Shilpa Shetty Hosts Kanjak Poojan On Ashtami
Image Credit: Instagram: @theshilpashetty

Shilpa Shetty, the popular Bollywood actress and reality show judge, is a known foodie. While she keeps her fans updated about her latest foodie adventures, she is also a proud Indian who celebrates major festivals with utmost dedication and tradition. To celebrate the nine-day Hindu festival, Navratri Shilpa Shetty hosted Kanjak Poojan on Ashtami.

In her recently posted Instagram reel, you can see the great fervour with which the Bollywood celebrity is following the ritual of Ashtami, where young girls are worshipped as manifestations of the Goddess Durga. The video starts with Shilpa Shetty touching the feet of the girls to get their blessings, followed by a large feast during which the celebrity feeds the children.

Shilpa Shetty’s Kanjak Poojan Bhog

Puri

Beginning with the Ashtami staple, the deep-fried flatbread – puri was being served by Shilpa Shetty amongst the Kanjaks. To maintain the authenticity of the Hindu festival, the celebrity ensured to serve puris the traditional way – wrapped in a banana leaf.

Chane

As a tradition, the puris are served with kale chane (black chane). To celebrate Ashtami, the chane are first boiled and are then cooked with mild spices like chana masala, haldi, red chilli powder, jeera, and salt to taste. Once tender, the protein-rich dish is served with puris and the staple halwa.

Halwa

To mark the auspicious occasion, usually the puri and chane are served with a wholesome serving of suji halwa. The Kanjak poojan hosted by Shilpa Shetty also featured suji halwa. It can simply be made by roasting suji (semolina) with ghee and sugar. To make the halwa indulgent, it is added with a generous amount of chopped dry fruits and nuts.

Motichoor Laddu

Apart from halwa, Motichoor laddu, the classic orange-coloured Indian sweet, was being served to add something sweet to Shilpa Shetty’s Ashtami bhog.

Fruits

As a shagun, fruits are often added to the Ashtami bhog. In the trending Instagram video posted by Shilpa Shetty, you can spot bananas on every child’s plate while the celebrity is feeding them.