Kamal Ghorui
India is a land of festivals, where fasting is an integral part of many celebrations. It is not just about customs and traditions, but also has an angle of medical science, where the the fasting helps prepare the body of a particular season. For instance, Chaitra Navratri, the 9-day fasting helps prepare the body for the summer months. This year, the 9-day festival will be celebrated from March 19 to March 27, marking nine days of devotion dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine divine forms. Observed mainly in North India, the festival signifies the victory of good over evil. During these 9 days, devotees observe fasting, perform special prayers to the 9 avataars of Maa Durgal and chant mantras to seek blessings for health, prosperity, and spiritual growth. Each day is associated with a different form of Durga. The nine forms of Maar Durga worshipped during these 9 days include Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skandmata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kaalratri, Maa Mahagauri, and Maa Sidhudatri. The festival culminates with Kanya Pujan on Ashtami or Navmi, where young girls are worshipped, offered bhog and gifts. Chaitra Navratri is not just a religious observance but a time for inner purification and renewal, aligning the body, mind, and soul with positive energies.Chaitra Navratri start date: 19 March 2026Navratri end date: 27 March 2026Pratipada Tithi begins: 19 March 2026 at around 6:52 AMPratipada Tithi ends: 20 March 2026 at around 4:52 AMFood rules to follow during the 9 daysDuring these 9 days, devotees begin the day with cleaning the house and mandir and then taken bath, after which they prepare the bhog for the Maa Durga’s manifestation and later offer the same, chant mantras and perform arti and at last eat the bhog offered to the devi. As per historians, these nine days are meant to prepare the body for the winter season and hence it is suggested to eat healthy and light. The main food rules to follow during these 9 days are:-No onion and garlic.-No grains and pulses like wheat, rice, lentils, beans.-No alcohol and tobacco consumption-No meat, egg, or any sort of seafood.-Consume sattvik foods like fruits and vegetables like potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, bottle gourd, raw banana, and more.-Drink water, fruit juices, milk, buttermilk, lassi, shakes, and smoothies.-Avoid white salt, chaat masala, and black salt, and consume sendha namak and black pepper.And for those, who are fasting for the 9 days, there is a list of do’s and don’ts to follow. Take a lookDo’s1. While fasting, do not starve yourself. Keep eating nuts and fruits every two hours.2. During the 9-days fast, stick to the Navratri diet which is an alkaline one and includes nuts, fruits, dairy products like milk and butter and selected flours like Kuttu ka Atta (buckwheat flour), Singhare ka Atta (water chestnut flour) or Rajgira ka Atta (amaranth flour).3. Drink water, milk, buttermilk, and fresh juices throughout the day to keep the body hydrated.4. Replace table salt with rock salt or sendha namak for cooking recipes during Navratri. Also, while using spices stick to cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, black pepper powder, red chilli powder, and black peppercorns.5. While fasting it is important to eat or drink something at equal intervals to avoid dizziness and weakness. Also, make sure to keep a balance of sugar and salt in the body.Don’ts1. According to experts, consumption of onion, garlic and spices should be avoided while preparing food during Navratri. Also, other heat-generating foods and oils like mustard oil or sesame oil should be avoided.2. Apart from these, consumption of meat, egg, alcohol and tobacco is also strictly prohibited during Navratri.3. And if you are fasting, do not have a proper full meal or the last meal before the sandhya aarti or the sunset.4. Avoid drinking packaged juices as they may contain added salt and preservatives to enhance the flavour.Must-have foods during NavratriSinghada ka Halwa: This halwa is made with singhada ka atta, which is cooked in desi ghee along with sugar, until aromatic and brown and is then topped with nuts.Banana Chips: This snack is made with green bananas, where the slices are pan or deep-fried in ghee and is then topped with sendha namak and black pepper.Sabudana Khichdi: It is made by soaking sabudana pearls and then cooking it in a tempering of ghee, cumin, green chilli, curry leaves, and top it with cumin powder, coriander powder, roasted peanuts, sendha namak, black pepper, coriander leaves, and lemon juice.Coconut Laddoo: This easy dessert is made with grated coconut cooked along with milk powder, condensed milk, milk, sugar, cardamom powder, and then shaped into laddoos and topped with nuts.Cucumber Raita: This probiotic-rich one-pot dish is made with grated and sauteed cucumber, mixed in beaten curd, and topped with sugar, sendha namak, black pepper, and a tempering of ghee, green chilli, and cumin seeds.Sabudana Kheer: This one-pot dessert is made with soaked sabudana pearls, cooked in full-fat milk along with sugar, and nuts in it.Fruit Chaat: It is a healthy snack and is made with seasonal fruits like banana, apple, papaya, kiwi, and pears, which are cut into dices and then are topped with sendha namak, black pepper, and beaten curd.Sweet Potato Chaat: This chaat is made with boiled or roasted sweet potatoes, which are topped with sendha namak, black pepper, curd, pomegranate seeds, coriander leaves, and lemon juice.
