The auspicious festival of Navratri is celebrated with much pomp by Hindus across the globe. There are two main Navratris which are marked every year - Chaitra Navratri and Sharadiya Navratri. Chaitra Navratri is observed at the cusp of Summer and Spring (March or April), and Sharadiya Navratri is celebrated in Autumn (October-November). The Sharadiya Navratri will begin on October 15 this year and end on 23rd October. Devotees mark this festival by keeping fasts during the nine days and praying to Goddess Durga for her blessings. While some mark the festival by observing fast for the entire nine days, others keep the fast for the first two or last two days of Navratri. And there are certain rules that one must follow while observing these fasts.
Wake up early and take a holy bath.
Devotees observing the fast should practice celibacy.
One should abstain from consuming alcoholic beverages or tobacco.
Refrain from clipping your nails, getting a haircut or shaving your beard during the period.
People can consume kuttu, singhara, sabudana, sama, milk and fruits while observing their partial fast.
Mustard oil and sesame must be avoided. However, you can use peanut oil or ghee as an alternative.
One should not consume processed salt during Navratri and use sea salt as an alternative.
Adherents performing the puja or observing the fast should not sport clothes or accessories made of leather.
Furthermore, they should also refrain from wearing black clothes.
Children, pregnant women or people that have been diagnosed with a severe illness are not supposed to perform the vrat.
Devotees should not sleep during the day.
Staying hygienic and clean is one of the most crucial aspects of Navratri. One should shower daily before starting their day, prepare prasad and offer food to the deity, and keep their house and surroundings clean.