Learn The Specialty of Tamil Month Purattasi

Purattasi Month

God should always be remembered and worshipped anytime and every time, but still there are particular periods of time which are considered especially sacred for worshipping the divine. There are three such months in the Tamil Calendar which are considered particularly holy and are virtually earmarked for offering prayers and performing austerities. Purattasi is one among them, and this corresponds to the period from mid-September to mid-October in the English calendar.

Purattasi and Lord Venkateshwara Worship

Purattasi is the month dedicated for worshipping Lord Vishnu, the supreme God of protection and sustenance. This is particularly so for offering prayers to Lord Venkateshwara, an Avatar (divine form) of Vishnu and for observing austerities for propitiating him. The internationally renowned temple of this Lord exists on the Tirupati hills in the state of Andra Pradesh and attracts millions of devotees throughout the year.

There is an interesting legend about the advent of Venkateshwara on earth. Once, when the divine couple Vishnu and Lakshmi were there in their abode of Vaikunta, a sage came there and ended up causing serious disrespect to both of them. While the Lord took it on his stride, Goddess Lakshmi felt deeply offended, left her heavenly abode and took birth in this world in a human form. Vishnu, very unhappy with the turn of events, too came down to earth as a human being called Srinivasa at the Tirupati hills region, and in due course of time married the Goddess and got united with her. It is believed that it was only during the Purattasi month that Vishnu took the incarnation of Srinivasa and hence that birth-month of the Lord is regarded as the most suitable for praying to him and earning his blessings. It is only Srinivasa who is also known in many other names such as Venkatesa, Venkateshwara, Balaji, etc.        

People perform special worships and undertake many austerities especially on the Saturdays of Purattasi, as Saturdays even otherwise are known to be auspicious for worshipping Venkateshwara. Many devotees observe Vrats or Virathams on those days when they observe fasts. Even otherwise, people abstain from items like non-vegetarian food, liquor, and tobacco on that occasion. They also install images of the deity at homes, make different kinds of food-offerings to them, recite hymns and chant slokas in praise of the Lord, offer Tulsi, the basil leaves which are considered highly auspicious for Vishnu worship and do their prayers. Many also perform the MaaVilakku worship, where ghee lamps are lit on a mixture of rice flour and jaggery, as a form of unique prayer-offering, and this is distributed and consumed as Prasad at the completion of the worship. Devotees also flock to the temples for offering prayers.

Navaratri Festival

Navaratri remains as the other specialty of Purattasi. This is a grand festival celebrated with enthusiasm all over the country. This nine-day or the nine-night festival, as the name suggests, is dedicated principally to Goddess Durga and commemorates her resounding victory over the demonic forces led by Mahishasura. This is celebrated differently in different regions. In South people make a tasteful arrangement of dolls in their homes and maintain it for the full nine days. Prayers are offered to many of the Goddesses like Lakshmi, Parvati, and Saraswati during the Navaratri time, and the festivities end on the tenth day of Vijayadasami when children are initiated into learning for the first time in their lives, and new ventures are also begun.

 Connect with Supreme Lord of Wealth, Venkateshwara during auspicious Purattasi Saturdays