Navratri Fasting Rules 2023: Dos and Don’ts to Keep in Mind During Shardiya Navratri

SHARDIYA NAVRATRI 2023: The most auspicious festival of the Hindu community, Navratri, is here. Devotees of Maa Durga celebrate the nine-day auspicious festival with immense love and enthusiasm. This festival is celebrated with grandeur and zeal all across the country, symbolising the victory of good over evil. Devotees worship the nine different avatars of Goddess Durga while fasting to seek her blessings.

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Navratri is celebrated four times a year: Sharad Navratri, Chaitra Navratri, Magha Navratri, and Ashadha Gupta Navratri. However, two are more popularly celebrated by the devotees. The first one is known as Chaitra Navratri and is observed in the spring during the months of March or April. The second one is known as the Sharad Navratri, and it is observed in October-November.

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This year, Sharad Navratri will be observed from October 15 to October 23, culminating in Dussehra. During this festival, devotees fast for nine days and engage in various rituals, including Navratri Ghatsthapana, Durga Aarti, Durga Chalisa recitations, Durga Saptashathi Path, Kanya Puja, and lively Garba and Dandiya nights.

Now, amidst the 9-day festivities, fasts are primarily observed in the right way to worship and attain Goddess Durga’s blessings. So, let us walk you through the dos and don’ts that one must follow while observing the fast.

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Navratri Fasting Rules 2023: Dos And Don’ts

1. Devotees should wake up early and take a holy bath during the 9-day festivities.
2. Devotees should avoid consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and non-vegetarian food during the nine-day fast.
3. One should abstain from clipping nails, getting a haircut, or shaving their beard during fasting for Navratri.
4. As part of the fast, devotees can consume kuttu, singhara, sama, milk, sabudana, potatoes, and fruits to boost their energy.
5. Mustard oil and sesame must be refrained during fasting for Navratri. However, one can use peanut oil or ghee as an alternative.
6. Consumption of processed salt must be avoided, whereas you can use rock salt or sendha namak for your Navratri recipes.
7. Devotees should keep in mind not to sleep during the day while observing fasts.
8. Devotees performing the puja or observing the fast should always wear fresh and clean clothes while performing the rituals of the festival and should not sport clothes or accessories made of leather. Additionally, they should refrain from wearing black clothes.
9. Children, pregnant women, or people with severe illnesses should avoid keeping the vrat.
10. During these nine days of Navratri, offer prayers to the nine different forms of Maa Durga and be kind and compassionate.