Fasting or upvass has been an integral part of indian culture for ages. Almost every Hindu festival, whether it’s Navratri, Shivratri, Ekadashi, Karwa Chauth, Teez, big yag or hawan done by pandits & sadhus, or just a puja at home, doing fasting is a mandatory part of the ritual.

But have you ever wondered why fasting holds such importance in our spiritual traditions? Is it only about not eating food, or does it hold a deeper meaning?

If we talk about the facts straight, then fasting is not just a religious practice; it’s a combination of spiritual discipline, physical cleansing, and mental purification, which works 360 degrees on you. Let’s understand each of these in detail and explore the real reason behind observing fasts during festivals.

1. A Way to Purify the Body and Mind

Fasting aids in preparing our bodies and minds to receive heavenly energy during festivals. The body feels lighter, the digestive system rests, and toxins are expelled when we eat light (satvic food) or avoid particular meals(Tamsik food). Our sages realized long ago that our diet has an impact on both our bodies and our minds. Meat, alcohol, and fried foods are examples of heavy or tamasic foods that dull our mind and thoughts, making us lazy, annoying, and reactive, whereas fruits, milk, and nuts are examples of sattvic foods that keep us calm, pure, and serene. As a result, fasting becomes a natural detox, both mentally and physically, making it easier to focus on devotion, meditation, and prayer.

2. Creating Inner Discipline

Fasting is a great way of learning inner discipline or Self-control. Because it’s always simple to give on to habitual things or behavior, such as hunger or desires, but making the intentional decision to resist builds willpower. 

Fasting helps us create a discipline that serves as a reminder at festivals that self-control is frequently the first step toward spiritual advancement. Just as we clean our houses before any festival or celebration, Fasting helps us purify our inner world, including our thoughts, desires, and emotions. When hunger strikes and we choose patience over impulsiveness, it symbolizes our victory over the senses:  a true offering to the Divine.

3. A Symbol of Gratitude and Surrender

If we see, spiritually fasting is also an act of showing gratitude towards god and towards our body. It’s a way of saying, “I can live with less because god provides me with everything I need”.

Whenever we fast during festivals or puja, it takes away all our focus from the outer world to our senses and God. The starvation we feel becomes a silent prayer, reminding us that we are dependent and taken care of by a higher energy for our sustainable life.

When devotees fast on occasions like festivals and puja, it is not to please god, it shows offering of body energy to the supreme as a symbol of surrender and love.

4. Alignment with Nature and Energy

Our festival is also aligned with cosmic and seasonal changes. For example, near Navratri, or Diwali, we can feel the change in nature. When the weather changes, we can feel the slowing down of metabolism in our bodies, feeling lethargic and dull.

Fasting during such times helps the body adapt to the seasonal changes and maintain balance by keeping our immune system healthy and making us feel light and active. In ancient times, our Vedic healers and saints suggested these practices not only as a spiritual ritual but also as a scientific way of cleansing our health, mind, soul, and senses. 

It’s also observed that fasting during these seasonal changes helps us tune in with the universal rhythm, harmonizing our energy with nature’s flow.

5. A Path to Mindful Living

In today fast fast-paced life, fasting has gained special attention among people, even among scientists' research. Fasting promotes multiple health benefits, including improving digestion, increasing focus, and cleansing your body internally.

But beyond all the above benefits, fasting helps us develop mindfulness and calmness from within. When we eat consciously, pray with awareness, and observe what we think and act, we step into the spirit of surrendering to the divine energy without demanding anything.

Conclusion: Fasting as a Celebration of Faith

The beauty of fasting lies in its simplicity: the ways it’s performed and observed. It only takes us towards elevating our consciousness and growing from within as pure and balanced human beings.

Fasting represents replacing physical hunger with spiritual nourishment.  When we fast during festivals, we are not denying ourselves food; we are choosing to feed our souls. It’s the best way to pause and observe that a divine power is always around us, which we need to be grateful for. So, next time when you fast, don't think of it as a ritual; rather, think of this fasting as an opportunity to meet the higher self.

Because true fasting is not from not eating food, it’s from cleaning your mind, body from negativity, impatience, and distraction so that devotion can truly fill your being.