Traditionally known as Puthandu or the Tamil New Year 2024 is observed with much enthusiasm by the Tamil community in India and various other parts of the world. Check out the space below to know about this special occasion.
The Tamil New Year, also traditionally known as Tamil Puthandu, is the first day of the year on the Tamil calendar. The celebration date is set according to the solar cycle of the Hindu calendar. Since the occasion marks the first day in the Tamil calendar's first month, Chithirai, it is celebrated as Puthandu. According to the Gregorian calendar, this auspicious day falls on 13th April or 14th April.
While the Tamilians celebrate their New Year's Day as Puthandu, others celebrate this day as Vaisakhi or Baisakhi. Not only is the festival widely celebrated in Tamil Nadu but also by Tamilians in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and Mauritius. Tamilians all over the world celebrate Varusha Pirappu with fervor and devotion.
As per astrology, this day is quite significant as this is when the Sun moves into Aries. To find out how this has an effect on Rasi Palan, astrologers are consulted.
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Commemorated as a day for family time, members spend the day cleaning the house together. Home entrances are decorated elaborately with colored rice powder, called kolams. The main door is also decorated with Mango and Neem leaves. A tray filled with fruits (mainly mango, banana, and jackfruit) and flowers are offered at the local temples. People wear new clothes, and as part of the tradition, children visit older members of the family to take blessings and even a little pocket money.
A scrumptious vegetarian feast is prepared on the day of Puthuvarusham. A special dish is Mangai-Pachadi, which is made using raw mango, sweet jaggery, red chilies, neem leaves, and astringent mustard. This dish has so many explosive flavors as it symbolizes the different 'flavourful' experiences we experience in life- some sweet, some bitter, and some salty! It serves as a reminder to embrace ephemeral experiences by learning to make the most of them. Other Tamil delicacies also prepared for the festival include Payasam, Veppam Poo Pachadi, Paruppu Vada, and many more. The festival is celebrated with Neem flowers and raw mangoes, as they are believed to symbolize growth and prosperity.
In Madurai, Tamil Nadu, devotees specially visit the Meenakshi Temple to celebrate the festival. A huge exhibition, called Chithirai Porutkatchi, is also held during the celebrations.
The festival is also observed as 'Arpudu,' on which the first plowing of the ground is done to prepare for the new agricultural cycle. People in Tamil Nadu also host a game of coconut wars and cart races as part of the festivities.
There is another popular ritual associated with the festival of Puthandu. This custom, known as 'Kanni,' meaning the 'auspicious sight,' is followed by many people. According to the ritual, the day of the festival is started by 'watching' auspicious things like gold and silver jewelry, betel leaves, nuts, fruits and vegetables, flowers, raw rice, and coconuts. People take a bath and visit the temple after the ritual. Tamilians believe this symbolizes an excellent start to a New Year and will ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year.
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