As the vibrant festival of Shardiya Navratri began, homes across India are celebrating nine days of devotion, music, dance, and rituals dedicated to Goddess Durga. This year, Navratri falls between Monday, September 22, 2025, and Wednesday, October 1, 2025, with Vijaya Dashami on October 2. Each day of Navratri honours a different form of Maa Durga, offering devotees a chance to practise discipline, mindfulness, and spiritual reflection.
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Shardiya Navratri fasting
Fasting during Navratri is one of the most popular ways to honour the Goddess. Some devotees observe the fast for all nine days, while others opt for selective fasting, like on the first and last days. Beyond abstaining from certain foods, the fast is meant to purify the body, calm the mind, and strengthen spiritual focus.
Foods to include:
Dairy Products: Items like milk, paneer, yoghurt, and lassi provide essential nutrients and help maintain energy. Meethi lassi is especially useful for digestion and keeping energy levels steady throughout the day.
Rock Salt: Instead of regular table salt, use sendha namak (rock salt). It’s less processed, helps maintain electrolytes, and is considered pure during fasting.
Sattvic Foods: Focus on light, nutritious, and unprocessed foods. Staples include rajgira (amaranth), kuttu (buckwheat), sama rice, and sabudana. These are easy to digest and provide essential nourishment.
Fruits and Vegetables: Vegetables like spinach, pumpkin, bottle gourd, and potatoes, along with fruits such as bananas, apples, papayas, and pomegranates, can be consumed.
Foods to avoid:
Tamasic and heavy foods: Non-vegetarian dishes, onions, garlic, and other tamasic ingredients should be avoided to maintain mental clarity and spiritual focus.
Processed and junk foods: Packaged snacks, fried foods, burgers, pizzas, chips, and items with preservatives can disrupt digestion and the sanctity of the fast.
Regular grains and flours: Avoid wheat, rice, and maida. Instead, use kuttu, rajgira, or singhara flour for rotis, puris, or khichdi.
Sugary or aerated drinks: Sodas, alcohol, and sugary beverages interfere with fasting benefits. Stick to herbal teas, fresh juices, coconut water, or plain water.
Legumes and lentils: Heavy pulses are also avoided during this period; opt for lighter sources of protein from dairy and nuts.
