When is Puthandu 2023? Know history, significance and celebration of Tamil New Year
By Team Newsable | First Published Apr 12, 2023, 12:44 PM ISTPuthandu 2023: Here's all you need to know about Puthandu, or Tamil New Year, including the date, history, importance, customs, and celebrations.
Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarudam, is the Tamil New Year, and the people of Tamil Nadu celebrate it on the first day of the Tamil calendar or the starting day of the Chithirai month. Puthandu is celebrated as the Tamil New Year, and a special meal called 'Mangai Pachadi' is cooked in various regions of Tamil Nadu on occasion.
This dish is a mash-up of several flavours, including sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy, that represent the various emotions that one encounters in life, and it is thought that eating this food on Puthandu gives balance and harmony in life. Puthandu is a significant celebration for Tamils all over the world, marking the beginning of a new year and looking forward to fresh beginnings with hope and optimism.
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Date:
In the Gregorian calendar, Puthandu occurs practically every year on the same day. Puthandu will be celebrated on April 14 this year.
Significance of Puthandu:
Puthandu festivities kick off the first month of the Tamil solar calendar, Chithirai. This day is marked as a public holiday in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. On this day, other states also celebrate the New Year. On this day, West Bengal observes Poyla Boishakh, Kerala follows Vishu, Punjal observes Baisakhi, and Assam observes Bihu.
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History:
Puthandu dates back to the Chola dynasty, which reigned over Tamil Nadu and other regions of South India from the ninth to the thirteenth century. The Tamil calendar was developed during this time, and the first day of Chithirai was recognised as the Tamil New Year.
Rituals and celebrations:
Puthandu, also known as Varsha Pirappu, is celebrated with great pomp and ceremony by Tamilians all throughout the country. They celebrate the new year with their loved ones by adorning their homes and cooking pongal. People look forward to spending the day with their families, friends, and loved ones.
The day's festivities begin with the creation of kolams, patterns made of coloured rice flour and placed at the door of the house. Families cook Puthandu-specific foods like as Pongal and mango pachadi, while others chant religious hymns to bring wealth and pleasure into their homes.
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Some people begin their day by going to the temple. Later in the day, folks dress up in their best traditional clothes and enjoy the lip-smacking Puthandu-special buffet with their loved ones.
In addition to mango pachadi and Pongal, the Puthandu spread includes vadai, sambhar, sadam (rice), payasam, appalam (papad), vegetable curry, fresh mango pickle and curd. Tamilians honour their elders and greet one another with Puthandu Nalvalthukal, which translates to "Happy New Year" in English.
Puthandu is a time for Tamils to give thanks for the previous year and to look forward to the new year with hope and optimism. It is a time for family get-togethers, eating, and gift-giving. Kolam patterns beautify homes, and individuals dress in new outfits.
The 'Kanni,' or first glimpse of the year, is one of the principal traditions linked with Puthandu. It is said that the first thing a person sees on Puthandu morning sets the tone for the rest of the year. As a result, on Puthandu morning, Tamils customarily rise early, bathe, and then gaze at fortunate goods like as gold, silver, fruits, flowers, and a mirror as a sign of good luck.
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