Answer

During Paryushan, many Jains follow a stricter diet than their normal Jain diet. The exact rules can vary by family, sect, and personal vow, but commonly avoided items include:

• Root vegetables such as potato, onion, garlic, carrot, beetroot, radish, sweet potato, yam, ginger, turmeric root
• Green leafy vegetables in many households during Paryushan
• Outside food or restaurant food
• Fermented foods such as bread, idli, dosa batter, dhokla made with fermentation, vinegar-based foods
• Stale food or food cooked the previous day
• Packaged foods if ingredients are unclear
• Food after sunset, if you are observing chauvihar or stricter discipline
• Honey
• Alcohol, eggs, meat, fish — these are avoided in Jain diet at all times

Explanation

If you already follow a structured Jain diet, then during Paryushan you usually become more careful about:

• Ahimsa — avoiding foods involving more harm to living beings
• Freshness — eating freshly prepared food
• Control of taste — eating simpler food
• Discipline — avoiding unnecessary indulgence

A simple safe Paryushan diet may include:

• Rice
• Wheat roti or puri made fresh
• Plain dal, if allowed in your family tradition
• Moong dal preparations, if allowed
• Simple sabzi from allowed vegetables
• Milk, yogurt, ghee, and buttermilk, depending on your practice
• Dry fruits and nuts, if acceptable in your home tradition
• Fresh fruits, if allowed according to your vow

Be careful with common foods away from home:

• Pizza/pasta sauces often contain onion or garlic
• Chips/snacks may contain onion powder, garlic powder, or yeast extract
• Bread may contain yeast or other unsuitable ingredients
• Soups often have onion, garlic, or vegetable stock
• Indian restaurant food often has onion, garlic, ginger, or root vegetables
• Salad dressings may contain vinegar, garlic, or onion

Spiritual Understanding

Paryushan is not only about food restrictions. The deeper purpose is:

• To reduce harm
• To control desires
• To practice simplicity
• To focus on pratikraman, forgiveness, swadhyay, and inner purification

Food discipline helps the mind become calmer and more aware.

Takeaway

Since you are away from home, follow what you can sincerely. A safe approach is:

• Eat simple, freshly cooked food
• Avoid root vegetables, onion, garlic, fermented foods, stale food, and outside food
• Read ingredient labels carefully
• When unsure, avoid it or ask your family/guru for your tradition’s rule

The main goal of Paryushan is self-discipline, ahimsa, forgiveness, and spiritual awareness.