TAMIL NEW YEAR
India is a diverse country with numerous states and each and every state is rich with its own cultural heritage and traditions. The celebrations of innumerable festivals through the year makes our country vibrant and special.
Puthandu or the Tamil New Year, is the celebration of New Year observed by the people of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala in India. The Tamils in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Singapore too observe this day with great fanfare and enthusiasm. This festival is also known as Varusha Pirappu in Tamil while the Keralites celebrate this festival by the name of “Vishu”. According to our legends, it is on this auspicious day, Lord Brahma – the Creator of the Universe began his creations.
Puthandu is observed in the month of Chithrai, which is also the first month of the Tamil Solar calendar. This festival is generally observed on the 14th of April according to the Gregorian calendar and is a public holiday in Tamil Nadu. Thus, traditionally the Tamil New year starts on the 14th of April, which is the Kali Yuga 5118.
On the eve of this festival, the houses are decorated with beautiful and colorful Kolams. In the center of the Kolam is a lamp called the Kuthuvillakku. It is firmly believed that, the light of this lamp will dispel all darkness from our lives. It is also a common practice to prepare a special festival tray. This tray is laden with three kinds of fruits – mango, banana and jackfruit. Apart from these, areca nuts, couple of betel leaves, gold or silver jewellery, some cash and coins, rice, coconuts and flowers are also kept as per the tradition of every family.
A very unique practice, is to keep a mirror also at the place of worship! This beautiful and colourful decoration has to be viewed first thing in the morning of the festival day. This tradition is called the Vishu Kani, which means an auspicious sight. People believe that an auspicious sight on the first day of the New Year, will make the days of the coming year favourable and fulfilling. The elders get up at dawn and light the lamp. Then, they wake up each member of the family and blindfold them and walk with them to the place of the setting for them to have a Vishu Kani! It is also a practice for the young to seek blessings from the elders who give them cash-gifts.
After the Kani, people have a bath and visit the temples where special puja may be arranged on the occasion of this festival. People also visit their friends and relatives. On this day, people wear new clothes and mouth-watering delicacies are prepared. Another highlight of the Puthandu is, the reading of the Panchangam or the almanac. This is a traditional activity where people sit together along with the most elderly person who reads out about the ensuing year, from the almanac.
In the temple city of Madurai, the month-long celebration is called the Chithirai Thiruvizha. It is the longest celebration in the world and goes on for a month. The first 15 days are dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and the rest of the 15 days for Alagar who is worshipped in a form of Lord Vishnu. Huge exhibitions and fairs are held that are called Chitterai Porutkaatchi. In the southern part of Tamil Nadu, the same is called Chittirai Vishu. A huge and grand car festival is held on this day at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. Numerous festivals are also observed in places like Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram etc.
Along with other delicacies, people prepare a special dish called “Maanga Pachadi”. This is a unique preparation made out of Jaggery, raw mangoes and Neem flowers. It is a taste which is bitter, sweet and sour which teaches us to take the ups and downs of our life with equanimity. In Kerala, they prepare a sweet Payasam with jackfruit or milk and rice and also make a pickle with Wild Lemon (Kaddarangai)on this day.
Truly, this festival is one of a kind to welcome the New Year!