Of pandals and sundal: What navrathri looks like on a plate

Through three individuals, we trace the culinary aspect of the nine-day celebrations and see how each community has a different way of commemorating it. Right from sundal and kolu at a Tamil household to the grandeur and aroma emanating from a Durga pujo pandal, we take a look at what makes festivals in India so special — food.

Every Tamil household has a different menu during Navrathri but a common factor is the varieties of sundal made on all nine days. They’re made using legumes and pulses which are garnished with seasoning, grated coconut and chopped raw mango if it’s available. This is offered to the deity first and then served to guests who come home to see the kolu arrangement. On Fridays during Navrathri, I make sweet pongal, rice puttu and vadai apart from the usual food. Especially on Saraswathi pooja, since no one at home eats payasam because we have to keep our health concerns in mind, I make a modhak called suyam. First, I soak urad dhal in water overnight and grind it into a paste the next morning. I made a filling with jaggery and grated coconut and shape it into a ball. I dip the ball in the dhal batter and deep fry it.

Though Navrathri celebrations are a big deal for the Gujarati community, we go on a nine-day fast during the festival. The only advantage is that we don’t follow a “no-food policy” but stay away from onion, garlic, wheat flour and rice. There are plenty of options to choose from and is called vrath food, which mainly consists of sweet potato bajji or sabudana vada, which is just like the masala vada down south. On the tenth day of the festival, a grand feast is served and includes poli with kadhi, all kinds of sweets, dhokla, puri, khandvi, etc. On this day, some households consider it a must to make and eat malpua.

Durga pujo and authentic Bengali cuisine are like synonyms for me. I make sure I satisfy my cravings by going to different pandals and eating the authentic bhog served here. It consists of khichdi with a mixed vegetable subzi called labra, tomato chutney and payesh — the bhog is served to everyone who visit the pandal at no cost. In the evenings, we all lets loose and hog. Caterers are brought down from Kolkata and they set up stalls inside the pandal. Even non-veg is served during this time in the form of momos, Kolkata rolls and more. On Panchami, a tradition called Anando Mela happens, where all the ladies in a neighbourhood bring one dish from home and have a potluck lunch of sorts. Also, I’m not sure if it happens in Chennai, but in Kolkata, on Dashami after the Durga idol has been submerged, it’s essential to go back home and cook fish.