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With less than a week to go for Mahashivratri, Hindus across the world are leaving no stone unturned to please the lord. From arranging their abundant offerings to the Shivling to preparing themselves for the nirjal upvaas, Shivratri is one of the most lavish festivals among Hindus. The festival falls on the Hindu lunisolar month of phagun and is celebrated with much fervour and enthusiasm across the across. Devotees offer fruits and flowers to lord Shiva, while all-night chanting, prayers and fasting also go on simultaneously.
The nirjal upvas or fast is observed by many people across age groups. Although followed by quite a lot of devotees, it becomes difficult for several others to observe this fast due to various medical and personal reasons. Those who cannot fast can opt for sattvic food during this time. Still confused about what to eat and what not to eat during this period? Here is a list of five foods that you can savour during the Shivratri fast:
1. Non-Cereal Foods
Non-cereal foods like sabudana, ragi, singhara and kuttu are ideal vrat foods. Make some delicious sabudana khichdi without onions and garlic, singhara poori, pakodas and ragi malt to fill your tummy on the day of Mahashivratri.
2. Fruits And Dry Fruits
If you are observing a phallar i.e. a fast where you can consume fruits, milk and water, then you are free to have fruit salads, smoothies and chaats. To amp them up with some crunch, add your favourite dry fruits.
3. Potatoes
If you think you have to give up on your favourite aloo sabzis on Mahashivratri, you might be wrong. You can have your favourite aloo kadhi, aloo sabzi, aloo tikki and so on as long as they don’t have onion, garlic and turmeric.
4. Milk-Based Desserts
Milk is one of the most vital offerings to the deity on Shivratri. Not only offered but milk is also consumed during Mahashivratri. As long as your desserts don’t have cereals, it is safe to relish them. Sabudana kheer, makhane ki kheer, badam milk and so on are great options to energise yourself on Mahashivratri.
5. Vadas And Pakodas
Yes, you heard it right. You can relish your favourite deep-fried goodies while observing the Mahashivratri fast. And nobody can stop you from doing so as soon as you are following the fasting rules of not eating cereals, onion and garlic and non-vrat spices. You can try making aloo pakoda, kacche kele ke pakode and even singhara pakodas to satiate your cravings.
