Festivities, prayers and woman power merge together every Navaratri to celebrate female divinity. We reinstate the value of Shakti by honouring the various dimensions of feminine power symbolized by different avatars of Goddess Durga.

This nine-day festival is widely celebrated across India. While people in West Bengal build marquee with grand idols of Mother Durga, Gujarat taps on garba and North of the country follows a fasting regime throughout the course. Every part of India celebrates Navaratri in its own vibrant way. Nonetheless, no matter where you are you are always on your feet immersed in the spirit of the fiesta.

Don’t let the festivities take a toll on your wellbeing. Here’s how to enjoy Navratri mindfully:

Wear Comfortable Shoes

Festivals are an ideal reason to dress up in your best outfits, and when the celebration extends for as long as nine days it becomes all the more exciting. However, this also means that you’ll strain your body for a long stretch of time.

No matter whether you are walking miles to offer prayers in the temple, dancing on the garba beats or serving food to little girls and/or married womenfolk—Navaratri can get tough on your feet. Hence, it is important that you wear comfortable shoes that support your feet and doesn’t add to the discomfort. As you’ll be wearing these shoes for a long period, the right size and a convenient material is essential.

Sandals for men and ballerinas for women are great choices here as they safeguard your feet without interrupting the beauty of your ethnic attire. Don’t panic because the festival is right around the corner, you can order these shoes online.

Use Foot Care Products

Extra strain to your feet should be balanced with extra care to release the soreness. Save the pedicure for later, here are some foot care products that you can use at home:

• Soak your feet in a mixture of hot water, two tablespoons of vinegar and one tea spoon sea salt. A 20-minute session will be enough to soothe your feet.
• Massage your feet with ice in circular motion for swollen feet.
• Soak your feet in a mixture of hot water and half-a-teaspoon of cayenne pepper for about 7–10 minutes.
• Massage your feet with clove oil for 5–10 minutes before going to bed. This will stimulate blood flow and relax your muscles.

Moreover, applying alta dye on feet is an age-old tradition that married women use to adorn their appearance. If you are using it for the first time, test it on a small patch of skin to see if your skin is sensitive to it. The dye has a cooling effect, hence it is important that you moisturize your feet properly in order to avoid stiff, dry or cracked skin.

Have a happy and healthful Navaratri!