NAVRATRI FASTING FOOD LIST AND DOS & DON’TS

 

Navratri Fasting Food list and Dos & Don’ts is the post that you need to bookmark for every year. The festival lasts for nine nights and ten days. This is the time when people worship Goddess Durga in all nine of her manifestations, the Shakti avatar. The tenth day of the festival is recognised as Dussehera at its beginning.

In that sequence, Brahmchari, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri are the manifestations of the Divine Mother Durga. These nine forms of Shakti are referred to as "Nava-Durga" and are worshipped.

Numerous individuals fast during Navratri. There is a list of items that you can eat while fasting and those that you should stay away from.

Disclaimer: Although most of the information is general in nature, it is based on information from Wikipedia and my family about how we observe eating customs in our family and community in Uttar Pradesh (State of India). When unsure, use this list as a guide.

DO’s  – Foods to be consumed during Navratri –

1.    The following grains and flours are available: Sama ke Chawal (barnyard millet), Singhade ka Atta (water chestnut flour), Rajgira/Chaulai ka Atta (amaranth flour), Kuttu ka Atta (buckwheat flour), and Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls). Fox nuts, or phool makhana, are also frequently used.

2.    Nuts - All varieties of nuts are permitted during the fast. The ingredients are Baadam (almonds), Kaaju (cashews), Mungfali (peanuts), Akhrot (walnuts), Magaj ke Beej (melon seeds), Chilgoza (pine nuts), Kishmish (raisins), and Pista (Pistachio).

3.    Ghee, vegetable oil, and peanut oil are examples of common oils.

4.    The only spices used in my home and community are Sendha Namak (Rock salt), Jeera (Cumin seeds), Jeera Powder (Cumin seeds powder), Kali Mirch Powder (Black Pepper Powder), and Elaichi Chhoti (Green Cardamom).

5.    Fresh herbs and seasonings including ginger root, green chilies, cilantro, and lemon juice are frequently utilised.

6.    Fruits - Eating fruits of all varieties is permitted. Any seasonal fruit, including apples, grapes, bananas, papayas, pears, peaches, and berries, can be eaten.

7.    Milk & Dairy Products - During the fasting season, milk products including milk, yoghurt, paneer (cottage cheese), fresh cream, butter, malai, and khoya/mawa are frequently consumed.

8.    Sugars are regularly ingested, including raw sugar, jaggery, honey, and ordinary sugar.

9.    Vegetables - During Navratris, a small selection of vegetables is permitted. The most popular vegetables are Aloo (potato), Arbi (colacasia), Yam (Jimikand), Kacha Kela (raw banana), Kacha Papeeta (raw papaya), Lauki (bottle gourd), and Kaddu/Kashifal (pumpkin).

10.  Miscellaneous – Coconut powder or grated coconut and coconut milk.

Don’ts – Foods to Avoid during Navratri Fasting

1.    The use of flours and grains such as wheat in any form and wheat flour, rice and rice flour, chickpea flour or besan, sooji flour or semolina, maida flour or refined flour, corn flour or starch, millets and millets flour such as ragi and pearl millet, among others, in cooking is strictly forbidden.

2.    Vegetables: Garlic and onions are strictly forbidden. Even the vegetables baingan (eggplant), bhindi (okra), and other greens are not eaten. Some people eat cucumbers, tomatoes, and spinach. Please ask your elders about it.

3.    Pulses and Legumes - During this time, pulses and legumes are not permitted.

4.    Spices: It is not permitted to use table salt or normal namak. Additionally prohibited are the following ingredients: hing (asafetida), haldi (turmeric), garam masala, curry powder, dhaniya powder (coriander powder), and sarso or rai (mustard seeds). Ajwain (carom seeds) is used by some individuals and not by others.

5.    Eggs, alcohol, and non-vegetarian food are all strictly forbidden.

6.    Some people utilise tomatoes, while others do not. In my group, we refrain from using any astringent ingredients, like as lemon, kokum, tamarind, or pomegranate seeds, in Vrat dishes. These are used by some persons. Yogurt is the sole sour ingredient we use, and not for souring but rather as a probiotic and a full meal.

7.    How to Follow Navratri Fasting

8.    Many times, people observe the entire nine-day fast. They observe fasts on each of the nine days in that case. Some households observe the fast on the first two days of Navratris or the latter two days of Navratris, alternately. Then there are certain families who observe a fast on the first and end day of Navratri (the seventh or eighth day). Any way is acceptable. You are free to choose and choose the path you want to take.

9.    On the eighth day of the fast, when they perform Ashtami Poojan, many families commemorate the start of the fast. The seventh day is their final fasting day. They break their fast and perform Kanjak or Kanya Poojan on the eighth day, during which they worship young ladies as Devi Roop.

10. Many households do Navami Poojan on the ninth day to mark the beginning of fasts. The eighth day is their final fasting day. They break their fast and perform Kanjak or Kanya Poojan on the ninth day, during which they worship young ladies as Devi Roop.

11. I neatly clean and sanitise a corner of my home as part of my devotion to Devi Poojan. In that location, place a Durga idol or image that has been cleansed and polished. Wrap it in a red-colored fabric. I make my prayers to Mata Rani every day after I take a bath. A ghee lamp is lit. Keep some dry fruits on a dish for the prasad offering along with some kumkum, Chawal, flowers, and water in a tiny container. The Durga Arti is recited by me. Present prasad, flowers, and Dhoop Diya. I then eat. I take something else from my mother's side and do it as well. I offer and burn four pairs of cloves (Laung) in front of Durga Ji while also burning a little piece of camphor or a spoonful of hawan samigri in another heavy metal lamp. Four pairs for the four members of my family present. This is not required. It was my Nani who first did it, then my mom, and now even my mother-in-law. It drives evil spirits out of the dwelling, purges them from our souls, and wards off nazars and drishtis. Additionally, as the weather changes, it keeps insects away and fills the house with a pleasant perfume. If you practice this, please monitor the Jyoti. After burning, I normally keep it outside to avoid any fire hazards in my Indian American kitchen. Houses are built different here so more precaution.

12. Navratris typically occur at the beginning of spring and autumn seasons. It is significant from both a religious and a scientific perspective. During the nine days of fasting, our digestive systems can rest, clean, and detox. It also strengthens our immunity, especially when done in conjunction with the change of the seasons. The entire Navratri fast is gluten-free. That reveals a little about its importance to science. Follow it for seasonal purification even if you are not particularly religious.