Navratri 2024: Fasting rules to follow and what to eat and avoid during the 9-day festival

With the onset of the festive season with Ganesh Chaturthi, one can feel the change in the air. Next to it is the joyous and colourful festival of Navratri. The 9-day festival is all about prayers, sattvik food, and devotion towards Maa Durga and her 9 avataars. This year, Shardiya Navratri 2024 will be observed from October 3, 2024, to October 11, 2022 and October 12 will be celebrated as Vijayadashmi.
The festival marks the arrival of Goddess Durga on Earth, and during these 9 days devotees worship and offer prayers along with special foods to the nine avatars of Goddess Durga. During these 9 days, devotees observe fast to please Goddess Durga with their devotion. While some devotees observe fast for 9 days, there are others who observe them in jodas (couple)- the first two or last two days of the Navratri.
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According to Drik Panchang, the Ghatasthapana Muhurat marks the beginning of Navratri puja. Also known as Nav Durga, these nine days are dedicated to nine avatars of Maa Durga which are Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skandamata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kalaratri, Maa Mahagauri and Maa Siddhidatri. The festival is also said to foster a sense of community and cultural identity. It is celebrated with dance, music, and various local traditions, showcasing the rich diversity of Indian culture.
See more: Navratri 2024: Essential bhog for all 9 avatars of Goddess Durga to make your pooja fruitful

Take a look at the puja muhurat and timing
Shardiya Navratri 2024: Ghatsthapana Muhurat
Pratipada Tithi Begins -October 03, 2024 - 12:18 AM
Pratipada Tithi Begins -October 04, 2024 - 02:58 AM
Ghatasthapana Muhurta - October 3, 2024 - From 05:38 AM To 06:40 AM
Ghatasthapana Abhijit Muhurta -October 3, 2024 - From 11:12 AM To 11:59 AM
Kanya Lagna Begins - October 03, 2024 - 05:38 AM
Virgo Lagna Ends - October 03, 2024 - 06:40 AM
Read more: Navratri 2024: Fasting rules to follow and what to eat and avoid during the 9-day festival
Food rules to follow during the 9 days
During 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 look

Do’s
1. 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’ts
1. 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.what not to eat

Must-try foods during Navratri
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: This healthy snack 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.