For Varshitap, the type of food is not as important as keeping it:

• very simple
• ahimsak (non‑violent)
• light and easy to digest
• within your pachchakkhan (vow) and local maryada

Below is a practical guide for eating days (non‑upvas days). On fast days (upvas), usually only boiled water is taken (if allowed in your pachchakkhan).

---

1. Basic rules for Varshitap food

• Eat only in daylight (no food or water after sunset).
• Boiled, filtered water only, during allowed hours.
• Strict Jain vegetarian, no eggs.
• Avoid:

- Root vegetables (potato, onion, garlic, carrot, beet, radish, ginger, etc.) - Fermented foods (curd, buttermilk if fermented, bread/yeast, idli/dosa, vinegar, etc.) - Very oily, spicy, sour or heavy items - Leftovers – food should be freshly prepared

• Eat small quantity, slowly, with Navkar and awareness.

---

2. Simple meal ideas for eating days

You can choose Ekasana (one meal) or Beasana (two meals) as per your Varshitap vidhi and guru’s guidance.

a) Grains and main dishes

• Plain soft khichdi (rice + split moong), very light spice
• Plain rice with:

- thin moong dal - or simple tuvar dal (little ghee, very mild tadka)

• Chapati / rotli / phulka with a very simple shaak

b) Simple shaak (vegetable dishes)

(Only above‑ground vegetables, no roots; quantities small)

Examples:

• Lauki (bottle gourd) shaak
• Turai (ridge gourd) shaak
• Doodhi‑chana shaak (bottle gourd + chana dal)
• Pumpkin (kaddu) shaak
• Bhindi (okra) light stir fry
• Ringan‑tameta (brinjal‑tomato) only if tomatoes are allowed in your maryada

Spices: use minimum – a little cumin, turmeric (if your family uses), salt, a bit of ghee/oil.

c) Dal / pulses

• Thin moong dal
• Very light tuvar dal
• Lightly boiled whole moong (no heavy tadka)

---

3. What you can take in the morning (before main meal)

According to your pachchakkhan, you may keep:

• Only boiled warm water
• Or boiled water + very small:

- few soaked almonds - or 1 fruit (banana, apple, etc., freshly cut; finish quickly)

Many people on Varshitap prefer no “breakfast” and only one proper light meal in the day.

---

4. Parna (end of Varshitap on Akshaya Tritiya)

Traditionally:

• Break Varshitap with sugarcane juice (ganne ka ras) or very simple, light liquid, as per your guru and local tradition.
• Then, after some time, very light food:

- boiled water - pej (rice gruel) / thin khichdi - simple dal–rice

For general parna guidance after fasts you can see more here and about Varshitap here

---

5. Digambar / Shwetambar note

• Both keep the food very simple and sattvik.
• Exact rules (number of meals, which vegetables, use of milk/curd, etc.) can differ by sect, guru, upashray/derasar.
• Always follow:

- the pachchakkhan you have taken - instructions of your own guru / sadhviji / upadhyay

---

In summary: For Varshitap, on eating days keep to plain khichdi, dal–rice, rotli with one simple shaak, boiled water, and maybe a little fruit or nuts, all in small quantity and daylight only. Avoid variety, taste‑seeking, and heaviness – the purpose is tapas and inner purity, not special food.