Can I Eat Poha or Upma During Navratri Fasting? A Guide to Vrat-Friendly Options

November 3, 2025 •

4 min read

With fasting during Navratri serving as both a spiritual observance and a dietary reset, many wonder about traditional breakfast staples. The question, 'Can I eat poha or upma during Navratri fasting?', often arises, and the answer lies not in avoiding these dishes entirely but in adapting them with permitted, vrat-friendly ingredients.

Quick Summary

This article explains why regular poha and upma are typically not allowed during Navratri fasts due to their grain content. It provides guidance on making fast-friendly versions using approved ingredients like sabudana and samak rice for a nutritious, energy-sustaining meal.

Key Points

Regular Poha and Upma are Not Allowed: Traditional recipes use flattened rice and semolina (sooji), both restricted grains during Navratri fasting.
Use Sabudana for Vrat Poha: Swap flattened rice for tapioca pearls (sabudana) to create a delicious and energizing sabudana khichdi, a perfect fast-friendly alternative.
Use Samak Rice for Vrat Upma: Substitute semolina with barnyard millet (samak rice) to make a light, flavorful, and permissible upma.
Rock Salt and Peanuts Are Key: Always use sendha namak (rock salt) instead of regular salt and include roasted peanuts for added flavor, texture, and protein in your vrat dishes.
Avoid Onion, Garlic, and Common Spices: Stick to the sattvik guidelines by omitting onion and garlic, and using only approved spices like cumin and black pepper.
Embrace the Nutritional Alternatives: Fast-friendly millets like samak rice are rich in fiber and provide sustained energy, making your fasting experience both satisfying and healthy.

During the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri, many devotees observe a fast known as vrat or upvaas. This tradition involves strict dietary rules, primarily based on sattvik (pure) foods, and requires abstaining from common grains like wheat and rice. The restriction on these staple grains means that regular poha (made from flattened white rice) and upma (made from sooji or semolina, a wheat derivative) are generally not permitted during a traditional fast. However, modern and regional variations have embraced delicious, nutritious, and perfectly permissible alternatives that allow you to enjoy similar dishes while honoring the fast's traditions.

The Traditional Rule: Why Regular Poha and Upma Are Restricted

The core reason regular poha and upma are typically off-limits during Navratri is their main ingredient: flattened rice and semolina, respectively. Both are derived from restricted grains, which are avoided as part of the upvaas diet. In addition, the preparation of these dishes often involves ingredients that are also prohibited during the fast, such as common table salt (replaced with sendha namak, or rock salt), onions, and garlic.

Permissible and Delicious Alternatives

Thankfully, observing a Navratri fast does not mean giving up on these beloved breakfast items. The solution is simple: swap the restricted base ingredients for their fast-friendly counterparts.

The Vrat-Friendly Upma: Samak Rice

For a permissible version of upma, use samak rice, also known as barnyard millet or vrat ke chawal. This gluten-free millet provides a digestible and energy-sustaining alternative to semolina.

Vrat Ka Upma Recipe Outline

Preparation: Rinse and soak the samak rice for at least an hour to ensure it cooks up soft and fluffy.
Tempering: In a pan, heat ghee or peanut oil. Add cumin seeds (jeera) and let them splutter. Add chopped ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves. You can also add peanuts for a satisfying crunch.
Veggies and Spices: Add diced potatoes and sauté until they are almost cooked. Add rock salt (sendha namak) and black pepper to taste.
Cooking: Add the drained samak rice and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is soft and fluffy.
Finishing Touches: Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving hot.

The Fast-Friendly Poha: Sabudana

To create a Navratri-approved poha, the traditional flattened rice is swapped with sabudana (tapioca pearls). This version, often called sabudana khichdi, is a popular and energy-rich fasting meal.

Sabudana Poha Recipe Outline

Preparation: Rinse the sabudana thoroughly until the water runs clear. Soak it in enough water to just cover the pearls for several hours, or as per package instructions, until they are soft and plump.
Tempering: Heat ghee or peanut oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add green chilies, curry leaves, and a generous amount of roasted, crushed peanuts for texture and protein.
Assembly: Add the soaked sabudana pearls, rock salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine without mashing the pearls.
Cooking: Cover and cook on low heat for a few minutes until the sabudana turns translucent.
Finishing Touches: Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and a dash of lemon juice. Serve warm with plain curd for a balanced meal.

Comparing Vrat-Friendly and Regular Preparations

To highlight the key differences and help you remember which ingredients to use, here is a comparison table.


Feature	Regular Poha	Vrat-Friendly Sabudana Poha	Regular Upma	Vrat-Friendly Samak Rice Upma
Main Ingredient	Flattened white or red rice	Sabudana (tapioca pearls)	Sooji (semolina)	Samak rice (barnyard millet)
Allowed?	No (with some regional exceptions)	Yes	No	Yes
Salt	Regular iodized salt	Rock salt (sendha namak)	Regular iodized salt	Rock salt (sendha namak)
Onion & Garlic	Included	Avoided	Included	Avoided
Spices	Cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric	Cumin, black pepper	Cumin, mustard seeds	Cumin, black pepper
Protein Source	Peanuts, sometimes eggs	Peanuts	Sometimes lentils or nuts	Peanuts, paneer

The Nutritional Aspect of Vrat-Friendly Meals

The Navratri diet is designed to be detoxifying and restorative, focusing on easily digestible, sattvik foods. The allowed ingredients are surprisingly nutrient-rich.

Barnyard Millet (Samak Rice): This millet is an excellent source of energy and fiber. It helps maintain stable energy levels and is light on the stomach, aligning perfectly with the purpose of fasting.
Tapioca Pearls (Sabudana): Primarily a carbohydrate source, sabudana provides a quick burst of energy and is very easy to digest. When combined with peanuts, it becomes a more balanced and satisfying meal.
Peanuts: A staple in many fast-friendly dishes, peanuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. They help keep you feeling full and prevent energy crashes during the day.
Vegetables: Adding vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and bottle gourd to your vrat-friendly dishes boosts the nutritional value with essential vitamins and minerals.

Conclusion: Fasting with Flavor and Tradition

While the strict rules of Navratri fasting may seem limiting, they encourage a shift towards wholesome, naturally sourced foods. By simply replacing the base ingredients of traditional dishes like poha and upma with fast-approved alternatives like sabudana and samak rice, you can continue to enjoy nourishing, delicious, and fulfilling meals that honor your dietary observances. The vrat-friendly versions not only respect tradition but also offer a healthy, balanced, and energizing diet for the festive season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Regular poha is made from flattened white rice and upma from sooji (semolina), both of which are considered grains and are restricted during a traditional Navratri fast. The fasting diet focuses on specific millets and pseudo-grains.

The fast-friendly alternative for poha is sabudana poha, or sabudana khichdi, which is made from tapioca pearls instead of flattened rice. It is a popular and energy-rich fasting dish.

For a vrat-approved upma, you can use samak rice (barnyard millet) instead of sooji or semolina. This version is cooked with fast-appropriate vegetables and spices.

During Navratri fasting, you should use rock salt (sendha namak) instead of regular salt. Cumin seeds (jeera) and black pepper are also generally allowed, while onion and garlic are prohibited.

Yes, adding permitted vegetables is encouraged. Common options include potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots. They add flavor and nutritional value to your fasting meal.

Some regional traditions, particularly in Southern India, may allow poha (avalakki) if it is prepared without onion and garlic. However, this is not a universal rule and depends on family traditions.

For frying or sautéing during your fast, you should use pure ghee (clarified butter) or peanut oil. These are considered falahari and are suitable for Navratri cooking.