Chaitra Navratri special: offering jaggery to Goddess Durga blends faith with health benefits

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The sacred festival of Chaitra Navratri is underway. Devotees offer various offerings to the nine forms of Goddess Durga over the nine days, but according to scriptures and tradition, jaggery is Goddess Durga's most beloved. It is especially believed that offering jaggery to all nine goddesses, including Maa Kaalratri (the seventh goddess of Navratri), is considered a sacred offering. Doing so bestows the Goddess's blessings and fulfills the devotee's wishes.

During Navratri, devotees offer jaggery sweets, jaggery halwa, jaggery laddus, or plain jaggery to the Goddess. In many places, jaggery is mixed with ghee and offered as an offering. This not only pleases the Goddess but also provides nutrition to the fasting person. Scholars say that offering jaggery brings happiness and prosperity to the home and good health, thanks to the Goddess's blessings.

Besides its religious significance, jaggery also has immense health benefits. In Ayurveda, jaggery is considered to be like nectar and is considered the best source of natural sweetness. It is even better than sugar because it is rich in iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, and antioxidants.

People fasting during Navratri often experience fatigue, weakness, and headaches. Consuming jaggery provides instant energy and helps alleviate anemia. Jaggery strengthens the digestive system, relieves constipation and cleanses the intestines. It generates heat in the body making it especially beneficial in winter but consuming it in the right amounts can also be beneficial in summer.

Drinking jaggery mixed with water or buttermilk during the summer cools the body, quenches thirst, and prevents dehydration. It also reduces gas, acidity, and heartburn. According to Ayurveda, the natural minerals in jaggery help maintain body temperature and prevent weakness, even in hot weather.