The festive fervour of Navratri and Durga Puja swept across India, marked by devotion, dance, and, of course, delicious food. This year, data from Swiggy offers a fascinating glimpse into how the country celebrated, blending tradition with convenience.
The Reign of Sabudana
For the nine days of Navratri, fasting or 'vrat' takes centre stage in many households, and ordering data shows that Sabudana is the undisputed king of the fast. Swiggy reported delivering an astounding average of 1,794 sabudana-based dishes every hour over the festive weekend of October 17th and 18th. The most popular preparations were the classic Sabudana Khichdi and Sabudana Vada, demonstrating a nationwide love for these comforting staples. While cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru led the charge in Khichdi orders, Pune and Jaipur were not far behind, showcasing the dish's broad appeal beyond its traditional strongholds. This highlights a growing trend where convenience does not mean compromising on tradition; instead, it enables it.
The Complete Vrat Thali
Beyond individual dishes, there was a significant appetite for complete, curated fasting meals. Navratri Special Vrat Thalis were a massive hit, especially those featuring Singhara Poori. Thalis with Rajgira Poori and Aloo Hing also saw high demand. These all-in-one meals offer a hassle-free way to enjoy a variety of vrat-compliant foods, such as preparations of Kettu, Samak rice, and Makhana. The demand for these thalis was particularly high in Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurugram, and Noida. In a testament to the scale of festive ordering, one customer in Noida placed a single order for 13 Navratri thalis, amounting to ₹11,072.
A Sweet Surge for Durga Puja
As fasting transitioned to feasting, especially with the culmination of Durga Puja, India's sweet tooth came to the forefront. Swiggy recorded a remarkable 36.4% increase in orders for traditional sweets between October 17th and 20th compared to the same period in 2025. The star of the show was Rasgulla, with an average of 495 orders placed every hour across the country. Delhi, Mumbai, and Gurugram led the demand for this iconic Bengali sweet. Other classic favourites like Gulab Jamun, Kaju Katli, Jalebi, and Rasmalai also featured heavily in festive orders, rounding out the celebration with a dose of sugary delight.
Festive Appetites Beyond the Metros
While major metropolitan areas like Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad were expectedly large markets, the festive ordering trend was truly a pan-India phenomenon. Emerging cities and smaller towns showcased a significant surge in demand, proving that the convenience of food delivery is no longer limited to the big cities. Markets like Patna, Dehradun, Jodhpur, and Gaya reported strong orders for sweets. Even smaller towns such as Agartala, Shillong, Palwal, and Bathinda recorded notable demand, painting a picture of a digitally connected India celebrating its traditions together. One of the highest-value sweet orders came from a Mumbai customer who spent ₹9,870 on assorted sweets, including an inventive Coffee Rasgulla Tiramisu.
