In most of India, Navratri means fasting, sattvik thalis and abstinence from meat. For Bengalis, however, eating fish and meat during Navratri is not defiance but tradition. Historian Nrisingha Bhaduri notes that in Bengal, non-vegetarian food during religious festivals has long been considered a divine blessing. A Tale of Two NavratrisWhile states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan mark Navratri with vrat-friendly vegetarian thalis, Bengal embraces feasting alongside devotion. Navratri, in its many forms, is proof that food remains central to how Indians celebrate faith.