Navratri 2019 fasting rules: When to start and end your fasts
Navratri 2019: During Navratri, light and nutritious meals are consumed which could help in protecting the body from various seasonal infections and it is a good time to go purist in terms of food consumption.
Navratri is the start of the nine-day Hindu festival during which Goddess Durga is worshipped. During the festival, devotees fast and perform puja. Navratri also has a scientific significance since during Navratri, light and nutritious meals are consumed which could help in protecting the body from various seasonal infections and it is a good time to go purist in terms of food consumption.
Fasting helps you to cleanse our system and there are certain guidelines which need to be followed while fasting during Navratri.
Dos and don’ts for fasting during Navratri
1. You should have a bath everyday and keep clean all the time.
2. The Navratri diet comprises fruits, nuts, milk and some flours. It is important that you maintain an alkaline diet.
3. The food which is prepared at home is also offered to the deities.
4. A lamp needs to be lit in the morning from the first day and this needs to be done till the last day.
5. Shlokas from Durga Chalisa need to be read and devoted to Goddess Durga.
6. You need to keep your home clean since Goddess Durga is believed to visit people’s houses in her various forms during the Navratri festival.
7. You should not consume alcohol, eggs, non-vegetarian food, drugs, onion or garlic during these nine days. Some also believe that any intimate physical contact is also prohibited.
8. A popular belief is that cutting your nails or stitching should not be done during this time period.
You should also keep the following points in mind if you are fasting during Navratri:
1. It’s imperative to drink lots of water, chaas and coconut water in order to maintain your health.
2. Dieting does not mean starving yourself.
3. Try to avoid fried foods.
4. There will be lots of products which say ‘Diet Chips’ or ‘For Navratri’ which are basically ways to get the customer to buy these products. It is better to opt for home-cooked meals and keep it as simple as possible.
