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Navratri 2023: The nine-day auspicious festival of Navratri is being celebrated across the country with great fanfare and enthusiasm. Navratri is a nine-day auspicious festival that celebrates the nine divine avatars of Goddess Durga. Devotees observe whole-day fasts each day and worship Nav Durga to seek her blessings. This year, Shardiya Navratri is commencing from October 15 and will be celebrated till October 23 as Maha Navami, Durga Puja.

The main ritual of Navratri is fasting for nine days and worshipping Goddess Durga with utmost devotion and dedication. According to ancient beliefs, devotees should abstain from certain foods including non-vegetarian food, alcohol, onion and garlic. There are certain beliefs associated with why one should abstain from eating onion and garlic during the nine auspicious days of Navratri.

Navratri is dedicated to worship of Goddess Durga (Image Credits: Canva)

Why To Avoid Onion And Garlic During Navratri 

During Navratri, devotees install Kalash at their puja place in their homes, and fast for Maa Durga to curb all their hurdles and bring prosperity, health and wealth to their loved ones. Ancient mythology says that even the people who are not observing fast should avoid eating onion and garlic and follow a sattvic diet.

Reasons to not eat onion and garlic during Navratri (Image Credits: Canva)

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It is believed that during Navratri, Goddess Durga descends from heaven to bless her devotees with strength, power, resilience and health. The festival of Navratri is an auspicious time when people denounce worldly pleasures and fast to seek blessings. The Ayurveda states that opting for a sattvic diet helps in easing digestive functions, and takes less time to digest the food, further detoxifying the body.

Onion and garlic are considered tamasic in nature, as per Hindu mythology, and eating them during Navratri increases lust and ignorance. Some believe that onion and garlic are grown underground and while harvesting and cleaning them some creature dies, which is considered inauspicious.

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(Disclaimer: This is based on general public information. Jagran English does not confirm its veracity. Before adopting any measures, consult an expert from the relevant field.)