Red letter day

Puthandu(Tamil New Year) – Erakina

March 29, 2022 3 Mins Read

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The time of our living in the world is counted as days, months and years. People always try to be better day after day. They rectify and improve their life standards by knowing the past. Every New year brings hope in people’s lives. It is a festival of joy and today we are going to see about the Tamil new year and how the day is celebrated.

Tamil New year

Tamil New year is celebrated in South India, Tamil Nadu on April 14 or 15. It is because in the Tamil calendar the first month is called Sithirai and it starts on April 14 or 15 in the English calendar. The day is based on the alignment of the Sun on the line of the equator. The new year is celebrated with pomp and happiness. The people respect the day with spirituality, hope, and blessing from god. People will get ready for the Tamil new year by cleaning their house before the day and they get rid of old stuff and clean the whole house completely to welcome the new year. People buy fruits from the stores before the new year. The fruits shouldn’t be eaten because those are the fruits that are used to offer god in the new year. Households will be prepared before the new year by cleaning, arranging pooja materials and a basket full of fruits like Jackfruit, Mangoes, Bananas, money, jewellery, and mirror.

The basket of fruits and money is in the tradition of the new year. It’s because the fruits represent health, money for wealth and prosperity, jewellery represents beauty and adornment, and mirror is used to reflect and multiply good things in life. When the new year starts people want to see the basket and the mirror kept in pooja rooms first when they wake up and want to start their day. This is considered a good sign to start the day of the new year.

The verandah of the house is cleaned by water and applying cow dung mixed solution for antibiotics and for spirituality. Including that people draw unique spiritual designs called “Kolam” and a small lamp is kept in the center to clear off the darkness in life. The kolam is drawn using rice powder. Family members take a herbal or normal bath and make themselves clean. Some people wear new dresses and some wear old but special dresses for the new year. After people get ready they start the pooja in the morning by choosing a good time. By breaking Coconut into half, lighting camphor, lamps, incense sticks, and benzoin resin the pooja will be started. After doing pooja kids will get the blessing from the elders and get gifts from parents and grandparents. Some people give offerings like flowers, bananas, and coconuts to temples and pray for a good year.

After pooja, family members start eating specially prepared breakfast like Vada, Payasam, Sakkarai Pongal, vegetable stew, etc. The special dish some people prepare in the new year is Mango Pachadi. Which is made from mangoes, tamarind, and other ingredients. By eating breakfast with whole family members they do share many memories and spread love. After eating the sweets and the foods will be shared with friends and neighbors to spread love and celebrate the new year. This is how the Tamil new year is celebrated.

By Mukesh Kumar