Topic started by DarkDogZA (@ 195.157.217.73) on Mon Aug 11 03:57:49 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Hi,

Does anyone recognise the above festival.

Puratassi Festival 17 Sept and ends on the 16 October

It seems to be a period whereby Tamils abstain from meat for some unknown reason for the month. From what i understand, it is a practice that is almost South African in origin. Is there any basis for this festival or is this just anothe ritual that South African tamils have emabarked on ?

Regards.

Responses:

• From: AJ (@ 216.128.75.162) on: Mon Aug 11 09:16:11 EDT 2003
  
  
  
  Purattasi Festival is fasting to please Saturn or Sany bahagavan, one of the nine planets. Jaffna Tamils also fast in this period and abstain from meat and alcohol.The annual featival of many Vishnu Temples in Tamil Eelam are elebrated in this month. I remember as a child I used to go to Jaffna Venkadesa Varatharaj perumal Temple to light the sesame oil lamp with my family on Purattasi month or september.
  
  
• From: Balakrishnan S Nayakkar (@ gvawebdproxy1.net.external.hp.com) on: Mon Aug 11 10:34:42 EDT 2003
  
  Even Tamilnadu telugus observe fasting during this period.
  
  
• From: Krishnaveni (@ 210-54-101-173.dialup.xtra.co.nz) on: Tue Sep 16 15:07:37
  
  The month of Purtassi (mid September to mid October) is dedicated to the worship of Maha Vishnu (the preserver) who is the absolute symbol of the Transcendent state of Ananda.
  In the Holy Trinity (Trimurthi) of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, the Preserver is Vishnu. It is the period of the year in which we pay homage to Lord Vishnu. Therefore our worship is thanksgiving to mother nature for preservation.
  Preservation is a Divine Attribute which embraces many aspects of our life to which we invoke Lord Vishnu as Emperumal, Govinda, Gopala, Venketeswara, Hari Narayana, Balaji, Srinivasa, Runganatha, Ramchandra, etc. It was in the month of Purtassi, Lord Vishnu in the form of Sri Venketa Chala Pahi (Balaji) came to earth to guide people and left his form in the Thiruppathi Hills in India. Therefore people from all parts of the world flock to India to pay homage to Thiruppathi to get a glimpse of the Divine form by taking vows to overcome their problems.
  At many Temples, the Garudan Flag is hoisted on the first day of the month. The Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple does not hoist the flag on the first day of the month because the insignia of Garudan lies permanently at the entrance of the Temple. This flag is renewed annually during the Thiruna Festival. However, the first day of the month, Malayppa Swami and his two consorts and Lord Ganesha are taken in procession around the temple to herald this sacred month. Thereafter prayers are held on each Saturday of the month. Special recitals pertaining to Lord Vishnu are conducted from religious books like Garuda Parthu and Thirunaam Padhigam. Devotees say: "Govinda, Govinda, Govinda", after each verse is recited. Devotees especially on Saturdays wear the Naamam or the Vaishnavite symbol. Symbolically, the Naamam represents Lord Vishnu's two feet in his reclined pose - which is represented in the shape of a capital "U" (white). The central stroke represents the Thrishaum (red stroke) - Mother Lutchmee.
  Why prayers are observed on Saturdays?
  Saturdays are observed for the worship of Hanuman and Shri Balaji because Saturdays are free from the influences of Saturn and other planetary forces (Grahas). In this month planets like Mercury and Ketha influence the earth.
  Therefore, the worship of Lord Vishnu with devotion and love will help us to have a peaceful and happy life with good and obdient children. "Bakthi" is the main theme of all the rituals in the month.
  Benefits from observing Purtassi.
  1.The community becomes united during this period. We must strive at all times to be united.
  2. The restrictions to a vegetarian diet is not only an act of self discipline but this abstinence has profound religious significance, which helps in the purification of the body, mind and soul. It helps to discipline the mind, removes waste and toxins from the body and helps to revitalise the body in its capacity to function well. It further helps the mind to become more alert and reflexes becomes sharper.
  3. Devotion to God especially during this Kaliyug period is important. This period which is characteristic of excessive greed for power, extreme hatred, jealousy, anger and intolerance have polluted the life of man in general all over the world. We must strive, seek and maintain the following virtues: truth, peace, righteousness and non violence. This helps people in directing their thoughts towards God Realisation.
  Source: The Rising Sun
  By: Ravi Govender and S.K Naidoo
  
  
• From: Senthil (@ 61.1.196.169) on: Mon Sep 22 03:05:23 EDT 2003
  
  'Purattaasi viradham' is common for entireTamil Hindus all over the world. 'Purattaasi' is the sixth month of Tamil calender. It's great to hear that SA Tamils also following this fast.
  
  
• From: Visnudas (@ ) on: Wed Oct 22 15:52:57
  
  Thanks. Do you have any info that is actually backed by scriptural writings. I'm very interested to know the spiritual reasons and origins of purtassi simply because of the great conviction with which it is followed.22 Oct 2003
  
  
• From: karthi (@ wc09.ym.rnc.net.cable.rogers.com) on: Wed Oct 22 18:11:56 EDT 2003
  
  //Puratassi/Purattassi farting period//
  
  Why people fart in puratasi?
  
  
• From: Reuben (@ proxy.und.ac.za) on: Fri Oct 8 05:50:06
  
  I THINK THAT THE MONTH PURTASSI IS A SIGN OF THE DISCIPLINED LIFE'S WE SHOULD LIVE. Wheteher we do it in September or any other time is not important - since God is the God of all time. However, the fact that all tamils do it together adds a beautiful sense of community and journeying towards the Divine together. The point of Purtassi for me is that that we learn to discipline our material natures and material greeds and become more aware of the spirtual. The awareness of the spiritual that is evident in a home during Purtassi must become an on going awareness and search for the Divine.
  
  

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