Puthandu 2013 : The Tamil New Year 2013

The Tamil New Year 2013 will be celebrated on 14th April of the Gregorian calendar. Tamil New Year is also known as Puthandu and Varusha Pirappu. The Tamil New Year is on the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai which comes when the Sun enters the Aries sign.

Mesha Rashi (Aries) is considered very auspicious to begin new things at an auspicious note. It is mainly celebrated by all the Tamil people residing all over the world. The major states where Puthandu is observed are Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Puducherry.

The Tamil New Year holds great significance amongst the people. Therefore, the state also participates in the New Year celebrations by organizing different cultural fairs. These fairs are an extravagant display of culture, art and tradition. A Car Festival is also organized to commemorate the sacred day of Puthandu or Varusha Pirappu.

Celebrations of Puthandu (Tamil New Year)

On the day of Tamil Newyear people take an early bath and wear new clothes. They clean their houses and decorate the entrances with Kolams. Kolam (Rangoli) is a kind of painting which made using rice powder and naturally made colors.

The sole purpose of these Kolams is not decoration. It is also believed that ants and birds can find easy food in these Kolams. Also, this is a welcoming sign for Goddess Lakshmi to enter the house and shower it with wealth, prosperity and happiness. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity.

All the Tamil people are food loving and Puthandu is an excellent opportunity for them enjoy festive delicacies. Women prepare traditional South Indian food and other traditional food items related to this day. The food is first offered to Gods and then to the family members, neighbors and relatives.

One of the famous dishes of the Tamil New Year is Maanga Pachadi. This dish is cooked using raw mangoes, jaggery and Neem flowers. People eat a lot of food, worship their deities, sing and dance to welcome the New Year.

People visit their loved ones and wish each other the best wishes of New Year. People take a herbal bath as it is considered very auspicious. People worship different Gods and offer raw mangoes and Neem flowers to them. These offerings symbolize growth and prosperity.

The first thing people do on this day is to make a financial transaction, as it considered to bring good luck and blessings of the Almighty. Elders of the house distribute gifts to the young unmarried members of the family. The game of Por-Thengai (the game of coconut) is also played on the day of Tamil New Year. It is also believed that seeing auspicious things in the morning and even throughout the day brings good luck. This ritual is called Kanni and is observed with a devotion and belief.

Puthandu: The Legend

As per the legend, long ago on this day Goddess Meenakshi got married to Lord Sundareswara. The Tamil Newyear is celebrated every year at the Meenakshi temple with great fervor and joy. Therefore, people also celebrate the divine union of their Gods. Also, a grand exhibition known as Chitterai Porutkaatchi is organized on the day of Puthandu. It is also believed that on this day Lord Brahma started creating the world.

Tamil New Year in SriLanka

Tamil New Year is celebrated with great fervor and delight in Sri Lanka as well. People mostly make their first financial transaction on this day which is called Kai-Vishesham. The farmers plough their first field on this day and begin the new agricultural season. It is believed that by following this tradition they will reverse any bad luck and get good harvest.

New Year Brings New Life

A New Year is perfect time to forget the past mistakes and take new resolutions. We can begin our life all over again. The Tamil Newyear gives people hope that no matter what we have lost, we can always make a new beginning. This day makes us realize that now is the time to give an auspicious start to our new ventures. With this note we conclude the article and hope that you found it informative and interesting. We wish all of you a very happy and auspicious Tamil New Year 2013!