Navratri, the nine-day-long Hindu festival, is centred on worshipping Maa Durga, the supreme manifestation of Shakti. During these nine days, people indulge in feasting as well as fasting. Devotees who observe fasts abstain from grains, and eat preparations made of buckwheat, sago and potatoes instead. It is said that fasting or observing vrat during these days increases one’s spiritual prowess. One person who religiously follows fasting strictly during Navratri is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to multiple accounts, PM Modi has been following Navratri fasting for the last forty years without fail. Despite holding the country’s most important and busiest office, the PM makes sure that he adheres by the vrat during Navratri. Here are some Navaratri fasting tips from the Prime Minister himself. How to Observe Sharad Navratri Vrat for Nine Days While Staying Healthy and Energetic.

Media reports suggest that PM Modi strictly observes the fast for all nine days, as opposed to only on Navami and Pratipada, for both the Navratris in the year.

In 2014, when he was on a visit to the US during Navratri, he still stuck to the fast. Even other events such as elections and GST rollout didn’t deter him. Here is how PM Modi observes Navratri fasts. 5 Lessons in Diet and Fitness From The Prime Minister of India.

• PM Modi, who is known for early rising, gets up at 4 am even when he is observing the fast. Getting up early is important because it gives you enough time in the morning to start your day. So it keeps you stress free and your mind calm on a spiritual day.

• Soon after he wakes up PM Modi spends some time performing yogasanas like Surya Namaskar and Pranayama. The breathing exercises energise him for the day ahead by boosting oxygen supply. That way, he won’t feel fatigued to go without food.

• Usually, people fasting on Navratri have milk preparation and grains. But PM Modi observes a strict fast where he sips only on lemonade or water throughout the day. Lemon juice acts as a cleanser, removing toxins from the body. While Navratri is about purging darkness in the mind through spiritual practices, the fasting allows for purging harmful substances accumulated in the body.

• Drinking lemonade also gives him the energy he requires in the absence of food.

• Water helps hydrate the body during the fast, prevent episodes of low blood pressure, remove toxins from the body, maintain acid-base levels, transport nutrients to the cells and prevent fainting spells.

To observe a proper and strict Navratri fast like PM Modi, start small. Don’t pledge to fast for all the nine days in the beginning. Start with a day and push your limits little by little. It may have taken the PM many years to get accustomed to fasting. Going by his lifestyle, he is also quite fit for his age. If you have a busy schedule that involves a lot of travelling or have underlying health conditions like low BP or blood sugar, consult a dietician or your personal physician before you fast.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 28, 2019 05:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).