Pongal

Kanu Pongal - the day after main Pongal

Karthigai deepam second day

Ugaadi, or Telugu New Year





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