Fasting is an ancient practice found across cultures, revered for its physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. In India, Navratri fasting is a ritual of purification, discipline, and energy realignment. Modern research confirms what sages intuited centuries ago; intermittent fasting improves digestion, detoxifies the body, stabilises blood sugar, and enhances mental clarity.
During Navratri, the body responds naturally to lighter, sattvic foods such as buckwheat (kuttu), water chestnut (singhara), amaranth (rajgira), and millets, complemented by vegetables, fruits, nuts, and dairy that restore vital nutrients.
A crucial element of these meals is sendha namak (rock salt). Unlike refined salt, sendha namak is unprocessed and mineral-rich, gentle on the stomach and ideal for fasting. Its subtle taste enhances natural flavours, balances electrolytes, aids hydration, and supports digestion, embodying the essence of mindful eating. Every dish on a Navratri thali, seasoned with sendha namak, nourishes the body while remaining light and energising. A Navratri upwas thali is a feast for the senses, featuring Kuttu Ka Cheela, Kuttu Ka Poori, Singhara Ladoo, Vart Wale Aloo, Sabudana Poha, & Khichdi, Paneer Tikka, Muthiyas, and a fresh fruit salad. Each dish reflects tradition and care, offering flavours that delight while energising the body. Singhara Ladoo: Dry roast singhara flour in ghee until aromatic. Add jaggery and cardamom powder, mixing to form a thick mixture. Let it cool slightly and shape into small ladoos. Garnish with chopped nuts.
Kuttu Ka Cheela: Mix buckwheat flour with grated bottle gourd, green chilies, cumin, and sendha namak. Add water gradually to make a smooth batter. Heat a non-stick pan, brush lightly with ghee, and pour a ladleful of batter. Spread gently like a pancake. Cook on medium heat until golden on both sides. Serve with curd or green chutney. Other favourites, like Vart Wale Aloo, are lightly spiced, Sabudana Poha energises mornings. Paneer Tikka adds indulgence, Kuttu Ka Poori provides comforting warmth, Muthiyas offer a hearty bite, and a fruit salad rounds off the thali with freshness and natural sweetness. For an ideal fasting thali, soak grains and flours before cooking, use ghee moderately, and hydrate with tender coconut water, herbal teas, or fresh fruit juices. Serve dishes on a bright, colourful thali, garnished with coriander, pomegranate seeds, or nuts, making each meal a visual and culinary delight. Navratri fasting unites devotion, simplicity, and vitality — kuttu, singhara, and sendha namak create mindful, nourishing meals.
