Recipes for Nagula Chavithi Naivedyam (Nov 8, 2021)

Nagula Chavithi is the day people in Andhra Pradesh worship Nagas or snakes. This festival falls on the fifth day after Naraka Chaturdashi (This year Nagula Chavithi is on November 8, 2021). On this day, in my home, we:

1. fast through the day;
2. worship nagas;
3. offer naivedyam of:
   1. Vada Pappu
   2. Chalimidi
   3. Chimmili 
   4. Panakam
   5. bananas, and milk
4. Eat at night after the Mangala Aarathi. The only food we eat is that offered as naivedyam.

Traditionally, women visit the nearest pamula putta or snake pit to pray to the snake god. If a pamula putta is not accessible (as is the case in Mumbai), we make an idol of the snake god with wheat flour and offer prayers to this idol. On the next day, this idol of the snake god is either immersed in a water body or left on a tree as a symbolic way of returning him to nature.

Read more about Nagula Chavithi at http://theancientindia.blogspot.in/2012/11/nagula-chavithi-festival-for-snake-god.html

Recipes for Nagula Chavithi Naivedyam

This first recipe is for a super simple Sesame Laddu. After all, when you are fasting, you don’t want to spend a great amount of time cooking, do you? The best part about these laddus is that they are tiny balls packed with energy and nutrients. So having these means that you feel weak or tired.

Chimmili | Nuvvula Undalu | Sesame and Jaggery Laddus

Chimmili or Nuvvula Undalu are Sesame and Jaggery Laddus that are very easy to make and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Rich in calcium and iron, these healthy Til aur Gur ke Laddu are a must for Nagula Chavithi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

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Carbs are a must for energy and even on your day of fasting, you can get a quick carb reload with these rice flour laddus. Once again, these need no cooking and can be made in less than 15 minutes. The sugar in them will give you the quick energy boost that you need as well.

Pachi Chalimidi Or Akki Thambittu

Almost every festival in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will include Chalimidi in some form as a naivedyam or prasadam. It is called Akki Thambittu in Karnataka.

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Panakam is the ideal drink to quench the thirst and give you a quick boost of energy. The pepper and dry ginger in it will keep you warm, and ensure your digestion is not affected by the fasting.

Panakam | Bellada Panaka | Panagam

Panakam is a sweet and spicy drink served as naivedyam on Rama Navami and many other festivals. It is also a drink that cools the body and so we keep it on hand in summer.

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No meal is complete without protein, is it? This moon cucumber salad will keep you full, and give you a good dose of easy-to-digest protein to ensure that your fasting day meal is well-balanced. The coconut in it will provide the necessary good fats as well.

Vada Pappu | Kosambari for Rama Navami

Called Vada Pappu in Andhra Pradesh and Kosambari in Karnataka, this is a simple salad made with soaked moong dal and finely chopped cucumber. It is a must for Rama Navami.

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I first created this post and have been updating it every year. This year I added this recipe roundup. 🙂