India, March 25 -- These days, her daily pooja has acquired an additional dimension. Every morning, Madhu Mittal sits in front of the household temple in the drawing room's balcony, and lights camphor in a dried coconut shell filled with laung, batashe, supari, and paan. She prays to Devi Durga Maa, resuming her reading of the Sri Durga Saptashati. Today, she will complete all 13 chapters of the sacred text. For Navratri is ending, and so it being the final day of her "vrat," or fast. During this period, Madhu has been abstaining from rice, dal and most veggies.

Madhu is not alone. For the nine days of Navratri, many Hindu households in the city observe fast. Meals are reduced to a single evening sitting, certain foods excluded from the ...