So, here I am sharing a Dussehra special dishes to make on each day. You can make these as navaratri prasadam or even as puja offerings for other festivals.
About Dasara
People all around India celebrate Dussehra or Navratri every year. It spans over nine nights or 10 days in total. The reasons and the way of celebrating is different in the various parts of India. In Andhra Pradesh and some parts of South India, Dasara is celebrated to remember goddess Durga’s victory over demon Mahishasura. Whereas in other regions, it is celebrated in honor of Rama. In Andhra, during the 9 days leading up to Vijayadasami, the nine different forms of avatars of Durga Devi is worshipped. Some families have the tradition of showcasing dolls known as bommala koluvu. All in all, people celebrate this auspicious Hindu festival with great devotion both in the temples and at home. I remember the beautifully decorated goddesses in the temple while growing up. My most favorite part of this festive season is the Navratri prasadam. In some regions, people fast for the 9 days while in other this is the season to enjoy special dishes. Goddess Durga appears in different avatar or form each day. We offer specific prasad or neivedhyam to the goddess every day.
Navratri Prasad for nine days
Navratri prasadam or bhog is the tradition of offering dishes to god. The special dishes vary from region to region. There are few rules to follow while making savory prasad - no onion or garlic. Use of spices is also minimal.
Navratri Prasadam List
Here is a list of Vijayadashami recipes to make for the 9 days of the festival.
Days 1~3
Day 1 ~ Padyami, goddess Shailaputri is the form. We make Pongal as an offering on this day. Katte Pongal or Venn Pongal is a creamy rice and lentil based dish. Black peppercorns, cumin seeds along with ghee add lot of flavor to the dish. This is a typical prasad in many South Indian temples. Day 2 ~ Vidiya, goddess Brahmacharini is the avatar. She embodies penance or tapa. On this day, we offer Pulihora aka tamarind rice as prasad. This is a quintessential rice dish that is made for all special occasions in South India. It is also a very popular prasad offering at many Hindu temples. Day 3 ~ Tadiya, goddess Chandraghanta is the avatar. Simple Coconut rice aka kobbari annam is the offering. Coconut rice is a simple and flavorful rice dish made with a spiced coconut mixture.
Day 4~6
Day 4 ~ Chavithi, goddess Kushmanda is the avatar. This form of Durga is also referred to as the Smiling goddess. Garelu are made as an offering on this day. Vada or garelu are deep fried lentil doughnuts. They are airy inside and crispy outside. They are a popular South Indian breakfast treat. You can either make the traditional urad dal based vada or these moong dal based pesara garelu. Day 5 ~ Panchami, Durga form for the day is goddess Skandamata. She is another form of Parvati. Daddojanam/ perugannam aka curd rice is the prasad on this day. It is a simple cooling dish that is perfect to serve during festivals. Day 6 ~ Shashti, Katyayani is the avatar of the day. She has four hands and she wields a sword and a lotus in two of them. She blesses with the third hand and protects with the fourth one. Rava Kesari aka kesaribath is the offering. We can also make this sweet dish with either sooji rava or wheat rava. Made with ghee, this is a perfect prasad to make for any special occasion, big or small.
Day 7~9
Day 7 ~ Sapthami, goddess Kalaratri is the avatar. She is the one who brings the death of darkness or the one who ends ignorance. Her more common name is Kali. Sakannam which literally means vegetable rice is the offering. This is a simple Dasara recipe that has no onion, garlic and spices, but tastes absolutely delicious. Day 8 ~ Ashtami, Mahagauri is the avatar for the day. Devotees worship her to attain loyalty in relationships and to create life-long bonds. Bellam Payasam or jaggery rice pudding is the offering for the goddess on this day. This is a dairy-free dessert that is creamy and easy to make. Day 9 ~ Navami is the last day before Vijayadasami and goddess Siddhidhatri is the avatar. Kshirannamu/ Paravannam aka Milk rice is the offering. This is nothing but Indian style rice pudding made with milk. Another delicious recipe that is perfect to make during the festival season. Hope you make these Dasara special recipes and enjoy your with your family and friends. Wish you all a very Happy Navratri.
