Tamil New Year

Puthandu, or better known as Tamil New Year, is the celebration of the first day of the new Tamil year by people of Tamil origin. It follows the Tamil Calendar, which is used in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in India, and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. The traditional Tamil New Year tends to coincide with the traditional start of year in Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Nepal and the Punjab, not to mention Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It is based on the classical Hindu solar calendar.

The celebration generally fall on April 12, April 13 or April 14. People greet each other on this day by saying இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்- வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Iniya Tamizh Puthaandu Nalvazthukkal).Origin and Significance

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. 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.

Celebration

Every year in the month of Chithrai (the first month of the Hindu solar calendar), in the temple city of Madurai, the Chithrai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is also held, called Chithrai Porutkaatchi. In some parts of Southern Tamil Nadu, it is also called Chithrai Vishu. The day is marked with a feast in Hindu homes and entrances to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams.

On the day of Tamil New Year, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and many other places.Controversy

Recently the Tamil Nadu DMK government by an Act of Legislature abolished the Tamil calendar for secularist political reasons and started to follow a newly created Tiruvalluvar era as the official calendar with the first day of the month of Thai as the beginning of the year. The order also abolishes use of Tamil Years from this year Thai.

Henceforth, it proposes that January 14 of every year be celebrated as Tamil New Year in addition to the famous harvest festival Ponga. But the said resolution has no public support.