Tamizh Puthandu
-Rohit Kumar Parmar
Tamiz Puthandu (Tamil: தமிழ்ப்புத்தாண்டு), also known as Chittirai Vishu (in Southern Tamil Nadu), Puthuvarudam or Tamil New Year, is traditionally celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai and corresponds to April of the Gregorian calendar. This is one of the few festivals which falls about the same date every year.
On this day, Tamil people greet each other by saying "Puthāaṇdu vāazhthugal!" (புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்) or "Iṉiya puthaandu nalvāazhthugal!" (இனிய புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்), or "Happy new year".
Puthandu is also celebrated by Tamils in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and other countries having Tamil diaspora. It is also celebrated as the Sinhalese New Year in Sri Lanka.
There are several references to Puthandu in early Tamil literature.
Calendar
Kūdalūr Kizhaar refers to Mesha Raasi/Chitterai as the commencement of the year in the Puṟanāṉūṟu, literally "four hundred poems in the genre puram", and is a classical Tamil poetic work.
The Manimekalai (Tamil epic composed by Kulavāṇikaṉ Seethalai Sataṉar probably around the 6th century) alludes to the Hindu solar calendar as we know it today.
Adiyarkunalaar, an early medieval commentator mentions the twelve months of the Tamil calendar with particular reference to Chitterai.
There were subsequent inscriptional references in Pagan, Burma dated 11th century CE and in Sukhothai, Thailand dated 14th century CE to South Indian, often Vaishnavite, courtiers tasked with defining the traditional calendar that began in mid-April.
Zodiac signs/Seasons
Sangam period author Nakkirar of Neṭunalvāṭai (ancient tamil poem), wrote that sun travels from Mesha/Chitterai through 11 successive signs of the zodiac.
The Silappadikaaram (Jain Tamil epic) mentions the 12 Raasis or zodiac signs starting with Mesha/Chitterai.
The Tolkaapiyam the oldest surviving Tamil grammar text divides the year into six seasons where Chitterai marks the start of the Ilavenil season or summer.
Celebrations
In some parts of Tamil Nadu (bordering Kerala) a tray is arranged with three fruits (mango, banana and jack fruit), betel leaves and arecanut, flowers and a mirror, similar to the Vishu new year festival ceremonial tray in Kerala.
The day is observed as family time. Households clean up the house, prepare a tray with fruits, flowers and auspicious items, light up the family Puja altar and visit temples. People wear new clothes and children go to elders to pay their respects and seek their blessings, then the family sits down to a vegetarian feast.
Home entrances are decorated elaborately with rice flour and colours designs called moggulu/ kolams/ rangoli.
In the temple city of Madurai, the Chitterai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is held, called Chitterai Porutkaatchi. A big Car Festival is held at Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and other places.
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