Navratri Noshing

Fasting during Navratri is a ritual I have followed since my college days. Back then, it wasn’t much about spirituality – it was about relishing the festive delicacies my mother prepared: a simple yet indulgent platter of nostalgia, deeply rooted in tradition. pasty aloo jeera, crunchy sabudana vadas, singhada fritters, and the occasional crunchy makhana or peanut. The flavors, even today, evoke little nuggets of nostalgia.

As years went by, Navratri became more than just a culinary delight. The fasting brought detoxification and a spiritual cleanse of both mind and body. The devotional aspect crept in naturally – reciting verses from the Durga Saptashati while savoring the fasting treats. Yet, each year, the temptation of festival delicacies seems to grow stronger, teasing the palate and tantalizing the taste buds. And with age comes the sneaky arrival of extra adipose tissue. Now, fasting aimed at serves a dual purpose: devotion and dieting. I kick off every Navratri with lofty resolutions – fruits, coconut water, and unsweetened tea – hoping that the demon of extra kilos will burn away along with Ravana on Dussehra.

But the modern food scene has other ideas. Restaurants, with their Instagram-worthy aesthetics rattle off a cornucopia of gourmet fasting specialties, making the fasting mouths drool and lips smacking . Chefs are getting avant-garde with Navratri cuisine, curating delicacies that are as nutritious and balanced as they are indulgent – puris ,vrat dosas, dhoklas, and even sushi made from amaranth, barnyard millet, or buckwheat. A traditional fasting thali adorned with sweet potato chaat or arbi ki sabzi , cool raita and staggering range of snacks, savoury’s and sweets..is now a smorgasbord of culinary excellence.

For homebodies, it’s even easier: a few clicks on Zomato or Swiggy, and a menagerie of vrat-friendly plastic meals appears at your doorstep. Sip lassi, slurp sabudana kheer, nibble on the treats – all while plonked on the sofa, glued to Netflix, guilt conveniently left behind.

So, in today’s era, Navratri has often become just about tasting whatever the palate fancies, defeating the very purpose of fasting and devotion. It seems more about indulgence and less about restraint.

And after ten days of polishing off whopping humongous calories , when we see a blimped-out reflection in the mirror smirking at us, we offer a contrite apology to ourselves. Until next Navratri rolls around which will certainly see chugging loads of fruits and guzzling coconut water………