TO FAST OR NOT TO FAST?

Rajendran Govender is a social anthropologist and researcher and writes in his personal capacity

The above conversation prompted me to write this opinion piece – To fast or not to fast?

Most Hindus are already in fasting mode during this auspicious period on the Hindu calendar.

There are various observances during this time that necessitate fasting, such as Pitr Paksha or Mahalya Paksham from September 10 to 24.

Then there is Purtassi, which is an annual festival of the South Indian community, and is observed from September 17 to October 16.

And during this period Navarathree is also celebrated, from September 25 to October 3.

Conversation in a supermarket

Woman 1: I see you are preparing for the fasting month?

Woman 2: Yes, I need to stock up with lots of soya products, dhal, baked beans, mushrooms and other vegetable products. We will be fasting the whole month and we are doing our Purtassi prayer on the third Saturday.

Woman 1: No, in our house we are fasting for one week only, and doing our prayer on the first Saturday. Thereafter we will break our fast, and only fast for the remaining Saturdays. You know the children of today, they don’t want to hear of fasting.

Woman 2:Why are you taking shortcuts? If you want to fast, you must fast the right way or don’t fast at all.

Pitr Paksha is an important Vedic tradition and is designated as an essential, powerful time to honour our ancestors.

Apart from abstaining from all worldly pleasures by abstaining from meat or other luxuries, we can make donations to a non-profit organisations, such as child welfare or hospice.

We can also dedicate spiritual practices during this time, by way of meditation, chanting of mantras or attending temples and partaking in spiritual discourses.

During Purtassi, the South Indian community observe a strict fast abstaining from nonvegetarian meals and other worldly pleasures.

This is a time devoted to the cleansing of the mind and body while observing strict discipline and saying regular prayers.

Devotees pay homage to Lord Vishnu, the Protector, by observing this fast.

They pray to the Lord to seek forgiveness for all their sins and they offer thanks for the life on earth and its preservation.

During this period the Saturdays are observed for the worship of Lord Balaji or Venkateshwara.

Nine nights

During Navarathree, meaning “nine nights,” Hindus throughout the world invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, which literally means the remover of miseries of life.

Fasting in Hinduism indicates the denial of the physical needs of the body for the sake of spiritual gains.

According to the scriptures, fasting helps create an attunement with the Absolute by establishing a harmonious relationship between the body and the soul.

There are different forms of observing fasts.

Most Hindus strictly abstain from non-vegetarian meals for the whole period of Purtassi.

I remember growing up in a home where during the month of Purtassi my mother put away all pots and replaced them with new pots, or pots that were only used to prepare vegetarian meal.

Some devotees of Lord Venkateswara opt for a strict fast on Purtassi Saturdays, which involves not even drinking water.

A special prayer dedicated to Lord Vishnu culminates in the breaking of the fast with vegetarian delicacies.

In South Africa this practice still continuous despite many changes. In fact, Puratassi is observed more rigidly here than in Tamil Nadu.

At the World Tamil Conference in Thanjavur many years ago, I presented a paper, “The Preservation of Indian Culture in a Post-Apartheid South Africa,” where I made reference to the various Hindu ritual and cultural observances in South Africa.

When I had completed it, one senior academic from India exclaimed: “Oh, my God, you are still observing these practices. Here in Tamil Nadu we have long stopped it.”

The underlying principle behind fasting can be found in Ayurveda.

This ancient Indian medical system sees the basic cause of many diseases as the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system.

Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy.

By fasting, the digestive organs get to rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected.

Abstaining from meat assists with reducing the function of body organs, resulting in less stress to the organs.

Partaking in continuous non-vegetarian meals causes emotional imbalances in the body, making some people tense, irritable and violent.

Fasting acts as an antidote, for it lowers the acid content in the body, which helps people to retain their sanity.

Just like a motor vehicle which has been running for months providing an essential service to the owner, there comes a time when the engine becomes corroded with waste material.

The car is taken in for a service, where the engine and other components are cleaned or replaced so that the engine can function optimally again.

Interventions

During our day-to-day activities we experience similar experiences, which then necessitate interventions to get our body back on track so that we too can perform optimally.

It must be understood that fasting for religious or spiritual reasons is never for the purpose of punishing or harming the body.

It is a determined effort to become closer to God.

In South Africa most Hindu families are not vegetarian, and at least during this auspicious month, with so many difference religious observances, many people follow a vegetarian diet, alcohol is given up, and families become closer and enjoy this peaceful period.

The main theme during the fasting period is Bakth,i or devotion.

So if you find devotion by fasting the whole month or only on Saturdays, who is going to judge you?

There are many innovative ways of enjoying vegetarian meals.

Try making a toasted baked beans and green chilli sandwich, or a mouthwatering toasted mushroom and cheese sandwich.

And remember, Heritage Day is not National Braai Day. It’s a day where we celebrate our diverse cultures in a multi-cultural society.

So don’t feel left out.

Money Govender, a trader at the Early Morning Market in Durban, sorts out her vegetables in time for Purattasi.