Fasting month in Andhra Pradesh

Discussion in 'Andhra Pradesh' started by ReddyZA1, Oct 3, 2010.

  1. ReddyZA1

    ReddyZA1 New IL'ite

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    Hello all,

    I live in South Africa.

    My great grandfather hailed from Hyderabad and settled in South Africa in the 1890's. Many generations of my family have lived in South Africa. We have kept our culture and traditions to this day. I am very proud of that.

    I'm newly married and am loving life. My mother tongue is Telugu but sadly I cannot speak the language. I am taking classes though. My parents and grandparents are fluent, but as a child they spoke to me in English only.

    I would like to know about the fasting month in Andhra Pradesh. Is it Puratassi or Karthika Masam?

    My understanding of it is that Purtassi is the Tamil fasting month. All my Tamil speaking friends fast during this time.

    As a telugu person, I'm unsure if I should be fasting or not?!

    There are many different versions of this debate here in South Africa. Information has been blurred over the years so I am unsure. Each person has his or her own version of whether Telugu's should or shouldn't fast.

    Can someone who lives in AP please advise me of this as I would like to instill the correct beliefs in my children. I do not want them to grow up confused as I did.

    Thank you all.
     
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  2. Akkinenirockz

    Akkinenirockz Bronze IL'ite

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    Karthika masam / Kartheeka masam is the eighth lunar month of Indian Astrology. It comes around November of Gregorian calender. Karthika masam is considered very sacred and there are many reasons for it:

    Importance of Karthika masam


    • Lord Vishnu goes to sleep on Ashadha suddha ekadashi and wakes-up on Karthika suddha ekadashi.
    • Lord Shiva kílled Tripurasuras on Karthika pournami and protected the world.
    • In this month Ganga (Godess of river Ganges) enters in to all rivers, canals, ponds and wells and makes them as pious as Ganga.
    • Ayyappa deeksha is also taken in Karthika masam and is continued up to Makara Sankranthi (Jan 15th)
    Karthika puranam

    The most important aspect of Karthika masam is hearing Karthika puranam. It is called as Karthika vratham. It normally includes the following rules:


    • Waking up early in Brahmi muhartham (4.00A.M)
    • Taking bath in rivers or ponds remembering Ganga
    • Shiva puja / Damodara (Vishnu) puja
    • Lighting Akasha deepam on sun-set
    • Understanding Karthika puranam

    To know more about the Karthika Masa Celebrations, checkout

    Karthika Puranam, Day Wise Audio in Telugu.

    Significance of Karthika Masam

     
  3. Akkinenirockz

    Akkinenirockz Bronze IL'ite

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    We Andhra people will celebrate Karthika maasam as auspicious month for Women.

    During this month EveryMonday, women do puja and fasting !
     
  4. suryayasaswini

    suryayasaswini Silver IL'ite

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    hi reddy
    I am from Andhra Pradesh so I can give you what Andhra people do. I will give you detailed version you can do whatever is convenient to you. * It starts with Abhyangana Snana that means we have to take shower (including hair) every morning for whole 30 days or at least auspicious days including Mondays. * Fasting: You have to fast until evening. You can eat after Sun goes down after looking at Moon or stars. I know people who did for whole month. You can have fruits and milk during the fasting but not cooked food. Usually I do Mondays, Poornima and Masasivarathri. And I try to avoid onions for whole month. • Pooja: If possible we can do Shiva Pooja otherwise recite some Siva Stotrams. But we should light the Deepam every evening. • People light wicks (Vathulu) 100 or 360 count in Siva temple or any temple on any auspicious days during the month. * some people read Siva Puranam. I don't think it is available or not
     
  5. ReddyZA1

    ReddyZA1 New IL'ite

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    Thank you that information very much.

    Are there any other fasting periods during the year that I should be aware of besides what you have mentioned to me above?
     
  6. Priya_Mommy

    Priya_Mommy Gold IL'ite

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    hello reddy,
    I am still confused about Purattasi, can you please tellus which month exactly your friends do fasting from Jan to Dec?

    For women especially, Sravanam(August),Karthika(November),Magha(Feb) are the usual auspicious months. There is no such month where whole month they undergo fasting full day............but anyways, fasting normally half day like afternoon they eat food, night either they eat fruits/milk etc.
     
  7. ReddyZA1

    ReddyZA1 New IL'ite

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    Thank you for the reply PriyaMommy.
    As I mentioned above, we Telugu speaking people in South Africa are a little bit confused.

    Many telugu people seem to fast during the tamil month of Purtassi. Telugu people seem to have adopted tamil practices due to various reasons but mostly to feel part of a larger south indian community. There are not that many Telugu speaking people in South Africa. That is why I asked about the fasting period of Purtassi. I was very doubtful that Telugu people in Andhra Pradesh (where my descendants come from) fast during this tamil month.

    It seem Telugu people were doing it wrong.

    Apart from fasting for woman, are there any other fasting period that I should know about that is observed by Telugu families in Andhra Pradesh?

    I would appreciate any advice.
     
  8. Viloshni

    Viloshni New IL'ite

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    Hi I am also a South African Telugu and got tired of our people following Tamil customs.They are thoroughly confused as what festivals to follow or how to follow them.The Andhra Sabha is failingg us in not educating our people on what to do.I now go onto the net during all Hindu festivals and read up on how its done and follow that.As far as Puratassi is concerned some Telugu speakers fasty because it reveres Vishnu and Andhras are largely Vaishnavites followers of Vishnu and his incarnations like Ram,Krishna.Balaji etc.The correct day for us to fast is also on a Saturday and noty Monday which Tamilians who are Saivites that is followers of Shiva do.
     
  9. bhanumathiyv

    bhanumathiyv New IL'ite

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    dear reddy, usually in andhra ,people fast on mukkoti ekadasi day too,rest of the time in case you say so in front of god you can fast to fulfill your wants.kartikamasam is synonymous with fasting , river snanam, shiva abhishekam,charity, feeding poor, temple darshan,lighting diyas in the house and tenple with cow ghee, reciting om namasivayaas much as possible will give contless blessings from god. start in a small way and continue. the idea to enquire itself is a gods blessing.god bless you and your family.
     
  10. Anvitha

    Anvitha Moderator Staff Member Gold IL'ite

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    Hi reddy,
    As some of the above people said,its karthika masam followed in andhra pradesh.This is the fasting month and auspisious for both Hari and Hara (vishnu & shiva).

    So as far as your main question is concerned if you wish to follow only telugu traditions Purattasi is not there in Andhra Pradesh. May be some TN border districts who has Tamil influence ,might be following that.

    even in Andhra Pradesh again there are some custom differences in coastal andhra and telangana and rayala seema. so if you can tell the correct origin like which area you belong to that area people might be of help to you.Please mention the city name or the orginal village / district name.Hyderabad means telanagan and they follow bathukamma too in september.

    But as a whole sravana,, karthika masams, (magha some places) are the fasting months in AP.
     

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