The festival of Karwa Chauth is almost here and women across the country are preparing to embark on a day-long fast to mark the occasion. On the 13th of October, Nirjala Vrat will be observed and women participating in the ritual won’t eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset and only break the fast after the moon rises in the evening. During the day, women offer prayers for the well-being and longevity of their spouses.
The Sargi is a pre-dawn thali that is usually prepared by the woman’s mother-in-law or elder sisters of the family and consumed in a communal style with all the women of the household eating together. It usually consists of five to seven dishes including rotis, vegetable curries, homemade mithais and sweets, dry fruits, nuts and fresh fruits. The Nirjala fast is broken when the woman gazes on and prays to the moon before looking at their husband's face. After that, they are fed a bite of food and water and the Sargi begins.
Though some people might not think a 24-hour fast is very long, for those who are unaccustomed to it, it can be very uncomfortable and in worst-case scenarios even dangerous for your physical health. To prepare well for the fast, you should eat balanced meals and also stay well-hydrated. There are also some things you should try to avoid eating during your Sargi meal or even the day before to ensure your body is in the best shape to fast without discomfort.
Salty Food
Foods that are high in salt contain a lot of sodium which can exacerbate the effects of dehydration in the body. Sodium aggravates the body’s ability to process and excrete salt by forcing the kidneys to excrete more water in order to eliminate the extra salt.
Fried Food
We all love fried food but when you need to fast it can weigh very heavily on the stomach as all the grease takes more time to digest. Avoid anything deep fried during Karwa Chauth to minimise any nausea you might feel.
Caffeine
Coffee addicts beware, your morning cup should be skipped during Karwa Chauth since caffeine has a tendency to dehydrate the body since it acts as a diuretic and disrupts the digestive system causing you to urinate more frequently.
Meat
In Ancient Ayurvedic beliefs, every food falls under a particular category, and meats are Tamasic in nature, which means that they can increase weakness and laziness. Of course when you’re skipping a whole day of eating, you need your strength, so better skip the meat too.
Processed Sweets
Sugar makes up a large chunk of our energy source. But when you buy overly-processed sugars they can make you thirsty and more hungry. So it’s better to stick with sweets that are made at home for moderation.
