Navratri 2024: Here are fasting rules and foods to eat and avoid during the 9-day festival

As the festive season begins with Ganesh Chaturthi, a noticeable change is in the air, heralding the vibrant celebration of Navratri. This nine-day festival, dedicated to prayers, Sattvik food and devotion to Maa Durga and her nine avatars, will be observed from October 3 to 11, 2024, followed by Vijayadashami on October 12.

Navratri marks the arrival of Goddess Durga on earth. During these nine days, devotees worship, pray and prepare special foods for the nine forms of the goddess. Many believers fast to express their devotion. Some choose to fast for the entire nine days, while others fast in pairs, either at the beginning or end of the festival.

According to Drik Panchang, the Ghatasthapana Muhurat signals the beginning of Navratri puja. These nine days are dedicated to the nine avatars of Maa Durga: Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skandamata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kalaratri, Maa Mahagauri and Maa Siddhidatri. The festival not only emphasizes spiritual devotion but also promotes a sense of community and cultural identity, celebrated through music, dance and a variety of local traditions that showcase the rich diversity of Indian culture.

Puja muhurat and timing

• Shardiya Navratri 2024: Ghatsthapana Muhurat
• Pratipada Tithi begins – October 3, 2024 – 12:18 am
• Pratipada Tithi Begins – October 4, 2024 – 02:58 AM
• Ghatasthapana Muhurta – October 3, 2024 – from 5:38 am to 6:40 am
• Ghatasthapana Abhijit Muhurta – October 3, 2024 – from 11:12 am to 11:59 am
• Kanya Lagna starts – October 3, 2024 – 05:38 am
• Virgo Lagna ends on October 3, 2024 at 6:40 am

Rules about food to follow

According to historians, these nine days are intended to prepare the body for the winter season and therefore it is recommended to eat a healthy and light diet. The main nutritional rules you should follow during these 9 days are:

• No onions and garlic.
• No grains and legumes such as wheat, rice, lentils, beans.
• No alcohol and tobacco consumption
• No meat, eggs or seafood.
• Consume Sattvic foods like fruits and vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, bottle gourd, raw bananas 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.

Here is a list of dos and don'ts you should follow during Navratri:

• While fasting, make sure to eat regularly. Snack on nuts and fruits every two hours.
• Drink plenty of water, milk, buttermilk and fresh juices to keep your body hydrated.
• Use rock salt (Sendha Namak) instead of table salt for cooking.
• During the 9-day fast, follow the Navratri diet which is alkaline 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), Rajgira ka Atta ( amaranth flour).
• Drink water, milk, buttermilk and fresh juices throughout the day to keep the body hydrated.
• When using spices, stick to cumin, cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, black pepper powder, red chili powder, and black peppercorns.

Here is a list of “Don’ts” to avoid during Navratri:

• Onions and Garlic: Avoid using onions and garlic when cooking.
• Certain spices: Avoid heat-producing spices.
• Oils: Do not use mustard oil or sesame oil.
• Meat and eggs Consumption of meat and eggs should be avoided
• Alcohol and Tobacco: Avoid alcohol and tobacco completely.
• Full Meals Before Aarti: If you are fasting, skip a proper meal or your last meal before the Sandhya Aarti (sunset).
• Packaged Juices: Avoid packaged juices as they may contain salt and preservatives.

Food you must try during Navratri

Sabudana Khichdi: To prepare it, sabudana pearls are soaked and then cooked in a mixture of ghee, cumin, green chilies and curry leaves. The dish is then garnished with cumin powder, coriander powder, roasted peanuts, sendha namak, black pepper, fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Coconut Laddoo: This simple dessert consists of grated coconut cooked along with milk powder, condensed milk, milk, sugar and cardamom powder, then shaped into laddoos and topped with nuts.

Cucumber raita: This probiotic-rich one-pot dish consists of grated and sautéed cucumber mixed with whipped curd and garnished with sugar, sendha namak, black pepper and a blend of ghee, green chilli and cumin.

Sabudana Kheer: This one-pot dessert consists of soaked sabudana pearls cooked in whole milk along with sugar and nuts.

Fruit Chaat: This healthy snack consists of seasonal fruits such as bananas, apples, papayas, kiwis and pears, which are cut into cubes and then topped with sendha namak, black pepper and whipped curd.

(with ToI inputs)