Sawan 2026: Complete Guide to Vrat Food for Shravan Month in Australia

Shravan month has arrived — and for millions of Hindu households across Australia and India, it marks the beginning of one of the most spiritually significant fasting seasons of the year.

Whether you observe Sawan Somvar (Monday fasts), fast for the full month, or keep vrat on specific tithis, finding the right fasting foods in Australia can be a challenge. This guide covers everything you need — what to eat, what to avoid, and where to source authentic vrat ingredients in Melbourne and beyond.

When Is Sawan 2026?

Shravan month in 2026 runs from approximately mid-July through mid-August, depending on regional calendars. For most North Indian Hindus following the Purnimant calendar, Sawan begins around 11–12 July 2026.

Sawan Somvar (Monday fasts) fall on:

• Monday 13 July
• Monday 20 July
• Monday 27 July
• Monday 3 August
• Monday 10 August

Many devotees also observe Hariyali Teej (late July) and Nag Panchami (early August) with additional fasting during this period.

The Rules of Vrat — What You Can and Cannot Eat

Vrat rules vary by family tradition and regional practice, but the most widely observed guidelines during Shravan are:

Generally permitted (satvik vrat food):

• Sabudana (tapioca/sago pearls)
• Makhana (fox nuts / lotus seeds)
• Kuttu atta (buckwheat flour)
• Singhara atta (water chestnut flour)
• Rajgira / Amaranth flour
• Fresh fruits
• Milk, curd, paneer, ghee
• Sendha namak (rock salt — regular iodised salt is avoided)
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes, raw banana
• Dry fruits and nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts)

Generally avoided during vrat:

• Regular wheat (maida, atta)
• Rice (in many traditions)
• Regular table salt (iodised)
• Onion and garlic
• Non-vegetarian food
• Certain grains and pulses (varies by tradition)

When in doubt, follow your family’s practice — vrat customs are deeply personal and regional.

The Fasting Foods Actually Available in Australia

Finding authentic vrat-friendly ingredients in Australia has improved significantly as Indian grocery stores stock up for the community. Here’s what to look for and where.

Sabudana — The Vrat Essential

Sabudana (tapioca pearls) is the foundation of Sawan fasting cooking. Soaked overnight and cooked with ghee, peanuts, sendha namak and cumin, it forms the base of two beloved vrat dishes:

Sabudana Tikki — small crispy patties made from soaked sabudana mixed with mashed potato, ground peanuts and rock salt. Shallow fried in ghee for an authentic flavour. The most popular fasting snack across North India during Sawan and Navratri.

Sabudana Khichdi — a loose, fluffy preparation with cumin-tempered ghee, green chilli, peanuts and coriander. Lighter than tikki and quicker to prepare.

Amba Foods stocks Sabudana Tikki as a ready-to-heat product — made to the traditional recipe and available at Indian grocery stores across Australia. If you don’t have time to soak and prepare from scratch, this is the most convenient authentic option.

Makhana — The Fasting Superfood

Makhana (lotus seeds / fox nuts) have surged in popularity not just as a vrat food but as an everyday healthy snack. During Sawan, makhana is roasted in ghee with sendha namak and spices for a satisfying, crunchy fasting snack.

The Wirsa range by Amba Foods offers 9 makhana flavours — including the classic Masala Mix and the pure Himalayan Salt N Pepper variety which is suitable for vrat as it uses rock salt seasoning. Available at Indian grocery stores across Melbourne and Victoria.

For vrat purposes, plain or mildly salted makhana is most appropriate — check whether flavoured varieties use sendha namak or regular salt before consuming during a strict fast.

Rajgira (Amaranth) — For Rotis and Ladoos

Rajgira flour is one of the most versatile vrat-friendly flours — used to make rajgira rotis (flatbreads cooked in ghee), rajgira pakoras and the beloved Rajgira Ladoo.

Wirsa Rajgira Ladoo (180Gm) — puffed amaranth seeds bound in jaggery, these traditional ladoos are a popular fasting sweet that doubles as a nutritious energy source during long fasting periods.

Dry Fruits and Nuts

A handful of mixed dry fruits and nuts provides sustained energy during a vrat — cashews, almonds, peanuts and raisins are all permitted. Wirsa Salted Peanut (450Gm) — check that the product uses sendha namak (rock salt) if observing a strict fast, or source unsalted roasted peanuts separately.

Peanuts — Vrat Protein Powerhouse

Raw or dry-roasted peanuts are a staple fasting protein source, used in sabudana preparations, chutneys and as a snack. Widely available at all Indian grocery stores.

Traditional Sawan Vrat Recipes to Try

Sabudana Tikki Recipe

What you need:

• 1 cup sabudana (soak overnight until soft)
• 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• Sendha namak (rock salt) to taste
• Fresh coriander
• Ghee for shallow frying

Method: Mix soaked sabudana, mashed potato, crushed peanuts, green chilli, coriander and sendha namak. Shape into small flat round patties. Shallow fry in ghee on medium heat until golden and crispy on both sides. Serve with green chutney and curd.

Short on time? Amba Foods Sabudana Tikki is available ready-to-heat at Indian grocery stores across Australia.

Roasted Makhana with Ghee

What you need:

• 2 cups makhana
• 1 tbsp ghee
• Sendha namak to taste
• A pinch of black pepper (kali mirch)

Method: Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add makhana and roast on low heat, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until crispy. Season with sendha namak and black pepper. Cool completely before storing — they stay crispy for up to a week in an airtight container.

Rajgira Roti

What you need:

• 1 cup rajgira (amaranth) flour
• Sendha namak to taste
• Warm water to knead
• Ghee for cooking

Method: Mix flour and sendha namak. Add warm water gradually and knead into a soft dough. Roll into thin rounds and cook on a tawa with generous ghee on both sides. Serve with curd or potato sabzi made with sendha namak.

Where to Find Vrat Food in Melbourne

Indian grocery stores across Melbourne’s key community corridors stock vrat essentials throughout Shravan:

• South-East Melbourne — Dandenong, Springvale, Noble Park
• West Melbourne — Footscray, Sunshine, Tarneit, Point Cook
• North Melbourne — Craigieburn, Epping, Mill Park

Look for sabudana, kuttu atta, singhara atta, rajgira flour, sendha namak and makhana in the staples aisle. Amba Foods products including Sabudana Tikki and Wirsa Makhana and Rajgira Ladoo are available at stockists across these areas.

A Note on Keeping Vrat with Intention

Sawan is more than a dietary practice — it’s a month of devotion, reflection and spiritual connection for millions of families. The fasting traditions vary enormously across India’s regions and communities, and no single set of rules applies universally.

What matters most is the intention behind the fast, the quality of the food prepared with care, and the spiritual significance the practice holds for your family. Whether you’re keeping a strict full-month fast or a simple Monday vrat, we hope this guide helps you find what you need in Australia.

Har Har Mahadev. 🙏

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Summary — Sawan 2026 Vrat Food Quick Reference

Food	Use
Sabudana	Tikki, khichdi, vada
Makhana	Roasted snack, kheer
Rajgira flour	Roti, pakora, ladoo
Singhara flour	Halwa, puri
Kuttu flour	Roti, pakora
Peanuts	Snack, chutney, sabudana filling
Sendha namak	All vrat cooking — replaces regular salt
Potatoes	Curry, tikki filling, sabzi
Fresh fruit	Anytime
Ghee	Cooking medium for all vrat food
Milk, curd, paneer	Dairy permitted in most traditions