Chaitra Navratri is a Hindu festival celebrated over nine days during the Chaitra month (March-April) of the Hindu lunar calendar. It marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and is dedicated to worshipping the goddess Durga and her various incarnations. Chaitra Navratri 2024 will be observed from April 9 to April 17. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to a different form of the goddess, with special prayers, rituals, and fasting observed by devotees. Chaitra Navratri 2024 Dates: Know Puja Vidhi, Fasting Rituals and More About the Hindu Festival Worshipping Navadurga.

The festival of Chaitra Navratri culminates with Ram Navami, Lord Rama's birthday, which falls on the ninth day of the festival. During this auspicious period, devotees fast, chant prayers, visit temples and participate in community gatherings. As you observe Chaitra Navratri 2024, we at LatestLY have put together a list of Prasad items for all nine days of festivities.

Day 1 (Pratipada): Coconut Ladoo

Made with grated coconut and sugar and flavoured with cardamom, coconut laddoos symbolise purity and are offered as a sweet offering to the goddess.

Day 2 (Dwitiya): Kala Chana Sundal

Cooked black chickpeas seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, coconut, and spices, Kala Chana Sundal is a savoury dish often prepared as an offering on Navratri.

Day 3 (Tritiya): Kheer

A creamy rice pudding cooked with milk and sugar and flavoured with cardamom and saffron, kheer represents sweetness and abundance and is offered to the goddess as a dessert.

Day 4 (Chaturthi): Banana Halwa

A rich and decadent dessert made with ripe bananas, ghee, sugar, and nuts, banana halwa is offered to the goddess as a sweet and indulgent treat.

Day 5 (Panchami): Puri

Deep-fried bread made with wheat flour, puris are offered as a savoury item and spicy potato curry (aloo sabzi) to the goddess as prasad.

Day 6 (Shashthi): Sabudana Khichdi

This light and flavourful dish, made with soaked sago pearls, peanuts, and potatoes and seasoned with cumin seeds, is offered as a fasting-friendly prasad option.

Day 7 (Saptami): Chana Dal Payasam

A creamy and aromatic dessert made with split Bengal gram (chana dal), coconut milk, and jaggery, and flavoured with cardamom and nuts, chana dal payasam is offered to the goddess as a sweet offering.

Day 8 (Ashtami): Panjiri

A nutritious sweet made with whole wheat flour, ghee, sugar, and nuts, panjiri is often prepared as prasad during Navratri and is believed to be a favourite of the goddess.

Day 9 (Navami): Besan Ladoo

Made with chickpea flour (besan), ghee, sugar, and flavoured with cardamom, besan ladoos are a classic prasad item offered to the goddess as a symbol of devotion and gratitude.

These prasad items are offered to the goddess with reverence and devotion and later distributed as blessings among devotees. Wishing everyone a Happy Chaitra Navratri 2024!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2024 11:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).