Purattasi month (mid-Sep to mid-Oct) is a holy month for Tamil people. During this month, many special rituals and festivals take place. Some important events of this month are Mahalaya Amavasya, Purattasi Saturdays , Maavilakku and Navaratri. This month is dedicated to Lord Venkatachalapathy, who is believed to have come down to earth during this time. Hence, special prayers are usually offered at Tirupati, in this month. Purattasi Viratham Significance of Purattasi Saturdays All Saturdays in Purattasi month are considered auspicious. During this entire month, people worship Lord Venkatachalapathy and observe fast on Saturdays as it has importance for the Lord. There is a Vishnu temple (Padavedu Kottaimalai Sri Venugopalaswamy temple) in Kottaimalai, near Vellore, on the hilltop. The temple opens for worshippers only on Saturdays, from 9 am to 4 pm. The strange thing about the temple is that on one Purattasi Saturday alone, early in the morning, the rays of th...