DUSSEHRA TRADITIONS The festival of Dussehra celebrates the victory of good over evil. Also known as Vijay Dashami, it marks the end of Navratri and celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana in most parts of the country. In West Bengal, it is celebrated as the triumph of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Here are some of the key traditions observed throughout the country.
MYSORE DUSSEHRA Easily one of the most vibrant celebrations in India. It is celebrated as the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari over Mahishasura. The Mysore Palace, the seat of the Maharaja of Mysore, is illuminated with thousands of lights for the duration of the festival. A stunning visual spectacle, people come from far and wide to see it, as well as witness the many cultural performances held in the city. On the final day, an idol of the Goddess is taken through the city, seated in a Golden Howdah or golden carrier seated atop the lead elephant in the Jumbo Savari. DURGA PUJA The Durga Puja festivities in West Bengal are an unmissable experience! Preps begin months in advance, pandals are constructed from traditional designs to those mirroring current events, the idols are brought in with much fanfare and there is much feasting and celebrations, from pandal hopping to cultural events etc. On Bijoya Dashami, women celebrate with Sindoor Khela, as they bid adieu to Goddess by smearing vermillion on her forehead and then on each other’s cheeks and forehead.
RAM LILA Navratri is one of North India’s most resplendent festivals. Devotees often fast through the entire period of Sharad Navratri - on the eighth day chole and puri and halwa is made and fed to nine young girls (seen as nine avatars of the Goddess) as part of Kanya Puja or Kanjak. On the last day effigies of Ravana are burnt with great fanfare, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
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DANDIYA What is Navratri without Dandiya and Garba, especially in Gujarat? Navratri evenings are spent enjoying these traditional dances, with devotees dressed in brightly coloured clothes, with much festivity and kusi in the air! TRADITIONAL FOOD When it’s festival time in India can feasting be far behind? There are several traditional delicacies enjoyed at this time in different parts of the country. They include: jalebi and fafda, a bowl of curd with sugar is thought to bring luck and is offered to the Goddess as well, rasgulla, obbattu, paan, kadakani or a sweet crispy puri, lauki halwa and sweet pongal!
Navratri is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar. As the name suggests, it lasts nine nights. While there are four Navratris in a year, Chaitra Navratri, in spring, and Sharad Navratri, in autumn, are celebrated most widely. During Sharad Navratri, which culminates in Dussehra, the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped. Dussehra is also celebrated as the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. Fasting is common among devotees at his time. Did you know that fasting during Navratri has its roots in Ayurveda? Navratri falls around the time the seasons are transitioning; a time associated with low immunity and a higher chance of contracting infections. The fasting helps in cleansing your system and strengthening it from within to deal with the vagaries of the changing seasons. The meals at this time are usually high in fiber and low on spices.
WHAT TO AVOID WHEN FASTING As per Ayurvedic traditions, avoid Rajasic (stimulating) and Tamasic (dullness inducing) foods. These include non-vegetarian food, eggs, alcohol, aerated water, onion and garlic. Rice flour, cornflour, maida, rava, wheat flour, lentils and legumes should also be avoided. Vegetables such as leeks, cabbage, capsicum and mushrooms are generally not consumed. Spices such as hing, mustard and fenugreek seeds, turmeric, garam masala and coriander powder – all believed to be heat inducing – are to be avoided. The food you prepare should not be too spicy or oily.
YOUR NAVRATRI MEAL PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE A typical Navratri fasting meal plan comprises clean sattvic ingredients. The idea is to create simple meals that are nutritious and well-balanced. Here are a few suggestions and ideas to help you create a well-balanced Navratri meal plan. SABUDANA This versatile ingredient is a must-have in most fasting meal plans. These starch-heavy pearls are made from the extracts of tapioca roots. It is rich in carbohydrates and is a good source of energy, especially in the absence of other grains such as rice. You can use sabudana to make a khichdi, vadas, papads or even a kheer. BARNYARD MILLETS High in fibre and gluten free, these nutritious millets can be soaked and cooked like rice and used to make khichdi and pulaos. KUTTU KA ATTA / SINGHARA KA ATTA Make rotis, puris and chapatis with kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour) or singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour). VEGETABLES Traditionally, only a few vegetables are allowed in a Navratri fasting diet. They include sweet potatoes, potatoes, raw bananas, bottle gourd, pumpkin, yam and colocasia. Use them to make simple curries that are minimally spiced or use them in kadhis.
DAIRY PRODUCTS Include dairy products such as butter, cream, milk, curd and paneer in your diet. SPICES & OILS Minimal use of spice and oils are encouraged. Spices that you can use include cumin, cloves, cinnamon, ajwain, black peppercorn, tamarind and green cardamom. Common salt should not be used; instead you can use sendha namak or rock salt. Ideally use only ghee and peanut oil to cook your food. MAKHANAS These white fox nuts are popular as a snack; roasted and spiced with a little rock salt. You can also use them as a sabzi or to make kheer. NUTS & SEEDS Useful as a snack, or added to your kheers, or even vegetables, nuts & seeds such as almonds, raisins, cashews nuts, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds and peanuts serve as a good source of protein and energy. FRUITS The most important element of any fasting diet is fruits. There is usually no restriction on the fruits that you can eat. Eat them as is, use in smoothies or in juices, or as a mixed fruit chaat. It is especially important to stay hydrated while fasting. Drink plenty of water; you can also include tender coconut water. ______________ *Please note that this article is for general information purposes only. Any changes/additions to your diet must only be done as per medical advice.
One question we often hear, especially from mums - “I want to bake a cake for my child, but I don’t want to use refined sugar. Are there any healthier alternatives?” And we say: Yes, there are! Substitutions may involve a bit of trial and error, depending on the level of sweetness desired.
NATURAL SWEETENERS
MASHED BANANAS Rich in potassium, mashed bananas make a great alternative to white sugar in muffins, cakes, brownies etc. One cup of ripe, mashed bananas usually work for 1 cup of sugar. Remember though, to cut down other liquid components in your recipe so as to not overload on the moisture. Organic yelakki bananas at The Organic World
HONEY Honey is rich in antioxidants as well as essential vitamins and minerals and is a great immunity booster. Remember though to cut down the other liquid components to balance out the additional moisture from honey. Wellbe Wild Forest Honey DATE PASTE Soak pitted dates in warm water for around 10-15 minutes. Blitz the soaked dates in a food processor with water to make a thick paste. Apart from adding sweetness to your bakes, the dates also add a unique chewy texture.
COCONUT SUGAR/ BROWN SUGAR While these have a better nutritional profile than white sugar, remember, calorie wise there isn’t much difference. JAGGERY Jaggery is nutritionally richer than sugar and is known for its immunity building properties, but has only a marginally lower calorie count. So keep that in mind when using it!
Did you know? High fructose corn syrup, a sweetener derived from corn, is commonly used in packaged foods, sodas, breakfast cereals etc. But studies have suggested that it could lead to weight gain and spike in insulin levels as well as increase inflammation. High Fructose Corn Syrup is one of the 25 ingredients on The Organic World’s ‘Not In Our Aisle List’ - which means you won’t find any product with it in our stores! *Please note that this article is for general information purposes only. Any changes/ additions to your diet must only be done as per medical advice.
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FITNESS TIPS FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON Worried about your fitness goals going off track this festive season? Sisters In Sweat share a quick workout that helps you stay on track during this time filled with celebrations, food and festivity!
WARM UP Reverse lunge + overhead reach (5 on each side) On the spot jogging (45 seconds) Jumping jacks (45 seconds)
WORKOUT Squats - 15 Sumo squats - 15 Forward lunges - 10 on each leg Repeat x3 Push ups - 15 Variations include- wall push ups, knee push ups. Supermans - 15 Plank shoulder tap - 10 on each side COOL DOWN Cobra pose (20 seconds) Butterfly (20 seconds) Pigeon pose (10 seconds on each leg) Cross body shoulder stretch (20 seconds) Wrist flexion (10 seconds on each arm) Wrist extension (10 seconds on each arm) Standing quad stretch *Please note that this article is for general information purposes only. Please consult your physician or any other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness program to determine if it is right for what you need.
I am Jayanti Bhattacharya, the Co-founder of India Hemp and Co. I am a little bit of everything - I am a founder, student, wife, mother, singer. I’m just wild and I do not feel ashamed. I’m your beer girl, I’m your buddy and nothing in between. You know you wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m a powerhouse of energy and love to constantly learn something new, whether it’s riding an Enfield or SaaS marketing. I’m also very hippie at heart - I love earthy things like moon bathing! I have a collection of rocks with ‘good energy’ on my bedside table.
I spend a lot of time outdoors, I meditate and prioritise my mental and emotional health. I surround myself with real people who have good energy and live by this Oprah Winfrey quote “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.”
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Eating healthy and cooking with healthy alternative ingredients is not a chore - it’s fun and easy! So we thought we would explore this a little more with our Mystery Box Challenge! We sent out a box of healthy ingredients to a few of our customers and challenged them to come up with a dish of their choice with these ingredients at the core! Here are the results of the first challenge!
The Organic World Mystery Box Contents - Honey - Atta - Chocolate 3 Bars - Butter - Nuts / Seeds - Peanuts - Muesli - Banana
Saachi Shetty, brand relations manager for Sisters in Sweat, is a sports science student, dessert consultant, recipe developer and home baker with a home baking business. We sent her our first mystery box... and she rose beautifully to the challenge!
Here’s what Saachi used: Ingredients - 3 overripe bananas - 1 tsp honey - Pinch of salt - 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks - Toppings of your choice (granola, fruit, chocolate, coconut flakes, etc) Method • Chop bananas and freeze them for 6-8 hrs • Add frozen banana slices to a blender • Add salt and honey to blender • Blend until smooth and creamy • Transfer to freezer safe container and fold in chocolate chunks And here’s what she created! A delicious Chocolate Chunk Nice Cream!
Indiranagar | Whitefield | Malleshwaram Yelahanka | Koramangala Bellandur | HSR JP Nagar | Cunningham
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