The Dress Code to Be Followed During Pujas
There are certain regulations with respect to the dress that you wear while performing puja or homa.
These rules are particularly for pujas and homas that you do once in a while, like a samskara or a special puja done annually — not for your daily puja.
The cloth should be new and should be washed once before wearing.
This washing should not be done in a laundry or by a washerman.
It should be done at home.
Clothes used in pujas should not be worn before that.
For dhoti or veshti, both the edges should be unstitched — both ends should be unstitched.
Stitched dhoti should not be worn for puja.
You should not wear another person’s clothes during puja, nor can you use torn, damaged, or clothes with burn holes in them. Also, avoid unclean clothes.
Avoid dark red and dark blue.
Saffron is for sanyasis. The householder should not wear saffron colour while doing puja with family.
Blue colour — if it is silk — then there is no problem.
Black colour should be avoided.
After washing, when you put the clothes for drying — if those clothes are meant to be worn during puja — don’t put them for drying on the south side of the house.
Even undergarments — make sure that they have not been used while attending nature’s call before puja.
Do not wear wet clothes or ardra vastra for puja.
Ardra vastra is to be worn during death rites, not during puja.
The principle here is:
यज्जले शुष्कवस्त्रेण स्थले चैवार्द्रवाससा
जपो होमस्तथा दानं तत्सर्वं निष्फलं भवेत् — says Sage Apastamba
Dry clothes in water and wet clothes on land — they both will lead to the karma not yielding any result.
Puja should not be performed with a single cloth on.
There should always be the uthareeya or anga vastra for the upper part of the body.
There is a rule about this upper cloth — the edges or ends of the upper cloth should be left open, not tucked in or tied together.
Similarly, ladies should also wear traditional dress.
Other rules are common for both.
For daily puja also, wear traditional dress — which is simple and clean.
The way you dress is an expression of your personality.
This is a famous quote.
And the personality you need while performing puja should be one of simplicity and humility.
You can dress the way you want on other occasions, as is suitable.
We mimic the West in so many things blindly, but they believe that:
Wearing the correct dress for any occasion is a matter of good manners — even from a social perspective.
When you wear simple, appropriate clothes while doing puja and going to the temple, you avoid unwanted attention and distraction coming out of that.
Your mind also becomes calm and quiet.
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