Chaitra Navratri: Chaitra Navratri is one of the largest festivals celebrated all over the country. The ten-day festival is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine forms. On each day of the festival, a form of Maa Durga is worshipped. For this year, Chaitra Navratri started on April 9 and will end on April 17. The nine forms of Maa Durga worshipped during Chaitra Navratri are – Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skandamata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kaalratri, Maa Mahagauri, and Maa Siddhidatri. On the ninth and the final day of Chaitra Navratri, Maa Siddhidatri is worshipped.

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According to Hindu mythology, Maa Siddhidatri is the supreme power that can rule the minds of her devotees and lead them to a disciplined life. It is believed that offering puja to Maa Siddhidatr with devotion and dedication can bestow the devotee with the siddhis. Maa Siddhidatri wears a red saree and sits on a bloomed lotus flower. She has four hands with four weapons. For bhog for Maa Siddhidatri on the ninth day of Chaitra Navami, til or sesame seeds are offered.

We have curated a healthy and tasty way of preparing Til gur dry fruit laddoo at home. Take a look.

Ingredients:

Sesame Seeds, White – 1 cup + 2 tbsp (170 gms)

Black Cardamom – 2-3 nos

Jaggery, crushed – ¾ cup (150 gms)

Almonds – ¼ cup

Peanuts – ¼ cup

Pista – ¼ cup

Cashews – ¼ cup

Walnut – ¼ cup

Desi Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method:

In a pan, heat sesame seeds and seeds of black cardamom and roast everything together. Then let them cool down. Grind the roasted seeds coarsely and add jaggery to it and grid together. In the pan, add almonds, peanuts, pista, cashews, and walnuts and roast everything together and chop them into0 small pieces. Crush the dry fruits and add to the sesame seed and jaggery mixture and mix everything together. Heat some ghee and pour the melted ghee on the mixture. Shape a portion of the mixture into laddoos and coat the laddoos with roasted sesame.

(Recipe: Kunal Kapur, Chef)