The Fast is Upon Us!
All around the world Tamils fast around this time, the holy month of Purtassi(September and the sixth month in the Tamil calendar) in dedication to Lord Vishnu, the Preserver. It is a cleansing time for the body and the soul as we forgo meat, eggs, alcohol, and the like for a month. Some choose to do a week but all Tamils fast on the Saturday as it is dedicated to the deity in the form of Lord Venkateswara( Balaji). I am sure by now you have discovered that in Hinduism all the Gods and Goddesses like to Cosplay into different forms or people. They're cool like that. Before I go any further, I want to tackle a very annoying comment I get when I tell people I am fasting. And it only happens in Cape Town. The comment goes, "But that's not fasting."I suspect people get confused because the Muslim community fasts for Eid and they dry fast between sunrise and sunset. Hindus can choose to dry fast if they wish but there is more than one type of fast. Fasting can mean abst