Nashik on a plate: what to eat on your yatra

If Nashik has a signature dish, it is misal pav: a spicy curry of sprouted beans topped with crunchy farsan, onion and lemon, eaten with soft pav. Nashik misal is known for its fiery red tarri (the oily, spicy gravy), so ask for it mild if you are not used to chilli.

Misal is a breakfast favourite. Many small eateries open early, which suits pilgrims coming back from the morning snan.

Many pilgrims fast on snan days or on Ekadashi. Nashik is full of upvas (fasting) food: sabudana khichdi and sabudana vada made from sago, shingada (water chestnut) flour dishes, roasted peanuts, fruit and sweet buttermilk.

Near the temples you will also find satvik thalis cooked without onion and garlic, and free meals at annachhatras run by trusts and akhadas during the Kumbh.

Nashik district grows a large share of India's grapes, and its vineyards have earned it the name 'wine capital of India'. In the grape season, roughly January to April, roadside stalls sell fresh bunches and raisins.

Lasalgaon in Nashik district is one of the biggest onion markets in Asia, which is why onions find their way into almost every street snack here.

During the Kumbh, eat freshly cooked hot food, drink sealed or boiled water, and keep fruit and dry snacks for long queues. Our food guide lists annachhatras and simple rules for eating safely in the crowds.