Upavasam means setting food aside fully or partly for a fixed period and spending that time in puja, japa and parayana. Depending on your strength, you can choose a nirjala fast (no food or water), a phalahara fast (fruit and milk only) or ekabhukta (one meal a day). Breaking the fast properly with parana at the right time is an essential part of the practice.
What does upavasam really mean?
The word comes from upa (near) and vasa (staying): staying close to God. Elders say it is not only about skipping meals but about restraining the senses and keeping the mind on the Lord. That is why tradition also asks us to give up anger, lies and gossip on a fasting day.
Families commonly fast on Ekadashi, Maha Shivaratri, Sri Rama Navami, Krishnashtami, Karthika Somavarams and Varalakshmi Vratham, and many keep one weekday for their ishta devata.
What are the types of fasting?
These are the main traditional forms. Choose one that suits your health, age and work.
| Type | What is taken | Suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Nirjala | No food and no water | Only healthy adults used to it |
| Jalopavasam | Water only | Healthy adults |
| Phalahara | Fruit, milk, curd; some include sabudana | A safe choice for most people |
| Ekabhuktam | One sattvic meal in the day | Working people, long vratams |
| Naktam | Fast by day, eat after seeing the stars at night | Vratams such as Karthika Somavaram |
Families differ on what is allowed. Some avoid only rice and dal, while others avoid even salt. Follow your family custom or your purohit's advice.
How to observe a fast: step by step
- The day before: eat a light sattvic dinner. Many families avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food.
- Sankalpam: on the fasting day, bathe, light the deepam and resolve, silently or through a purohit, which deity you are fasting for and how.
- Puja: offer puja, naivedyam and deeparadhana to that deity.
- Through the day: spend time in japa, parayana, bhajans or a temple visit. Do your necessary work with a calm mind.
- At night: some vratams such as Shivaratri and Ekadashi include jagarana. Do not force yourself if you lack the strength.
- Parana: the next day, at the prescribed time, offer naivedyam and break the fast with that prasadam.
What is parana and how is it done?
Parana is the proper breaking of a fast, and it is considered as important as the fast itself. For Ekadashi, for example, parana is done on Dwadashi before the tithi ends. Timings change by year and place, so check your local panchangam.
Good practice at parana
- Bathe, do a short puja and offer naivedyam first.
- Begin with tulasi teertham or a little water, then fruit or milk.
- Avoid a heavy, oily or spicy meal immediately.
- Some families offer annadanam to others at parana.
What to avoid while fasting
- Snacking all day; phalahara does not mean eating continuously.
- Anger, arguments, lies and criticism of others.
- Long daytime sleep, which elders discourage.
- Turning the fast into a show; it is a personal sadhana.
How to keep the mind steady while fasting
When hungry, the mind naturally drifts toward food, so choose your parayana in advance: Vishnu Sahasranamam on Ekadashi, Shiva nama smarana on Shivaratri, Venkateswara smarana on Saturdays. Reading the deity's katha with children or singing bhajans with family makes the day easier and joyful.
Health care: who should not fast strictly?
The scriptures themselves allow relaxation for the sick, the elderly, children and pregnant women. The following people should avoid strict fasts and choose a gentle form such as phalahara or ekabhuktam only if suitable:
- Pregnant and nursing mothers
- Elderly people and young children
- People with diabetes, blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, or on regular medication
- Those whose work is physically demanding
Please consult your doctor before fasting if any of these apply. If you feel dizzy, weak or have chest pain, eat and drink at once and seek medical help if needed. Elders remind us that sincere nama smarana and puja carry the same spirit as fasting.
Key points
- Upavasam means staying close to God; discipline of mind matters as much as food.
- Main types: nirjala, jalopavasam, phalahara, ekabhuktam and naktam.
- Morning sankalpam and puja, japa through the day, parana the next day.
- Check the local panchangam for parana time.
- The elderly, pregnant women and those on medication should fast only with medical advice.