C2. Festival & Special-Day Thalis
Festival menus combine dishes from both volumes (V1 = Volume I month chapters; numbers = this volume). Dates follow the lunar calendar unless stated; portions stay small for older guests.
| Occasion | When | Thali (soft, sattvic versions) |
|---|---|---|
| Makar Sankranti / Lohri | 13–14 Jan | V1 Sankranti khichdi · Sakkarai pongal (2.01) · Til chutney powder (8.12) · Gur wale chawal (11.11) · Til–gud ladoo (V1) |
| Basant Panchami | Jan/Feb | Yellow menu: Gujarati kadhi (3.03) · Matar pulao (6.04) · Kesari meetha chawal (V1) · Rava kesari (11.10) |
| Maha Shivratri | Feb/Mar | Phalahari: Kuttu–lauki cheela (12.01) · Vrat khatta-meetha kaddu (12.06) · Makhana raita (12.07) · Samak kheer (12.08) · Thandai (V1) |
| Holi | Phalgun Purnima | Shukto (5.03) · Lemon rice (6.02) · Moong sundal (10.03) · Warm thandai (V1) · Coconut–jaggery ladoo (11.06) |
| Ram Navami | Chaitra | Panakam (9.01) · Neer mor (9.02) · Steamed kosambari (10.04) · Curd rice (6.01) · Sabudana kheer (11.09) |
| Ganga Dussehra | Jyeshtha | Bael sharbat (V1) · Khus sharbat (9.05) · Lauki raita (8.09) · Majjige huli (3.04) · Coconut rice (6.03) |
| Guru Purnima | Ashadha | Ven pongal (V1) · Moong-dal rasam (3.11) · Avial (5.01) · Sooji sheera (V1) · Panchamrit |
| Janmashtami | Bhadrapad | Dhaniya panjiri (V1) · Makhan–mishri · Sabudana–makhana khichdi (V1) · Date milk (9.09) |
| Onam | Aug/Sep | Sadhya: Parippu (V1) · Avial (5.01) · Olan (V1) · Kalan (3.07) · Erissery (3.08) · Beetroot pachadi (8.07) · Inji puli (8.06) · Parippu payasam (V1) |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Bhadrapad | Ukadiche modak (11.08) · Moong sundal (10.03) · Coconut rice (6.03) · Mor kuzhambu (3.05) |
| Navratri (both) | Chaitra & Ashwin | Samak pulao (12.02) · Rajgira thepla (12.03) · Vrat aloo jeera (12.04) · Singhara–lauki kadhi (12.10) · Rajgira ladoo (12.09) |
| Sharad Purnima | Ashwin | Rice kheer (V1) · Lauki kheer (11.02) · Rose–fennel cooler (9.04) |
| Diwali & Annakut | Kartik | Annakut sabzi (V1) · Light undhiyu (5.04) · Moong dal halwa (11.01) · Date–walnut barfi (11.05) · Soft atta ladoo (11.07) |
| Ekadashi (twice monthly) | Lunar | Any Section 12 dish · fruit · makhana · milk; warm fluids through the day |