Janmashtami menu: From kheer to sabudana khichdi, here are some traditional dishes to prepare on the day

No Indian festival is ever complete without sweets or desserts, and that includes Janmashtami. As the festival is celebrated across the nation today, it remains a special day of merrymaking and eating scrumptious sweets. Also known as Krishna Janmashtami, the festival is observed every year on the eighth day (Ashmti) of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Bhadrapad, according to the Hindu calendar. Several special dishes are offered to Lord Krishna on this day, keeping in mind his love for milk and other dairy products. On this auspicious occasion, here are some dishes which you can prepare and offer to Lord Krishna: Kheer This festive dessert is richly flavoured with saffron and cardamom. It is cooked rice, makhana, milk, dried fruits, or sabudana (sago). Considered lip-smacking and filling, it is usually offered to Lord Krishna during the midnight celebration of Janmashtami as part of Chaapan Bhog Rava Laddoo Devotees believe that Lord Krishna loves to eat ghee and butter. Prepared with nuts, sugar, grated coconut, roasted rava, dry fruits, and ghee, this healthy and nutritious ladoo is considered best for the occasion. Panjiri This sweet dish is supposed to be the most important prasad for Janmashtami. It is prepared with almonds, sugar, cashew nuts, mishri (rock sugar or candy sugar), pistachios, coriander seed powder, ghee and raisins. This healthy dish is believed to be beneficial for the intestines. It is popular in states like Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Sabudana Khichdi Among the many sweets and desserts prepared during the festival, the sabudana khichdi is considered a healthy snack. It is rich in carbohydrates and can also provide instant energy when fasting. The khichdi is made from soaked sabudana, peanut, ghee, rock salt, tomato and green chilies. Charnamrit or Panchamrit: This is a mixture made of fresh milk, tulsi leaves, jaggery or sugar, ghee, curd and makhana. As per Hindu traditions, this mixture is basically used to bathe Lord Krishna at midnight celebrations. Once the rituals end at midnight, this is distributed to devotees as part of prasad.