Dussehra navaratri festival recipes

Dasara | Vijayadashmi | Indian fasting recipes

Dussehra Navaratri Festival recipes play an important part in making the Dasara / Navaratri festival more enjoyable. Navaratri / Dussehra is celebrated all over India in the month of October every year.

It is the tenth day in the month of ‘Ashwin’ according to Hindu calendar.

The festival celebration may differ in some ways in every state but the number of days remain same everywhere.

Navarathri (nav – nine + rathri – night) is a nine day festival and the tenth day is known as Vijayadashami (dasha / Das = ten).

In 2026 Navratri

Day 1 – Pratipada – October 11, 2026 (Sunday) – Start of Dasara celebration – Ghatasthapana. Navaratri color of the day – Orange
Day 2 – Dwitiya – October 12, 2026 (Monday) – Brahmacharini pooja, Navaratri color of the day – White

Day 3 – Tritiya, October 13, 2026 (Tuesday) – Sindoor tritiya, Chandraghanta pooja – Navaratri color of the day – Red

Day 4 – Chaturthi, – October 14, 2026 (Wednesday) – Kushmanda pooja – Navaratri color of the day – Royal Blue
Day 5 – Panchami – October 15, 2026 (Thursday) – Skandamata pooja – , Navaratri color of the day – Yellow
Day 6 – Shashti – October 16, 2026 (Friday) – Saraswati avahan, Katyayani pooja. Navaratri color of the day – Green
Day 7 – Saptami – October 17, 2026 (Saturday) – Saraswati pooja, Kalaratri pooja, Navaratri color of the day – Grey
Day 8 – Ashtami – October 18, 2026 (Sunday) – Durgashtami – Navaratri color of the day – Purple
Day 9 – Mahanavami, – October 19, 2026 (Monday) – Navaratri color of the day – Peacock Green

Navratri ends

Day 10 – Vjayadashami – October 20, 2026 (Tuesday) – Ayudh pooja, Durga visarjan

In Karnataka state –

Dasara is celebrated as “Nadhabba’ (means State festival) for ten days. The old capital of Karnataka, Mysore city palace is illuminated all the ten days.

There are cultural programs, music and dance festivals, theater and movie festivals, food festivals, exhibitions are very interesting parts of navaratri and dasara festival.

The whole city of Mysore wears a festive look and there are visitors from other states of India. Many foreigners visit Mysore during this time. Hotels and lodges are full.

The tenth day, the Vijayadashmi day, there is a procession which is witnessed by lakhs of people. Now a days, this procession is shown live on the TV too.

Homes are decorated. Many houses keep ‘Golu’, a stepped arrangement of dolls for 10 days. Everyday a different item is prepared and distributed to the visitors who come to see the ‘golu.’

Vijayadashmi Festival

When we mention a festival, the food associated with that festival comes to mind immediately. Our childhood memories link these foods to the specific festivals. We eagerly wait for that favorite festival to arrive so that we can enjoy those foods in that particular atmosphere.

Of course now a day, you can have any food at any time. But having a particular festival food during the festival itself has a special charm.

Most festival recipes use the ingredients easily available in that particular season and therefore are also healthy for you.

Indian festival food is varied and because of the diversity of the regions, customs the variety is endless. The sweets , the namkeens/savories are so mouth watering, it is difficult to resist them.

Dussehra – Navaratri recipes

kabuli chana chickpeas garbanzo sundal 500x456

Stir fried Chickpeas – Kabuli Chana sundal – Ghugri

Made with kabuli chana – garbanzo beans, prepared on festivals such as Ganesh chaturthi and distributed to the devotees as prasad, also served as a healthy snack.

Chana dal sundal – chickpea – kadale bele

Chana dal sundal – chickpea ghugri – Made in Karnataka and other south Indian states. Served as a prasad too.

Sago – Sabudana khichadi for vrat/upvas

– Made in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka.

Gasagase payasa Khuskhus kheer payasam – poppy seed kheer

Ghasgase payasa – khuskhus kheer – poppy seed kheer

A festive kheer / payasa recipe from Karnataka

moong dal cucumber salad kosambiri 490x422

Moong dal cucumber kosambari

Mung dal or moong dal and cucumber salad

Split chickpeas – Chana dal sundal – Ghugari – Navaratri recipe
Groundnut – Peanut sundal Recipe – Navaratri recipe
Moong dal kosambari – Lentil salad recipe – Navaratri festival salad recipe
Yeriappa – Sweet Appam Recipe – Navaratri – Saraswati pooja Recipe
Corn vada –
Vegetable Adai – For Navaratri fasting
Sweet rice flakes – poha – Aval recipe

In addition to these, you also have many more festival sweets as well as savories as given below.

Indian Festival Sweets

Besan burfi – Chickpea flour fudge

Besan burfi – Indian dessert

Besan burfi – Indian dessert and festival sweet recipe made with Besan / gram flour/ chickpea flour.

Kaju katli – Indian Cashew nut fudge

Kaju katli – Kaju katri – Indian cashewnut fudge

Indian Festival – dessert recipe – Quick and easy to make. Keeps for long.

Carrot halwa - Gajar ka halwa Carrot halwa – Gajar ka halwa

Carrot Halwa -Gajar ka halva

Easy To Make Sweet with Carrots and milk. Keeps in fridge for a week.

Besan laddoo/Chickpea flour balls/laddoo

Besan laddo is made with bengal gram dal flour / chickpea flour. A must for traditional festivals such as Diwali festival.

Shrikhand – Srikhand – Hung curd dessert

Festival sweet – Curd/ Yogurt based dessert recipe, flavored with saffron and cardamom.

Gajar ki kheer – carrot kheer

– Gajar kheer – Carrot kheer

Indian carrot and milk based sweet. Easy to make.

Semiya payasam – sevai kheer – Vermicelli pudding

Semiya payasam – vermicelli pudding – Sevai kheer – Shavige payasa, Traditional Indian sweet – dessert.

Easy to make and doesn’t take a long time. Can keep in fridge for 3 days. Serve hot or cold.

Balu shahi – Badusha
Badam Kheer – Almond Kheer
Beetroot Halwa -Diwali – Deepavali recipe
Kheer – Diwali – Deepavali recipe
Badam Milk – Almond Milk

Festival Rice Recipes

Lemon rice, lime rice, chitranna

Easy to make South Indian rice recipe for festivals, breakfast and when you want a one dish meal.

How to make Sweet coconut Rice – Maharashtrian Narali bhaat

Sweet rice pudding recipe made on Narali Poornima day in Maharashtra, North Karnataka.

Mango rice – Mavinkai chitranna

Spicy Mango rice – Mavinkai chitranna

Mango rice made using sour green mango. Recipe from South India.

Kesari bhaat – Sakhar bhat – Sweet rice Recipe
Sweet pongal – Sankranti Festival Recipe
Curd Rice
Papad Rice

Festival Raita Recipes

spinach-raita
Tomato-Raita
Boondi Raita
Cucumber Salad

Festival Snack Recipes

How to make Thin poha chivda – Rice flakes – aval

made from thin beaten / flattened rice flakes as a easy snack. Diwali festival snack. Keeps for 3-4 weeks.

Poori – Bhaji for breakfast

Puri – Poori – Delicious Indian Fry Bread

Poori is Indian fry bread, popular all over India. It is made with whole wheat flour.

Serve with potato masala or chutney or pickle or curry.

Ambode – Chana Dal vada

Ambode – Chana dal vada –

This South Indian dal vada recipe is a spicy snack recipe – Festival recipe, made with split chickpeas

Vegetable samosa

Vegetable samosa is usually made with potatoes and peas. You may also add some carrot.

Festival Vegetable Recipes

Potato fry – Batata / Aloo bhaji – Aloo subji – Potato masala

Potato masala subji served with Poori – Chapati – dosa

Aloo Gobi-Potato Cauliflower Subzi

Aloo Gobi – Potato Cauliflower Subzi

Aloo Gobi Subji – Potato Cauliflower Subzi – quick and easy side dish for chapati – roti.

aloo gobi cauliflower potato subji 500x465 — Aloo gobi – Cauliflower potato subji

Avial – Kerala festival vegetable side dish

Moong dal cucumber kosambari

Mung dal or moong dal and cucumber salad