People eat a variety of fruits and vegetables during their fast as grains and cereals are not allowed. Many observe a fast on Chitra Pournami as well. Many people prepare food items from sabudana (Sago) during the festival.

Chitra Pournami is especially for females though even males can do the pooja. After taking holy bath in the morning, women should clean the entrance of house and put maakolam depicting chitragupta with paper and pen or we can put padi kolam(Ezhakolam) with the south side open as a mark of entrance to Lord Chitragupta.

During Navratris, Hindu devotees keep fasting for nine days to please and seek blessings of Goddess Durga. There can be variation in the number of fasting days. While many observe the fasts for all nine days, there are some devotees who keep fast in jodas (couple) - the first two or the last two days of the Navratri.

Mashibhajansanyuktaschrasi Twang! Maheetale| Lekhani-Katinihasta Chitragupta Namostute || Chitragupta Namstubhyam Lekhakaksharadayakam | Kayasthajatimasadya Chitragupta! Namostute

The festival is dedicated to Chitragupta, a Hindu god who is believed to record humans' good and bad deeds for Yama, the Hindu god of death and the underworld.