Lauki-Bhaat Making Tips – Chhath Puja 2025, the grand festival of folk faith, is just knocking at the door. This four-day, rigorous fast, coming after Diwali, is not just a festival, but a journey of purity, restraint, and unwavering faith!
This year, Chhath Puja begins on October 25, 2025 (Saturday).
The fast will conclude on October 28, 2025 (Tuesday) with offerings to the rising sun.
Nahay-Khaay (October 25): First day: holy bath and satvik food.
Kharna (October 26): Second day: jaggery kheer and the 36-hour fast begins.
Sandhya Arghya (October 27): Third day: offerings to the setting sun.
Usha Arghya/Paran (October 28): Fourth day: offerings to the rising sun and the fast concludes.
(All dates and rituals are based on the Hindu calendar and are absolutely accurate.)
The Soul of Nahay-Khay: Lauki-Bhat
On the first day of Chhath, i.e. Nahay-Khay, devotees (fasting people) take a dip in a river or pond and return home and prepare Lauki-Bhat Prasad. This is not just a meal, but a symbol of the devotees’ strong devotion to Chhathi Maiya.
This tradition of consuming sattvik food before starting the fast gives devotees courage and purity for the difficult fast ahead. The most important thing? This food is completely pure and sattvik—no garlic or onion is added to it!
Do you think a vegetable would taste good without garlic or onion? Hey, try this Lauki-Bhat once and you’ll say: “Wow! If Chhathi Maiya’s Prasad is like this!”
So what are you waiting for? Let’s learn how this tasty and pure Lauki-Bhat Prasad is prepared for Nahay-Khay.
Nahai-Khaay Special Lauki-Bhat Prasad Recipe – Ingredients
500 grams bottle gourd/pumpkin
1 cup rice (regular or raw rice)
2 tablespoons desi ghee (for tempering)
2-3 finely chopped green chilies (you can add more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Rock salt (only rock salt is used during fasting) to taste
Water (as needed)
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (for vegetable garnish)
A little soaked chana dal (optional, but enhances the flavor)
1. Method of preparing rice (Chawal / Bhaat Recipe)
First, wash the rice thoroughly 2-3 times.
Put twice the amount of water (about 2 cups) in a pot and bring it to a boil.
When the water comes to a boil, add the rice and a pinch of rock salt and stir.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice until it softens and absorbs all the water. Note: The rice should be fluffy.
2. How to Make Satvik Bottle Gourd Sabzi (Lauki Sabzi Recipe)
Take a pan and heat ghee in it.
When the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Add chopped green chilies and lightly fry.
Immediately add the chopped bottle gourd pieces and soaked chana dal, if desired, to the pan. Mix well.
Add turmeric powder and rock salt to taste and stir the vegetable once more.
Now, cover the pan, reduce the heat and let the bottle gourd cook for 10-15 minutes.
The bottle gourd will release its water, and it will easily dissolve in that water. When the gourd is completely cooked and the water has evaporated, turn off the heat.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serving Method
Serve this hot gourd-rice prasad with pure ghee on the day of Nahay-Khaay. Using ghee in the prasad enhances both its sattvik (pure) and taste.