Navratri Fasting

There are 2 Navratri comes in a calendar year. As per Hindu calendar, one is called Chaitra Navratri which comes in month of Chaitra (nearby March-April) and another is called Asho Navratri which comes in month of Asho (nearby September-October). Navratri is being celebrated all over India differently. There are many different rituals and tradition across different states in India.

Observing fast during Navratri is one of them. People observe fast with different diet plan. It is being said, observing fast during the Navratri, gives health benefits, because of it, being coming on start of season change. After Chaitra Navratri comes Summer season and After Asho Navratri comes Winter season. I observed 7 day fast last Asho Navratri in October month. In my fasting, I took only fruits, nuts and milk/tea. No salt, no vegetables, no grain, etc. Same I am trying to do it again in this Chaitra Navratri. I will start fasting from 1st tithi (day) and keep till 8th tithi (day) evening. On 9th tithi (day) will break the fast. Generally it will be 8 day fasting. Unless if some times 2 tithi fall on same day, then it becomes 7 days fasting.

I personally believes it is good idea to give a relax to digestive system once a year. It teaches two thing. One to keep the vow, that will makes one mentally stronger. Second, it teaches importance of food and need of our body.

Precaution

This post is just my personal experience about fasting. I do not recommend anyone to do it. Please consider taking medical or dietitian advice before start doing any kind of fasting. 

At the end of Navratri, I lost 2 kg weight, it can be due to lean muscle loss. So please do not follow me blindly. It may not be good for you. I did it just for my experience and learning.

Day-1

It is the first day of fasting. I wake up at usual time by 6 am. Had Tea, then went for playing Tennis in morning at 7 am. Played tennis for an hour. Playing Tennis has become part of my lifestyle now from last some time. This keeps me physically fit.

After coming back to home, decided to measure the health parameter which is possible to do at home. I will again measure same parameters, at the end of fasting and see how much it is affected by my fasting. Following are the readings of day-1:

• Oxymeter reading: Oxygen: 99; Pulse Rate: 87
• Weight: 60kg
• Sugar level: 115
• Blood pressure: 110 Sys 76 Dia

Today I am not feeling any difference in health. It is going as normal as it use to be. I had fruits in morning and afternoon. I will continue to take fruits during regular food time. So basically in breakfast, lunch and dinner, I will be eating fruits instead of regular food.

In evening went to Iscon temple with Dad. It was amazing environment. Dad want to do some volunteer work there. So we enquired about same. One Iscon disciple, asked us to enrol in Sunday courses which they provide. After that one can do volunteer work.

At 7:30 pm, back to home. I decided to do guided mindfulness today. It was to be done by lying on bed and follow instructions. Suddenly in some time body became so relaxed and I went into sleep unknowingly.

At 9 pm, suddenly woke up. Everyone had dinner. I am anyway is taking only fruits. So after wake up took some fruits. Then was watching TV for 15-20 mins. Spent some time listening inspiring stories, then reading some articles.

At 11:00 pm was trying to sleep. Mostly I get sleep immediately, but today I was not able to. Probably due to extra sleep in evening. Whole night I was half awake. Hardly able to get any sleep. So it is not very good start.

Day-2

Yesterday night, I was not able to get any sleep. But still not feeling much tired after wake up. May be one and half hour sleep yesterday in evening was enough.

Today went for morning walk for 30 mins. No Tennis today. I am not feeling much difference from health wise. I am taking fruits at regular intervals.

One thing I have noticed is, I have mouth ulcer developed on left side of my mouth, which is paining little bit, when I am eating. I used to get this annoying thing in past as well. Don't know why it happens. It could be due to nutrition deficiency. Hopefully it will get healed on its own in few days.

Tonight also, I am not getting sleep. Whole night I was awake. This is not good sign. Before fasting I had no sleep problems. I am also feeling continuous headache tonight.

Day-3

Woke up at 6 am, went for Tennis. Played for hour and half. While playing was feeling a headache. Headache could be due to not getting enough sleep from past two days.

Back to home, took bath and eating regular fruits, feeling little better.

Today office is on. Currently I am working from home, so I don't have to travel to office. But need to attend meetings and do regular work. Work wise it is bit loaded currently, but still manageable.

Overall, I am feeling bit fainted from energy wise. Feeling less energetic. If I hold heavy item, I could sense more heaviness. Seems my sense have become more sensible now.

I am able to do all work as normal, just a bit of headache and feeling of faintness is there. In afternoon, had sound sleep for one hour. After wake up, feeling so much better and positive now.

Day-4

Woke up at regular time. Yesterday night finally had good sleep. Feeling good after wake up. No faint feeling or headache today. Today, I need to do some self study, so no time for Tennis. Morning went much better than yesterday.

Taking fruits at regular food time. Now it seems body has started adjusting to new diet. Fruits which I am taking so far are Apple, Banana, Grapes, Oranges, Chikoo and Melon. In evening taking dry fruits like Cashew, Groundnut, Almonds and Dates. Now after eating this raw fruits from last three days, that too without salt or any seasoning, mind is craving for tasty and salty food. Challenge for next 4 days will be to keep mind in control.

Most of the day spent in office work, so days are going quickly now.

Day-5

Today woke up early, went for morning walk at 6:30 am. Taking fruits in breakfast. Seeing just fruits and fruits in my plate. Lot of fruits. But mind is craving for salty and spicy food.

Good that office is on. So mind is not creating much trouble, except at time on dinning table, when others are eating regular food. One thing noticed, my fruit intake has reduced now. Even with that, there is no feeling of faintness, it's like normal days.

Drinking enough water due to summer. Ulcer in mouth are still there. Probably will stay till last day.

Day-6

Yesterday night slept early by 10:30 pm. It was good sleep. Woke up by 4 am only. After wake up, writing journal for some time and then again slept for some more time. Then went for Tennis. Played for 30-40 mins. Today playing with ease, and conserving energy.

Following same routine, taking fruits regularly. There is no feeling of weakness or headache. It's is all going good.

In evenings, was watching live telecast of "Chaitra Chath Havan" from Vayad. Now two more days to go.

Day-7

Good sleep yesterday night. Feeling much like normal day today with more freshness. No feeling of tiredness or headache. As usual eating fruits regularly.

Today mouth ulcer also recovered. May be orange did some magic in last 2 days. Initial 4-5 days I used to have Apples and now from last 2 days taking Oranges. It seems Orange filled the nutrition deficiency and it healed ulcers.

The feeling of hungry is same as before. Like during breakfast time or lunch time or dinner time, feels hunger. Then after taking one or two fruit, it feels full. It's like now body is adjusted to new diet chart. It feels like necessity of body has also reduced. Mind is not judging food as tasty or less tasty food anymore.

Day-8

Today wake by 6 am, feeling good. Had good sleep yesterday night as well. I could not realise, today is now the last day of fasting. Time is running so fast. Tomorrow morning will finally break the fast. And after that, will start taking regular food.

All fruits I got on day one has finished, some new one to get. So Goal is almost accomplished. One last push to finish it off now.

This 8 days were so special to me. Many things learnt from this. It made me experience changes in body with changes in diet. It learned me that, things might looks very difficult at start, but when you jump into it and learn to flow with it, it becomes manageable. May be that's how we learn things. It made me mentally stronger to keep vow. Even though, initial 2-3 days didn't went well, I somehow able to manage and keep doing it.

Day-9 (Closing Day)

Today now I am breaking fast. Overall It was good learning experience. Some ups and downs came in a way, but finally made it to the end. It is giving me a sense of achievement. It feels so good.

Today took measurement again:

• Oxymeter reading: Oxygen: 97; Pulse Rate: 90
• Weight: 58kg
• Sugar level: 173
• Blood pressure: 126 Sys 64 Dia

Difference is 2kg weight lost (hopefully it will be recovered in some days), sugar level increased (may be b'cos of reading taken today is after breakfast, and one taken on day 1 was before breakfast), Blood pressure is affected a bit. Not seeing major changes as such. Health wise I am feeling better.

Now on final day, I am revealing that, from where, how and why I get into this fasting things. All this is inspired from the book. It is the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi (The Story of my Experiment with Truth). It is one of the most inspiring book I read, which impacted me a lot. Gandhiji did many experiments throughout his life. One experiment with food was fruit diet. He started consuming just fruits in his later stage of life and he was doing all fine.

I thought to experiment same and see how it impacts me physically and mentally. One may gain knowledge by reading book but can not get experience. To gain experience, one needs to experience it. Once experienced, it can be explored further with changes. It's like testing some arithmetic algorithm. We need to test with different set of inputs and see the output. More data points we have more clear understanding we will have with respect to working of algorithm. Similarly more experience we get, more clear understanding it will be.

Now questions was to when and how to do it? While thinking about it, I found one best option is to do it in Navratri. So I combined both Science (ie. experiment) and Spiritual (ie. Navratri) aspect together to make it better. It fitted so well that I can do it once or twice in a year as per my wish. And since many other people also does some kind of fasting during same period, it feels connected. I wish to keep doing every year at least once if not twice. And may be add or delete certain things to explore the impact of fasting on body further.

Finally I am concluding here saying Thank you to Lord Krishna, to give me lot of energy and mental strength to do it. I am Thankful to my family for supporting me. They were so much worried for me whole week. Many times they were unhappy with me and tried to convince me to break fasting. But finally now, when I finished it, I am happy with my decision of continuing it. There is no learning without experiencing it.