Brihaspativar (Thursday) Vrat & Banana Tree Pooja Vidhi

Wake up early on Thursday, add a pinch of turmeric to your bathwater, and wear clean yellow clothes. Avoid washing hair, cutting nails, or using soap on Thursday if observing the strict vow. Sit before the home temple and resolve to observe the Brihaspativar Vrat.

Approach a sacred Banana tree (or place an idol/picture of Lord Vishnu and Brihaspati Dev on a yellow-clothed altar). Pour pure water mixed with turmeric at the root of the Banana tree. Apply yellow sandalwood and turmeric tilak to the trunk, tie a sacred yellow thread around it, and offer soaked Chana Dal, jaggery (Gur), and a pinch of turmeric.

Light a pure cow-ghee lamp near the Banana tree or altar. Holding a few grains of Chana Dal and yellow flower petals in your hand, read or listen to the Brihaspativar Vrat Katha (the legend of the devout Queen and the merchant). Upon completion, offer the Chana Dal at the tree's root and sing 'Om Jai Brihaspati Deva' Aarti.

Feed a yellow-flour roti with soaked Chana Dal and jaggery to a cow (Gau Mata). Before sunset, partake of a single satvik yellow meal made from gram flour (besan halwa, besan chilla, or boondi/sweet yellow dish) prepared with pure ghee and sugar/jaggery, completely avoiding salt.