By Ramya
Tamil Nadu is a state in the southern part of India. As like most countries India doesn’t have a common New Year celebration all over the country. Each and every state in India has its own calendar and New Year celebration.
When does Tamil New Year fall?
- The Tamil New Year follows the vernal equinox and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year.
- As like most countries’ calendars, the Tamil Calendar also has 12 months to complete one whole year.
- Tamil New Year is known as Varusha pirappu/ Puthandu which usually falls on April 14.
- April 14 is marked as the first day of the first Tamil month, Chitirai, in the traditional Tamil calendar.
How is the Tamil New Year celebrated in Tamil Nadu?
- It is a public holiday in Tamil Nadu.
- On the eve of Puthandu (evening before the new year day), on a tray arranged with three fruits (mango, banana and jack fruit), betel leaves and arecanut, gold/silver jewelry, coins/money, flowers and a mirror are placed. This set up is to be viewed upon waking in the morning after lighting the lantern that symbolizes the following whole year is going to be wealthy and prosperous.
- People celebrate this day with much zest and greet each other by saying ‘Puthundu Vazthukal’.
- The day is spent by feasting on traditional Tamil dishes including ‘Maanga Pachadi’, a sweet, sour and bitter dish made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers to signify life is having different kinds of aspects.
- During this day, Tamilians draw elaborately decorative kolam/ rangoli on the corridors of their homes.
- To mark the occasion of Tamil New Year people wear new clothes. Many even get their houses painted for the occasion.
Who else are celebrating New Year on the same day?
The Tamil calendar begins on the same date observed by most traditional calendars in India as in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Mithila, Odisha, Punjab, Tripura, as well as in a few other countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand.