Author: Rati Chaudhary/TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: October 12, 2005
The age-old popular concept of religious fasting
during navratras is increasingly turning into 'feasting'. Whether one fasts
for just a couple of days or for the entire nine days, the time for strictly
adhering to a fruit diet or consuming just one glass of milk for the entire
day is long gone. Fasting now is a style statement.
Even that rebelliously dressed, carefree,
collegegoer thinks it is either cool to be fasting or just another way of
cutting out those extra calories. With the city restaurants coming up with
special navratra thalis and a whole range of 'navratra' food items one wonders
whether one can actually stick to the traditional abstinence.
Now fasting simply implies that either one
stops eating rice or abstains from consuming ordinary salt.
Munching on endless potato chips, saboodaba
namkeen and guzzling pitchers of coke is seen as the alternative to the dal
roti diet.
Keeping these trends in mind, several restaurants
are introducing 'satvik bhojan' during the navratras. Bukhara restaurant in
Maurya Sheraton Hotel has flagged off the auspicious period with a special
Navratri thali, available from October 4 for lunch and dinner. Costing Rs
795 plus taxes, the thali is a treat with the mouth-watering 'satvik' offerings
of dry paneer, aloo jeera, kuttu puri, yoghourt, saboodana kheer and papad.
Meanwhile, Nirula's is offering a changed
menu with tempting dishes like kashiphal masala, dahi aloo curry, arbi masala,
raita, navratra rice and desserts like phool makhana kheer, saboodana kheer
and rice kheer, all for Rs 120.
Dhaba at Hotel Claridges also presents a special
Navratra Thali for the occasion. The thali includes delicacies like phaldari
seekh, daal mewar ki, paneer aur papad ki bhujiya, dahi ke aloo, arbi ke pakode
and the equally tasty kuttu ki roti and saboodane ki kheer. The guests can
savour these delicacies during both lunch and dinner times for Rs 550 plus
taxes. The famous joint for foodies, Gulati's at Pandara Road, has also been
bitten by, the trend bug. Says Kishan Malik of Gulati's: "The Navratra
festival spells partial fasting for many Hindus. Keeping in mind the sentiments
of people, we are providing, a gamut of enticing Navratra delicacies. The
thali offers a host of palate-tickling dishes like Hariyali paneer, khatte
mithe aloo, sanwak rice, kheer, raita and phirni at Rs 185 plus taxes."
And it is just not about the main course.
For those who think chaat is God's gift to them, they need not worry Special
chaat is available at places like Eatopia at India Habitat Centre for Rs 45
made of sand namak and shakarkandi ki chaat for Rs 95.
So if you thought fasting was not meant for
you think again because the variety of food available for the people who 'f(e)asting'
is no less than what is available for you.