Tamil Calendar

The Tamil Calendar is used in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in India, and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. It is used today for cultural, religious and agricultural events, with the Gregorian calendar having largely supplanted it for official use both within and outside India.

There are several festivals based on the Tamil Hindu calendar. The Tamil New Year follows the nirayanam vernal equinox and generally falls on April 13 or 14th of the Gregorian year. April 13 or 14th marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and this remains a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Tropical vernal equinox fall around 22 March, and adding 23 degrees of trepidation or oscillation to it, we get the Hindu sidereal or Nirayana Mesha Sankranti (Sun's transition into nirayana Aries). Hence, the Tamil calendar begins with the same date which is observed by most traditional calendars of the rest of India - Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Orissa, Manipur, Nepal, Punjab etc. The 60-year cycle is also very ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China, and is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter according to popular belief, or to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras (stars) as mentioned in Surya Siddhanta.

The traditional Tamil year is (From April 13, 2008), Kaliyuga 5110. Vikrama and Shalivahana Saka eras are also used.

The current DMK-led Government of Tamil Nadu abolished the traditional Tamil calendar in February 2008 citing a so-called but disputed proclamation in 1920s by a group of so-called Atheists under leadership of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy who assembled in Madurai and adopted first day of Thai Month as first day of the Tamil Calendar. The Tamil Nadu Government has ordered the Tiruvalluvar Era as official Tamil Calendar for the state and abolished the Tamil years used for several millennia. The new year has been changed to begin with Pongal day during month of Thai. This controversial move however has no public support and the traditional calendar that begins in April remains very much in use. The opposition AIADMK has vowed to restore the traditional Tamil calendar when it assumes power. The present state government's move has also been challenged in court.