What not to eat during chaumasa

During Chaumasa (Chaturmas), Jains follow extra restraint to Ahimsa. The common guidelines widely observed are:

• No root/underground vegetables (kand-mool): potato, onion, garlic, carrot, beetroot, radish, yam, sweet potato, ginger, turmeric, etc. Uprooting roots harms many life-forms.
• No green leafy vegetables (saag): spinach, methi, coriander, lettuce, etc., as they’re often harvested in a way that increases harm to life.
• No mushrooms, fungi, or yeast; no sprouts (new life) and no fermented foods (like yogurt/curd that has undergone fermentation, vinegar, dosa/batter, etc.).
• No honey, no eggs, and no meat/fish. Intoxicants are avoided as well.
• Eat fresh, simple, sattvik food prepared on the same day; eat during daylight only; no eating after sunset; water should be boiled/filtered and taken during daylight.
• Outside food, leftovers, or highly processed foods are generally avoided.

Tradition-specific notes:

• Shvetambar (Paryushan-style practice) tends to be stricter about leafy greens and certain fresh items during Chaumasa.
• Digambar (Das-Lakshan) also emphasizes very simple, boiled-water days and often avoids leafy greens and fermented items even more strictly.

These rules are aligned with the general Chaumasa guidelines that emphasize minimal harm and simple living during the rainy season. You can read more here:

• Food items allowed in Paryushan
• What can i eat during paruashan
• Dos and donts in paryushan