Will you celebrate Chiththirai 1st as Tamil New Year Day?

[kalnayak]

As MuKas DMK govt. has announced that here afterwards Thai 1st shall be considered as the Tamil New Year day, what will you do? Will you celebrate Chiththirai 1st as an Ausipicious Tamil New Year Day or not?
Yaaro solraanga, Entha datela Tamil New Year vanthaalum, we will not celebrate - Is it good? Give your comments.

[crazy]

hm....yen thideerna thamizh putthaanda maathira ennam?
whatever ..to me chittirai 1st is tamil new year :)

[selvakumar]

Rendu special day irunthuttu pogattumae. Why are they keen to merge these two days as a single day ?

I think we value THAI PONGAL more than tamil new year. They should declare leave on tamil new year too and it should be celebrated like THAI PONGAL :roll:

[joe]

Selva,
One day leave miss aguthe-nnu unga varuththam puriyuthu :lol:

[joe]

Why are they keen to merge these two days as a single day ?:roll:

It is not merging ..Now the debat is Tamil calander starts with Chithirai or Thai .

[ksen]

Chithirai, Vaigasi... aapadinnu varisaipaduthinaathaan oru effect irukku :) Suddenly if you have to start from April ( financial and calender years getting merged) there would be widespread condemnation.

Chithirai, with the glorious yellow streamers of konnai blooming, and the muted celebrations with mango pachadi with veppampoo - this is a separate festival heralding the arrival of spring. Why should it be merged with Pongal?
It is not just Tamilians, all South Indians and most North Indians celebrate their New Years during the same time.

[NOV]

Not only Indians, many communities across the world celebrate new year around april, examples being sihalese, thais. etc.

In fact originally the west too celebrated new year in april, but after the advent of Christianity the date was moved to January. Old habits die hard and many refused to follow. Those ppl who continued to celebrate in april were then called april fools. :roll:

Going by astromical movements, the new year indeed only begins in April.

[joe]

Khmer (Cambodian) new year also exactly on April 14th.

[Lambretta]

Chithirai, with the glorious yellow streamers of konnai blooming, and the muted celebrations with mango pachadi with veppampoo - this is a separate festival heralding the arrival of spring. Why should it be merged with Pongal?
It is not just Tamilians, all South Indians and most North Indians celebrate their New Years during the same time.
Yes even Telugus celebrate it as their New Year (UgAdhi)...

[NOV]

Thai Ponggal festival is a harvest festival celebrated all throughout the world. It marks the day when Sun enters the Makaram or Capricon or Thai masam. This event is celebrated because it is the first day Sun enters the northern hemisphere, from its Southern hemisphere journey, which is auspicious.
...

It is a mis perception to say that this is Tamil new year. Of course, some (sic) will say so many things just to do things different from the rest of India, or for that matter, the world. Historically it is celebrated as a harvest festival to thank the Sun God for good harvest and its entrance into the Makaram or Capricon sign.

The correct New Year date for those following the Solar Calendar is when Sun enters the 0 degree, which is starting point of zodiac. That 0 degree mark is when Sun enters the Mesha or Aries or Chittrai month. Those following the Lunar calendar celebrate new year on different date. Ask any astrologer what is the first zodiac mark when they draw the joshiyam chart. The first box is for Mesha rasi. That rasi, Mesha marks the 0 degree. New Year for those following Solar calendar is when Sun enters Mesha.

This is basic astrology.

[Arthi]

Thai Ponggal festival is a harvest festival celebrated all throughout the world. It marks the day when Sun enters the Makaram or Capricon or Thai masam. This event is celebrated because it is the first day Sun enters the northern hemisphere, from its Southern hemisphere journey, which is auspicious.
...

It is a mis perception to say that this is Tamil new year. Of course, some (sic) will say so many things just to do things different from the rest of India, or for that matter, the world. Historically it is celebrated as a harvest festival to thank the Sun God for good harvest and its entrance into the Makaram or Capricon sign.

The correct New Year date for those following the Solar Calendar is when Sun enters the 0 degree, which is starting point of zodiac. That 0 degree mark is when Sun enters the Mesha or Aries or Chittrai month. Those following the Lunar calendar celebrate new year on different date. Ask any astrologer what is the first zodiac mark when they draw the joshiyam chart. The first box is for Mesha rasi. That rasi, Mesha marks the 0 degree. New Year for those following Solar calendar is when Sun enters Mesha.

This is basic astrology.
Wow gud information!!! :D

[Arthi]

I was mediationg abt this change of TAMIL NEW YEAR to THAI maasam....

In the same thought was doing goole search to collect points and also to know better that HOW CHITIRAI MAASAM is the apt month of our NEW year celebration...

Just encounter with an exact site where "Jayasree saranathan Chennai" where she had written an open letter to CM MR. Karunanidhi
I feel there is nothing wrong in giving the link here...
I wonder eventhough i give the link, how many of us wld read her mail to CM...

I would like to copy paste her open letter here

[Arthi]

Friday, January 11, 2008
An open letter to the Chief Minister, Mr.Karunanidhi on his proposal to change Tamil New Year's day to the 1st of Thai.


Dear Mr.Chief Minister,

I was taken aback with both joy and anxiety on reading about your speech on the occasion of the inauguration of Chennai Sangamam.

Joy,
because my belief that the Sanatana Dharma of this land can never be vitiated,has been vindicated in what you have said
and anxiety,because of the mix up of the tenets,if your proposal to make Thai as the start of the New Year, were to be introduced.

The Joy part

While saluting your knowledge of literature and your desire to adhere to what poets (pulavar) have said, I wish to look into the cultural aspects embedded in the literature.

'Gyaayiru potrudum' (praise unto the Sun) is not just one prayer that has been mentioned in Silapadikaaram.
There is also glorification of Narayana in Aaichiyar Kuravai.
If we accept Gyaayiru potrudum as the prayer,because it has been said so by Ilangovadigal, then we will have to accept 'Narayana' also as the god, though Adigal, left to himself would like to glorify Arugan, the god of his Jain belief.

Infact what he has done by this prayer on the sun is to place on record the then existent and the continued to be existing practice from times of yore of the worship of the sun, the life-giver of this world and its inhabitants.

If we trace the origins of this worship, it goes farther into past, into the vedic period.The early Vediks worshiped the Sun.
A temple on Sun and his 2 consorts,supposed to have been built 2000 years ago still exists in Kashmir (in dilapidated condition),
a land that derived its present name from rishi Kashyapa.

Among the thirty two vidyas of worship or meditation on the Brahman (the Infinite god) mentioned by the Upanishads,
the worship of the sun is known as 'Madhu vidya'.
The sun is worshiped as the giver of life and also as an embodiment of god.

By acknowledging this 'gyaayiru potrudum' prayer,
I am overjoyed to see that you are acknowledging
the vedic worship of the Sun and meditation by means of Madhu vidya!

My joy found no bounds to hear you say,that you recite the similar prayer while doing the Yoga. But I wish that you stick to your swadharma of non-worship,by not practicing this at all!
Or if you want to practice yoga for the sake of health, I expect you to say the precise sloka meant for it. Because in that case it wont be a worship, but a mere exercise of your mind and body for the sake of better health.

Let me explain how.
Let me quote an incident or experiment on Agnihotra by German scientists. You must be remembering the terrible holocaust of death by poisonous gas that happened in Bhopal in the year 1982.

Fleeing people were falling like insects hit by the poisonous gas.
But two families could not move out as there were old people who could not run. They stayed back but started doing Agnihotra Homa which they used to do,
as they didn't know what else to do.
But to the surprise of the world, they were unharmed in the midst of the holocaust!

On coming to know of this incident, scientists from all over the world poured in and
conducted experiments and found out that Agnihotra is the effective tool against air pollution.
The intriguing part of the homa is a two line mantra.
The mantra extols sun god and prajapathi in the morning homa and
agni and prajapati in the evening homa.

The scientists substituted the sanskrit mantras with many languages of the world - both forgotten and living,
and even used verses having the meaning of the mantra
to investigate how / what actually brings out the effect of the homa.
Needless to say that the mantra in sanskrit only succeeded in bringing out the desired effect. This means the mantra, as it has been handed down to us is very much necessary to bring out the exact result.

Similarly whatever mantra is recommended for a specific yoga,
it must be used as such to bring out the exact result.

In fact I am very happy to have a yoga-savvy chief minister,
who even at this age of 84 is sincerely doing yoga. But I am constrained to say that only that mantra which goes along with the physical activity of yoga will give the optimum effect in terms of health whereas any variation of it will not. More importantly, by converting it into its meaning, you have only changed it into a form of worship!

Your guru did not mind the change from Sanskrit to Tamil because he must be aware, that by reciting the meaning you are anyway not deviating from the very purpose of yoga which is a kind of worship of the inner god in ourself.

Let me come to the anxiety part.
You have profusely acknowledged the greatness of gyaayiru potrudum.
What kind of gyyayiru or sun is praised generally?
The sun in its grandeur, the sun at its best and the sun at its exaltation. This happens in the month of chitthirai
when the start of new year coincides with the sun in its glorious high. My anxiety is because you have ignored this aspect.

Even as per Tamil culture, based on the five-divisioned land called ThiNai, the months coming after Pongal namely Thai, Maasi and Panguni are not the periods of glory to sun. They signify foggy season and a season of rest after harvest.

The Tamil lands, particularly the mountainous tracts (kurinji), and the desert tracts (paalai ) experience periods of low activity
and people in other three lands used to retire to a period of relaxation.
The real fillip to activity happens only with the onset of spring
which coincides with the month of chithirai when the new year is celebrated.
Only from this month onwards,activities in agriculture and celebrations are seen all around.My anxiety is because this factor of heralding of the spring is overlooked.

You have said that the poets (pulavar) have said that the Tamil new year must start on the first day of Thai. While I am ignorant of any Tamil poet of yore having said this, I am aware of poets, particularly the Siddhas (one among them Idai-k kaatu chitthar)
who have written poems for each year of the sixty year cycle of the sun which starts on the first day of chittirai.

Can we ever forget the festivities in the river lands of Vaigai or Kaveri during this month?

My anxiety is because the continuing festivities will not be there after Pongal, though it is happy time for prospective brides and bridegrooms and spending time for families (having enough money after harvest) to spend on marriages.

Dear chief Minister,
even if you were to argue that Thai is the best time for starting the year, I can not help wondering how it is so for the Tamil culture as it is for vedic culture.

It is the first day of Uttarayana or the northern sojourn of the sun,
when, in real cosmic terms, the earth, in its revolution around the sun turns its direction and moves towards the centre of our Milky way galaxy.This movement is of importance to vediks and astrologers. This also makes me anxious how our Chief Minister can subscribe to a Vedic calender.

If we still think that Thai must be made the first month of the year,
then we must change the calender itself. This means we will be doing away with an age old practice of using Solar calender.
The Tamils may agree to it, since the proposal has come from you, dear Chief Minister.

But can all the Tamils follow it?
There are muslims and christians who are also Tamils.
They are not going to use this calender.Also a muslim calender or a christian calender can not be changed by a government head or a political head or even a religious head.

So this means the Tamil calender that is in use today is a Hindu calender, not a Tamil calender or Telugu calender or call whatever.
Then why tamper with this calender, when your interest is to serve Tamils?It makes me tremendously anxious whether my beloved Chief Minister has mistaken the Hindu calender for a Tamil calender which is yet to be designed!

If a change is desired, then there must be some rationale or justification for changing this calender. In fact the existing solar calender itself is a sound one, supported by rational facts.

The rationale in cosmic terms.

The calender used by Tamils is based on sun's movements and was not prepared just like that. The Tamil new year's day is the day when the sun enters the first degree of Aries which is repeated every year. In cosmic terms, this day marks the point of intersection of the sun's path around the zodiac with the celestial equator.This is called "Meshaayana".
This point has been taken as a point of reference from olden days.

Though this point moves backward,(It has been observed and proved mathematicallythat each year at the time when the Sun reaches this point of Aries, the position of the earth in reference to some fixed stars moves back nearly 50.3 seconds farther west
than the earth was at the same point in the previous year
and this movement is calculated to be 1 degree every 72 solar years),for purposes of uniformity, we have been deducing the difference and making corrections regularly,
known as Ayanamsa.

The last time the intersection coincided exactly at 0 degree of Aries was in the year 285 AD. Earlier the intersection happened at 0 degrees of Leo (Magha star) which is found mentioned in a hymn in Yujur veda, giving scope for us to calculate the time the hymn was written (more than 8000 years ago from the present date)
proving how ancient our culture has been.

Any attempt must therefore be aimed at correcting the discrepancies in calculations,and not making changes at will in a system that is based on sound logic.In the past, kings have played a role in calender making,by engaging experts for making corrections.

Today no kings are there. But experts are there everywhere and they have been bringing out the necessary changes.

I am obliged to quote in this context, dear Chief Minister,
a kuraL from Amaicchu (637)

"seyarkai arindha-k- kadaitthum vulagatthu
iyarkai arindhu seyal"

Even if one acts in accordance with the texts in which he is well- versed, he is supposed to know and act as per the way it is done in practice.

We have been advised by Parimelazhagar (commentator on KuraL)
that if it is told by texts that something is needed which in reality is not needed, then we have to give it up.On the other hand, we have to adopt the one which is necessary, even if it is not mentioned in the texts.

Changing the New year to Thai has no reason, relevance or rationale by any reckoning.The day already has been given a unique place in the Tamil society, in having been declared as Pongal, while it is celebrated as Makar-shankarathi in the rest of India, as the day of entry of the sun into the constellation of Capricon.

Makar shakaranthi, or pongal or call what ever you may, there is some cosmic significance. But culture is about mundane affairs.
Let Pongal be the celebration of harvest,and let Tamil New year's day mark the beginning of a new Solar year.

Dear Chief Minister,
I therefore request you to give a re-thinking and give up your proposal. Instead you may constitute a committee of experts to bring out the significance of Tamil culture, which is found to be based on rational thinking in terms of Nature and cosmos.

sincerely,
jayasree saranathan

[Arthi]

To read further discussion on teh same topic
here is the link

http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.com/2008/01/open-letter-to-chief-minister.html

[joe]

Thanks Arthi for this article :)

[joe]

தை முதல் நாளே தமிழரின் புத்தாண்டு - தமிழண்ணல்


இன்றும் சோதிடம் பார்ப்பவரிடம் சென்று, பிறந்த பிள்ளையின் சாதகத்தைக் கணித்துக் கொடுங்கள் என்றுதான் கேட்கின்றனர். கணி, கணியம் - வானநூல். கணியின் - வான நூல் வல்லவன். கணியர் - சோதிடம் பார்த்துக் குறி சொல்பவர். இதனைப் ஓர் அறிவியலடிப்படையில் தமிழர்கள் பின்பற்றி வந்ததற்கான சான்றுகள் மிகப் பலவுள.

கணியன் பூங்குன்றனின் யாதும் ஊரே எனத் தொடங்கும் பாடல், அவரது வானநூல் அறிவின் வழிப்பட்டதே யாகும். பக்குடுக்கை நன்கணியார் என்பவர் ஒரு புறநானூற்றுப் புலவர். இவரைப் பற்றி உ.வே.சா. அவர்கள், நன்கணியார் என்பது இவரது இயற்பெயர்; கணி - சோதிடம் வல்லவன் என் வரலாற்றுக் குறிப்பு எழுதியுள்ளார். பதினெண்கீழ்க்கணக்கில் திணைமாலை நூற்றைம்பது, ஏலாதி எனும் இரு நூல்களை எழுதியவர் கணி மேதாவியார் அல்லது கணிமேதையார் எனக் குறிக்கப்பெற்றுள்ளது.

சேரன் செங்குட்டுவன் வடநாட்டு வெற்றி முடித்து, கங்கைக் கரையில் இருந்தபோது, தன்னுடன் இருந்த கணியிடம், வஞ்சி நீங்கி எவ்வளவு காலம் ஆயிற்று என்று அறிய விரும்புகின்றான். அக் காலத்தில் பிறைச் சந்திரனின் வளர்ச்சியையும் தேய்வையும் வைத்துத் தான் நாட்களைக் கணக்கிட்டனர். சேரன் வானத்தே யுள்ள பிறையை நோக்கினானாம். அவனது குறிப்பை அறிந்த கணி நாம் வஞ்சி நகரை நீங்கி வந்த முப்பத்திரண்டு மாதங்கள் ஆயின என்றான். பிறை ஏர் வண்ணம் பெருந்தகை நோக்க; இறையோன் செவ்வியில் கணி எழுந்து உரைப்போன், எண்ணான்கு மதியம் வஞ்சி நீங்கியது (காதை 27: 146-149) என்பது காண்க. மதியமே பிறகு மாதம் ஆனது. திங்கள் என்பதும் அதுவே. அற்றைத் திங்கள் எனத் தொடங்கும் பாரி மகளிர் பாட்டும் காணலாம் (புறம்-112) சிலப்பதிகாரத்தில் ஆசான் பெருங்கணி அமைச்சருக்கு நிகராகவும் கருதப்படுகிறான். அவன் அரசனின் அருகில் இருக்கும் தகுதி பெற்றுள்ளான் (சிலம்பு: 22-8, 26-3).குறுந்தொகையில், கோப்பெருஞ்சோழன் என்ற மன்னன் பாடிய பாடலொன்றுளது. அதில் கூந்தல் தவழும் தலைவியின் நெற்றி எட்டாம் நாள் பிறைமதி போல அழகாக அளவாக இருந்தது என்ற குறிப்புக் காணப்படுகிறது.மாக்கடல் நடுவண் எண் நாள் பக்கத்துப் பசுவெண் திங்கள் தோன்றியாங்குக் கதுப்பயல் விளங்கும் சிறுநுதல் . . . (குற.129). தமிழ்த் தாத்தா உ.வே.சா. இதற்கு எட்டாவது திதி, அட்டம் என்று விளக்கம் எழுதுகிறார். எண் நாள் பக்கம் - இன்று பக்கம் என்பதையே - பக்ஷம் என வடமொழியாக்கி வழங்குகின்றனர்.

இவ்வளவும் எழுதக் காரணம் தமிழர்கள் வானில் தோன்றிய மதியத்தை, நாட்காட்டியாகக் கொண்டிருந்தனர் என்பதை விளக்குவதற்கேயாம். உவாப் பதினான்கு என்பது பிங்கல நிகண்டு. பதினான்கு நாள் வளர்பிறை, பதினைந்தாம் நாள் முழுமதி (பௌர்ணமி). அடுத்த பதினான்கு நாள் தேய்பிறை. பதினைந்தாம் நாள் மறைமதி (அமாவாசை). ஆக முப்பது நாட்களைக் கொண்டு மதியம் (மாதம்), திங்கள் கணக்கிடப்பட்டது.நாள் என்ற சொல்லுக்கு நட்சத்திரம் என்பதே முன்னைய பொருள். கோள்-கிரகம். நாளும் கோளும் என்பது உலக வழக்கு. 27 நாள்கள் (நட்சத்திரங்கள்) என்பதாலும் இரண்டையும் சேர்த்துக் கணக்கிட்டதாலும் மாத நாட்களில் ஒன்றிரண்டு கூடுதல், குறைவானது.கோள்களை (கிரகங்கள்) வைத்து, ஒரு வாரம் -ஞாயிறு முதலாகக் கணக்கிடப்பட்டது. இராகு கேது நீங்கலாக ஏழு கோள்களுக்கு (கிரகங்களுக்கு) ஏழு நாட்களாயின.ஆகவே கோள்களை வைத்து ஒரு வாரம் என்பதையும், நாள்களை வைத்தும் மதியத்தை வைத்தும் மாதத்தையும், சூரியனை வைத்து ஆண்டினையும் தமிழர்கள் கணக்கிட்டனர்.

இதற்கு மேலும் நூறு சான்றுகள் உள.சித்திரைத் திங்கள் இளவேனிற் காலத்தின் தொடக்கம். இதனை வசந்த காலம் என்பதுண்டு. பனிக் காலம் முடிந்து, இளவேனில் (வசந்தம்) வந்ததும் மக்கள் அதை மிகுந்த மகிழ்ச்சியோடு கொண்டாடினர். அதனை ஆண்டின் தொடக்கம் என்பதற்காகக் கொண்டாடவில்லை. 2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு கிரேக்கர்கள் ளுயீசபே எனப்படும் வசந்த காலத்தைத்தான் புத்தாண்டு தொடக்கமாகக் கருதினர்; வசந்த காலம் தொடங்குவதற்கு அறிகுரியாகக் கொண்டாடினர் என்று கட்டுரையாளர்(தினமணி 24-1-2008) குறிப்பிடுகிறார். தமிழர்களும் இவ் வசந்த காலத்தைக் கொண்டாடிய செய்தி, நிரம்பக் குறிக்கப் பெற்றுள்ளது.காதலர்கள் ஆறுகளிலும் அருவிகளிலும் நீராடியும், பூங்காக்களில் விளையாடியும் இன்பம் நுகர்ந்ததோடு, மதுரையில் இலக்கிய விழாக்களும் நடை பெற்றனவாம். புதிய நூல்கள் அரங்கேற்றப் பெற்றனவாம்.மகிழ்துணைப் புணர்ந்தவர் (காதலர்) வில்லவன் விழவினுள் விளையாடும்பொழுது; நிலன் நாவில் திரிதரூஉம் நீண்மாடக் கூடலார், புலன் நாவில் பிறந்த சொல் புதிதுண்ணும் பொழுது என்று இது பலவாறு குறிக்கப்படுகிறது (கலி. 35). இவ்விழா - காலப் போக்கில் சமய விழாவாக மாறி, நாயக்க மன்னர் காலத்தில் இன்றைய சித்திரைத் திருவிழா ஆனது.அதற்காக கிரேக்க, உரோமானியரோ, தமிழரோ இதை ஆண்டின் தொடக்க நாளாகக் கொண்டனர் என்பது முறையாகாது.

இனி, ஞாயிற்றின் செலவை வைத்துத் தமிழர்கள் ஆண்டு தொடக்கத்தைக் கணக்கிட்டனர் என்பதைப் பற்றி, முன்னே சுட்டியபடி சான்று காண்போம். சூரியன் தென்திசையாகச் சாய்ந்து சென்றது மாறி, வடதிசையாகச் சாய்ந்து செல்லும் நாள் - தை முதல் நாளாகும். இன்று தட்சிணாயனம், உத்தராயனம் என்பர். இது மேஷராசி யில் நடப்பதை அனைவரும் அறிவர். மேஷம் என்பது - ஆடு எனும் தமிழ்ச் சொல்லின் மொழி பெயர்ப்பாகும். ஆடு - முன்பு யாடு என்றே வழங்கியது. இதனால் தமிழர்கள் யாட்டை என முதலில் அழைத்து, பிறகு அது மூக்கொலி பெற்று யாண்டு- ஆண்டு என ஆயிற்று. கண்ணகி ஈராறு ஆண்டு அகவையாள் கோவலன் ஈரெட்டாண்டு அகவையான் என மங்கல வாழ்த்துப் பாடலில் குறிக்கப் பெறுகின்றனர். பதிற்றுப் பத்தில் யாண்டு தலைப் பெயர (15) யாண்டு ஓர் அனைய ஆக (90) என வருகிறது. கணவன் மனைவியைப் பார்க்க, ஓராண்டிற்கு ஒரு முறைதான் வருகின்றான். இதைத் தலைவி கூற்றாக, ஓர் யாட்டு ஒரு கால் வரவு (கலி.71) என்று கலித்தொகை குறிப்பிடுகிறது. யாடு (மேடம்) இராசியில் மாறுவதால், யாட்டு என ஆண்டு குறிக்கப்படுவதே முதல் வழக்கு. இன்றும் சனி கிரகம், ஏழரையாண்டு என்பதை ஏழரையாட்டைச் சனி என்றனர். அது மருவி ஏழரை நாட்டுச் சனி எனப் பிழைபட வழங்குகின்றது திண்ணிலை மருப்பின் ஆடுதலையாக, விண்ணூர்பு திரிதரும் வீங்குசெலல் மண்டிலம் என (நெடுநல். 160, 161) ஞாயிறு குறிக்கப் படுகிறது. ஆடு - மேட ராசியே முதலாவதாகும். ஆடுதலையாக என்பதற்கு மேடராசி முதலாக ஏனை இராசிகளில் சென்று திரியும் என நச்சினார்க்கினியர் விளக்கம் தருகிறார்; மேஷ ராசியில் சூரியன் பிரவேசிக்கின்ற மாதத் தொடக்கமே புத்தாண்டின் தொடக்கமாகும் என்று தெளிவாக எழுதுகின்றவர், சித்திரை மாதத்தைக் குறிப்பிடுவது தடுமாற்றமாகவுளது.மேஷம் என்பதற்கு - முற்பட்ட யாடு, ஆடு எனும் சொல் மேட இராசியைக் குறிக்க, அதனடிப்படையில் சூரியனின் சுழற்சியை வைத்து, தமிழர் ஆண்டினைக் கணக்கிட்டதால், தமிழர்களின் வானநூல் முறைப்படி - யாட்டு, யாட்டை, ஆண்டு என மாறி வழங்கிய இதனைச் சான்றாகக் கொண்டு, தை முதல் நாளே தமிழாண்டின் தொடக்கமெனக் கொள்வதே தக்கதாகும்.

சித்திரை முதல்நாள் - இளவேனிலின் (வசந்தத்தின்) தொடக்கமாகும். ஆண்டுத் தொடக்கமாகாது. அது இன்று கோடை காலம் ஆனது, பருவ மாற்றங்களின் கொடுமையாகும்.தமிழறிஞர்கள் சிலர் ஆங்கிலப் புத்தாண்டை ஒட்டி, தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டை வகுத்துவிட்டனர் எனக் குறிப்பிடுவது, மிகைப்பட்ட நகையாடலாகவுளது. செம்மொழி என அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு, அதன்பின் அச் செம்மொழி பயின்ற தமிழறிஞர்களை அறவே புறக்கணித்துவிட்டுத் தமிழை வளர்ப்பதும், அவர்களைக் குறைவாக மதிப்பிடுவதும் கூடி வரும் இந் நாளில், தமிழறிஞர்கள் நகையாடப்படுவது இயல்பேயாகும்.

http://kilvaanam.blogspot.com/2008/01/blog-post_3433.html

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Thiruvalluvars day is celebrated during pongal, and for your information, there is something under practice called Thiruvalluvar aandu
The current Thiruvalluvar year/Thamizh year is 2037.

P.S:
St. Thiruvalluvar, the author of THIRUKKURAL was born about 30 years before Jesus Christ in Mylapore, the village of peacocks (Myl in Tamil means peacock), the present day Chennai, at a time when the Tamil Land was rich in culture, vivid in its life and adventurous in its commerce. Valluvars were the priests of outcaste people at that time. Tamilians take cognizance of the birth of Thiruvalluvar as a basis of Tamil calendar according to which we are now in the year 2037 of Thiruvalluvar Aandu (Year). Thirukkural is regarded as a renowned work, eulogized as a directory of code of conduct and ethics to humanity. The revered poet not only deals with the general administration, but also codified clear-cut directions to the mankind on how they should behave and act in a social, political, religious and family circles.

[kalnayak]

Revival of this thread is necessary as April 13 (Chitthirai 1st) is close. What are the changes going to take place? How people are going to celebrate Chitthirai 1st? What are the changes in Calendar? How are we going to name Tamil years? Sanskrit names shall be continued? etc. I feel less discussions on these issues even though there are arguments and counter-arguments for accepting Thai-1st as Tamil new year day.

[Punnaimaran]

Thamizh puthAndai thai mudhal thEdhikku mAtrinAlum, vasandha kAlathin varugaiyai chithirai ondrAm nAL nAm kondAdalAmE !

IppOdhellAm pandigaigalai TV yin munnAl thAn palarum kondAdugirArgaL !! Hmmmm .....

[pavalamani pragasam]

http://hubmagazine.mayyam.com/apr08/?t=11335

[crazy]

Thamizh puthAndai thai mudhal thEdhikku mAtrinAlum, vasandha kAlathin varugaiyai chithirai ondrAm nAL nAm kondAdalAmE !

IppOdhellAm pandigaigalai TV yin munnAl thAn palarum kondAdugirArgaL !! Hmmmm .....

:lol: :oops: :(

[joe]

நிறைய பேருக்கு தமிழ் புத்தாண்டை மாற்றியதால் ஒரு நாள் விடுமுறை போகிறதே என்ற வருத்தம் தான் உள்ளது.

அவர்களுக்கு ஒரு ஆறுதல் செய்தி ,மத்திய அரசு ஏப்ரல் 14 -ஐ விடுமுறையாக அறிவித்துள்ளது .அன்று அண்ணல் அம்பேத்கார் பிறந்த நாள் என்பதால்.

[Punnaimaran]

http://hubmagazine.mayyam.com/apr08/?t=11335

Azhagar kOyilukkE azhaiththu sendruvitteergaL. andha nAl gnAbagam nenjilE vandhadhE.....

Mikka NanRi.

:clap:

[NOV]

நிறைய பேருக்கு தமிழ் புத்தாண்டை மாற்றியதால் ஒரு நாள் விடுமுறை போகிறதே என்ற வருத்தம் தான் உள்ளது.
This is a :roll: statement.

As for this stupid call to change the date of our new year, all I can say is, "don't mess with religion." :evil:

Chithirai mudhal thEdhiyE thamizh puththaandu. we couldn't care less about any political stance taken on this issue. Tamils all over the world will observe 13/14th April as our new year.

Anyone wishing to celebrate the new year on pongal or deepavali or any other date, is welcome to do so, but DO NOT ever tell us not to celebrate Chithirai first. :roll:

[wrap07]

:clap:

[joe]

நிறைய பேருக்கு தமிழ் புத்தாண்டை மாற்றியதால் ஒரு நாள் விடுமுறை போகிறதே என்ற வருத்தம் தான் உள்ளது.
This is a :roll: statement.

As for this stupid call to change the date of our new year, all I can say is, "don't mess with religion." :evil:

Chithirai mudhal thEdhiyE thamizh puththaandu. we couldn't care less about any political stance taken on this issue. Tamils all over the world will observe 13/14th April as our new year.

Anyone wishing to celebrate the new year on pongal or deepavali or any other date, is welcome to do so, but DO NOT ever tell us not to celebrate Chithirai first. :roll:

Nobody forced you to stop your celebration on whatever date you want ,including april fool date.

Just TN govt official tamil new year date will be on Thai 1st.

TN govt is not a fool to prevent sombody to celebrate whatever on whatever date ,that too people outside TN.

[podalangai]

As for this stupid call to change the date of our new year, all I can say is, "don't mess with religion." :evil:
This isn't a question of religion. Tamils of all religions celebrate Chittirai 1 as Tamil New Year. "Tradition" is probably a better description. :)

[joe]

As for this stupid call to change the date of our new year, all I can say is, "don't mess with religion." :evil:
This isn't a question of religion. Tamils of all religions celebrate Chittirai 1 as Tamil New Year. "Tradition" is probably a better description. :)

Yeah,some people are so arraogant to attribute everything to their relegion.

[crazy]

TN const indha mudivukku vanthu irukku......no probs

naanga putthaanda (chittihirai pongalai) chitthirayile kondaatikkirom :swinghead:

[wrap07]

Friday, January 11, 2008
An open letter to the Chief Minister, Mr.Karunanidhi on his proposal to change Tamil New Year's day to the 1st of Thai.


Dear Mr.Chief Minister,

I was taken aback with both joy and anxiety on reading about your speech on the occasion of the inauguration of Chennai Sangamam.

Joy,
because my belief that the Sanatana Dharma of this land can never be vitiated,has been vindicated in what you have said
and anxiety,because of the mix up of the tenets,if your proposal to make Thai as the start of the New Year, were to be introduced.

The Joy part

While saluting your knowledge of literature and your desire to adhere to what poets (pulavar) have said, I wish to look into the cultural aspects embedded in the literature.

'Gyaayiru potrudum' (praise unto the Sun) is not just one prayer that has been mentioned in Silapadikaaram.
There is also glorification of Narayana in Aaichiyar Kuravai.
If we accept Gyaayiru potrudum as the prayer,because it has been said so by Ilangovadigal, then we will have to accept 'Narayana' also as the god, though Adigal, left to himself would like to glorify Arugan, the god of his Jain belief.

Infact what he has done by this prayer on the sun is to place on record the then existent and the continued to be existing practice from times of yore of the worship of the sun, the life-giver of this world and its inhabitants.

If we trace the origins of this worship, it goes farther into past, into the vedic period.The early Vediks worshiped the Sun.
A temple on Sun and his 2 consorts,supposed to have been built 2000 years ago still exists in Kashmir (in dilapidated condition),
a land that derived its present name from rishi Kashyapa.

Among the thirty two vidyas of worship or meditation on the Brahman (the Infinite god) mentioned by the Upanishads,
the worship of the sun is known as 'Madhu vidya'.
The sun is worshiped as the giver of life and also as an embodiment of god.

By acknowledging this 'gyaayiru potrudum' prayer,
I am overjoyed to see that you are acknowledging
the vedic worship of the Sun and meditation by means of Madhu vidya!

My joy found no bounds to hear you say,that you recite the similar prayer while doing the Yoga. But I wish that you stick to your swadharma of non-worship,by not practicing this at all!
Or if you want to practice yoga for the sake of health, I expect you to say the precise sloka meant for it. Because in that case it wont be a worship, but a mere exercise of your mind and body for the sake of better health.

Let me explain how.
Let me quote an incident or experiment on Agnihotra by German scientists. You must be remembering the terrible holocaust of death by poisonous gas that happened in Bhopal in the year 1982.

Fleeing people were falling like insects hit by the poisonous gas.
But two families could not move out as there were old people who could not run. They stayed back but started doing Agnihotra Homa which they used to do,
as they didn't know what else to do.
But to the surprise of the world, they were unharmed in the midst of the holocaust!

On coming to know of this incident, scientists from all over the world poured in and
conducted experiments and found out that Agnihotra is the effective tool against air pollution.
The intriguing part of the homa is a two line mantra.
The mantra extols sun god and prajapathi in the morning homa and
agni and prajapati in the evening homa.

The scientists substituted the sanskrit mantras with many languages of the world - both forgotten and living,
and even used verses having the meaning of the mantra
to investigate how / what actually brings out the effect of the homa.
Needless to say that the mantra in sanskrit only succeeded in bringing out the desired effect. This means the mantra, as it has been handed down to us is very much necessary to bring out the exact result.

Similarly whatever mantra is recommended for a specific yoga,
it must be used as such to bring out the exact result.

In fact I am very happy to have a yoga-savvy chief minister,
who even at this age of 84 is sincerely doing yoga. But I am constrained to say that only that mantra which goes along with the physical activity of yoga will give the optimum effect in terms of health whereas any variation of it will not. More importantly, by converting it into its meaning, you have only changed it into a form of worship!

Your guru did not mind the change from Sanskrit to Tamil because he must be aware, that by reciting the meaning you are anyway not deviating from the very purpose of yoga which is a kind of worship of the inner god in ourself.

Let me come to the anxiety part.
You have profusely acknowledged the greatness of gyaayiru potrudum.
What kind of gyyayiru or sun is praised generally?
The sun in its grandeur, the sun at its best and the sun at its exaltation. This happens in the month of chitthirai
when the start of new year coincides with the sun in its glorious high. My anxiety is because you have ignored this aspect.

Even as per Tamil culture, based on the five-divisioned land called ThiNai, the months coming after Pongal namely Thai, Maasi and Panguni are not the periods of glory to sun. They signify foggy season and a season of rest after harvest.

The Tamil lands, particularly the mountainous tracts (kurinji), and the desert tracts (paalai ) experience periods of low activity
and people in other three lands used to retire to a period of relaxation.
The real fillip to activity happens only with the onset of spring
which coincides with the month of chithirai when the new year is celebrated.
Only from this month onwards,activities in agriculture and celebrations are seen all around.My anxiety is because this factor of heralding of the spring is overlooked.

You have said that the poets (pulavar) have said that the Tamil new year must start on the first day of Thai. While I am ignorant of any Tamil poet of yore having said this, I am aware of poets, particularly the Siddhas (one among them Idai-k kaatu chitthar)
who have written poems for each year of the sixty year cycle of the sun which starts on the first day of chittirai.

Can we ever forget the festivities in the river lands of Vaigai or Kaveri during this month?

My anxiety is because the continuing festivities will not be there after Pongal, though it is happy time for prospective brides and bridegrooms and spending time for families (having enough money after harvest) to spend on marriages.

Dear chief Minister,
even if you were to argue that Thai is the best time for starting the year, I can not help wondering how it is so for the Tamil culture as it is for vedic culture.

It is the first day of Uttarayana or the northern sojourn of the sun,
when, in real cosmic terms, the earth, in its revolution around the sun turns its direction and moves towards the centre of our Milky way galaxy.This movement is of importance to vediks and astrologers. This also makes me anxious how our Chief Minister can subscribe to a Vedic calender.

If we still think that Thai must be made the first month of the year,
then we must change the calender itself. This means we will be doing away with an age old practice of using Solar calender.
The Tamils may agree to it, since the proposal has come from you, dear Chief Minister.

But can all the Tamils follow it?
There are muslims and christians who are also Tamils.
They are not going to use this calender.Also a muslim calender or a christian calender can not be changed by a government head or a political head or even a religious head.

So this means the Tamil calender that is in use today is a Hindu calender, not a Tamil calender or Telugu calender or call whatever.
Then why tamper with this calender, when your interest is to serve Tamils?It makes me tremendously anxious whether my beloved Chief Minister has mistaken the Hindu calender for a Tamil calender which is yet to be designed!

If a change is desired, then there must be some rationale or justification for changing this calender. In fact the existing solar calender itself is a sound one, supported by rational facts.

The rationale in cosmic terms.

The calender used by Tamils is based on sun's movements and was not prepared just like that. The Tamil new year's day is the day when the sun enters the first degree of Aries which is repeated every year. In cosmic terms, this day marks the point of intersection of the sun's path around the zodiac with the celestial equator.This is called "Meshaayana".
This point has been taken as a point of reference from olden days.

Though this point moves backward,(It has been observed and proved mathematicallythat each year at the time when the Sun reaches this point of Aries, the position of the earth in reference to some fixed stars moves back nearly 50.3 seconds farther west
than the earth was at the same point in the previous year
and this movement is calculated to be 1 degree every 72 solar years),for purposes of uniformity, we have been deducing the difference and making corrections regularly,
known as Ayanamsa.

The last time the intersection coincided exactly at 0 degree of Aries was in the year 285 AD. Earlier the intersection happened at 0 degrees of Leo (Magha star) which is found mentioned in a hymn in Yujur veda, giving scope for us to calculate the time the hymn was written (more than 8000 years ago from the present date)
proving how ancient our culture has been.

Any attempt must therefore be aimed at correcting the discrepancies in calculations,and not making changes at will in a system that is based on sound logic.In the past, kings have played a role in calender making,by engaging experts for making corrections.

Today no kings are there. But experts are there everywhere and they have been bringing out the necessary changes.

I am obliged to quote in this context, dear Chief Minister,
a kuraL from Amaicchu (637)

"seyarkai arindha-k- kadaitthum vulagatthu
iyarkai arindhu seyal"

Even if one acts in accordance with the texts in which he is well- versed, he is supposed to know and act as per the way it is done in practice.

We have been advised by Parimelazhagar (commentator on KuraL)
that if it is told by texts that something is needed which in reality is not needed, then we have to give it up.On the other hand, we have to adopt the one which is necessary, even if it is not mentioned in the texts.

Changing the New year to Thai has no reason, relevance or rationale by any reckoning.The day already has been given a unique place in the Tamil society, in having been declared as Pongal, while it is celebrated as Makar-shankarathi in the rest of India, as the day of entry of the sun into the constellation of Capricon.

Makar shakaranthi, or pongal or call what ever you may, there is some cosmic significance. But culture is about mundane affairs.
Let Pongal be the celebration of harvest,and let Tamil New year's day mark the beginning of a new Solar year.

Dear Chief Minister,
I therefore request you to give a re-thinking and give up your proposal. Instead you may constitute a committee of experts to bring out the significance of Tamil culture, which is found to be based on rational thinking in terms of Nature and cosmos.

sincerely,
jayasree saranathan

thanks a lot for the article. :D

[bingleguy]

"seyarkai arindha-k- kadaitthum vulagatthu
iyarkai arindhu seyal"

Even if one acts in accordance with the texts in which he is well- versed, he is supposed to know and act as per the way it is done in practice.

[NOV]

This isn't a question of religion. Tamils of all religions celebrate Chittirai 1 as Tamil New Year. "Tradition" is probably a better description. :)this is what we like to believe. :lol:
fact is, no muslim or christian celebrates tamil new year, as they have their own religious new year dates. :roll:

the term "tamil" new year itself is not totally accurate as it was to distinguish the various new year celebrations among the different communities of hindus - telugu hindus celebrate ugaadhi (last monday), malayalee hindus celebrate visu, gujerati hindus consider the period of deepavali as new year. Thus chithirai mudhal thEdhi was named as "tamil" new year. :)

of course people of all religions are welcome to participate in the celebrations, but I doubt they will be happy to accept panjaangam-reading (an inegral part of tamil new year celebrations) as part of their religion. :roll:

joe, adhu arrogance illai, aadhangam. just like how we dont like religion to creep on secularism, we also dont want legislation to determine religion.

[joe]

=fact is, no muslim or christian celebrates tamil new year, as they have their own religious new year dates. :roll:.

check your facts ! You don't have any idea of Catholics in Tamil nadu :x

And ,Before vedit relegion entered in Thamizh land ,there was thamizh tradition.

<edited>

[NOV]

joe, lets not get into that.
half my relatives are catholics and many of them live in tamilnadu and pondycherry.
if we talk about that, the discussion will take on a new direction, and I have no intention of going there. :roll:

all I want is NO govt intervention on such matters.

[joe]

all I want is NO govt intervention on such matters.

It is nothing about relegion ..It is about Thamizh tradition.

[joe]

half my relatives are catholics and many of them live in tamilnadu and pondycherry..

You said no christian celebrate Tamil new year ..I am also a catholic ..And I also know many Hindus who never celebrate tamil new year ..Does it mean hindus don't celebrate Tamil new year?

[bingleguy]

forget it being religious .... its our tradition ..... tats the way the calendar was designed ....... it may not sound a big deal to make April the start of the year - the calculation may not go wrong ... but Jan thru Dec is the way things have been working ... coz thats the way it has been designed .....

am just thinking about the intentions ????

well, usual thing :-)
it will be talked ....
it will be debated ....
it will be revolutionary suddenly .... :-) and
it will be accepted and become a part of life :-)

[NOV]

:lol:

:wave:

[bingleguy]

all I want is NO govt intervention on such matters.
It is nothing about relegion ..It is about Thamizh tradition.

Hinduism associate every thing with the supreme power .... appadi paatha oru pudhu varusham porakkardhu - which is otherwise thought as a good beginning ....... en religious aa irukka koodaadhu ??? :roll:

[joe]

all I want is NO govt intervention on such matters.
It is nothing about relegion ..It is about Thamizh tradition.

Hinduism associate every thing with the supreme power .... appadi paatha oru pudhu varusham porakkardhu - which is otherwise thought as a good beginning ....... en religious aa irukka koodaadhu ??? :roll:

Then you better call this as Vedic Hindu New year ,not Thamizh new year.

[bingleguy]

all I want is NO govt intervention on such matters.
It is nothing about relegion ..It is about Thamizh tradition.

Hinduism associate every thing with the supreme power .... appadi paatha oru pudhu varusham porakkardhu - which is otherwise thought as a good beginning ....... en religious aa irukka koodaadhu ??? :roll:

Then you better call this as Vedic Hindu New year ,not Thamizh new year.

i was mentioning about how i interpret it :-) not how others interpret it ..... appadi paatha muslim brothers en indha maadhathai mudhal maadhamaa eduthukka maatengraanga .. they follow a different calendar right ..... vishu vum ide naal la dhaane varudhu :-) which is said to be the Malayalam new year .... :roll:

"Good Friday" i believe commemorates the crucifixion of the Lord Almighty Jesus Christ ...... its like interpreting why is it called GOOD when the lord was crucified .....

well .... :shaking: :yessir:

[bingleguy]

all I want is NO govt intervention on such matters.
It is nothing about relegion ..It is about Thamizh tradition.

Hinduism associate every thing with the supreme power .... appadi paatha oru pudhu varusham porakkardhu - which is otherwise thought as a good beginning ....... en religious aa irukka koodaadhu ??? :roll:

Then you better call this as Vedic Hindu New year ,not Thamizh new year.

:roll: not all hindus celebrate it right :-) we have hindus all over India !!! only Thamizh Hindus celebrate it right !!!!

[joe]

"Good Friday" i believe commemorates the crucifixion of the Lord Almighty Jesus Christ ...... its like interpreting why is it called GOOD when the lord was crucified .....
:lol:

Though it was the day of death of Jesus ,Christians beleive it is the day brought Salvation to the mankind..That is why it is called 'Good' Friday.

Thamizh christians use English calender just like You (I mean Hindus) ,there is no relegious connection ..It is just english calender based on after christ..It is more of history than relegion.

[bingleguy]

:lol:


i dont understand wats this laughing for ... there is a lot of difference between smiling at something and laughing at something .....

[bingleguy]

Though it was the day of death of Jesus ,Christians beleive it is the day brought Salvation to the mankind..That is why it is called 'Good' Friday.
i said interpret .... u say believe :-)


Thamizh christians use English calender just like You (I mean Hindus) ,there is no relegious connection ..It is just english calender based on after christ..It is more of history than relegion.

well, i have my own doubts .....

[joe]

Though it was the day of death of Jesus ,Christians beleive it is the day brought Salvation to the mankind..That is why it is called 'Good' Friday.
i said interpret .... u say believe :-)


Thamizh christians use English calender just like You (I mean Hindus) ,there is no relegious connection ..It is just english calender based on after christ..It is more of history than relegion.

well, i have my own doubts .....

You can have ..But the fact is New year day is not in the list of holydays(easter,christmas,good friday and Augu15th) ,catholics are adviced not to miss the mass (apart from all sundays)..The midnight mass conducted on New year eve is just thanks giving mass for the year passby ,,there is no specfic relegious connection other than that .

[joe]

:lol:


i dont understand wats this laughing for ... there is a lot of difference between smiling at something and laughing at something .....

:oops: :oops:

[P_R]

You said no christian celebrate Tamil new year ..I am also a catholic ..And I also know many Hindus who never celebrate tamil new year Joe, one thing is not clear from the above statement. Do Tamil Catholics (or non-Hindus for that matter) celebrate Chithirai 1 ? Of course everyone is familiar with the Tamil calendar months etc. Pongal (thai 1) is celebrated by many non-Hindus. But whether the Chithirai 1 was celebrated by people of all religious persuations is no clear to me.

[ajithfederer]

No. AFAIK Tamil Roman Catholics don't celebrate Tamil New Year !!


You said no christian celebrate Tamil new year ..I am also a catholic ..And I also know many Hindus who never celebrate tamil new year Joe, one thing is not clear from the above statement. Do Tamil Catholics (or non-Hindus for that matter) celebrate Chithirai 1 ?

[Punnaimaran]

You said no christian celebrate Tamil new year ..I am also a catholic ..And I also know many Hindus who never celebrate tamil new year Joe, one thing is not clear from the above statement. Do Tamil Catholics (or non-Hindus for that matter) celebrate Chithirai 1 ? Of course everyone is familiar with the Tamil calendar months etc. Pongal (thai 1) is celebrated by many non-Hindus. But whether the Chithirai 1 was celebrated by people of all religious persuations is no clear to me.

Dear Prabhu Ram,

Chithirai thirunAL is celebrated in a very grand manner by the catholics of south TN below Madurai (particularly farmers and fishermen) and I can vouch for it. But if they consider it as their New Year, I have no idea.

Punnaimaran

[P_R]

Oh ok. Thanks for the info

[Punnaimaran]

Prabhu Ram, most welcome.

[Billgates]

Oflate, I am seeing cross celebration in unison , especially in cities like Chennai, Mumbai. Irrespective of the community, people are celebrating with the same level of enthusiasm on any special day, be it a Christmas or Holi or Id. Ganesh puja is one such where even non Hindus fund for the utsav.
So, there shouldnt be any confusion on tamil new years day also ! Lets celebrate on 14th April.

Many States also closely follow April as their year beginning . Few ex : Kerala, AP, Karnataka, MH .

[Punnaimaran]

>>>>So, there shouldnt be any confusion on tamil new years day also ! Lets celebrate on 14th April. >>>>>


Does Chithirai 1 not coincide with April 13th this year?

[app_engine]

Digression:

>>It is just english calender based on after christ..It is more of history than relegion.<<

The "English" (actually Julian-Gregorian calendar and not English) calendar has almost nothing to do with Christ, except, may be the "Anno Domini" tag:-) Even if one neglects that controversy of the exact DOB of Jesus and agree that at least the "years" start with birth of Christ, the months have absolutely nothing to do with anything related to Christ (remember Jesus was born as a Jew and followed the Jewish calendar which used lunar months and solar year and their first month is around the March in modern calendar). Almost all the months of the julian-gregorian calendar are named after greek/roman gods and heroes (Interestingly this includes some Roman Caesars - Julius - July & Augustus - August who were not related to Christ / Christians)

Bottomline, Jan 1st has absolutely no "religious" significance that is related to Christ. It's convenient ofcourse to have a common calendar for everyday life but to attach too much piety to the Jan 1 is without any basis (and so are any "special" religious ceremonies on Jan 1st). Any quick search on the web / encyclopaedia will get who January is named after. It's 'Janus' a dual god of roman mythology.

End-Digression

[wrap07]

>>>>So, there shouldnt be any confusion on tamil new years day also ! Lets celebrate on 14th April. >>>>>


Does Chithirai 1 not coincide with April 13th this year?

It does. Chithirai 1 is on April 13th. Let us celebrate the New year

[pavalamani pragasam]

A day earlier than usual because of the leap year!

[wrap07]

Any good auspicious day is always for joy and happiness for near and dear.

[crazy]

A day earlier than usual because of the leap year!

oh :)

[pavalamani pragasam]

"ஏர் பிடித்தல்"

Being a city-born, city-bred woman I have little knowledge about rural life & festivities! I heard today from my new neighbour from rural backround about the ceremony of 'Er pidiththal' in their village: all men gathering at one field at an auspicious time & formally, symbolically 'plough' the land with their ploughs in order to pray on this new year's first day for a prosperous year ahead in their agricultural ventures. On their return home after finishing the ceremony the village women, belles, welcome them pouring 'manjaL thaNNi'(turmeric water) esp on 'muRai maappilLLai' in a jolly mood; they also welcome the gentlemen with 'aarthi' earning rich gifts for the honour done. Looks like real fun, rustic cheer! I have seen such things in movies & was disbelieving!!!

[NOV]

:shock:

as mentioned before, thailand welcomes its new year on April 13/14 too and it is called Songkran, or water festival. people celebrate by splashing water amongst one another.

http://www.phuket.com/festival/songkran.htm

[joe]

:shock:

as mentioned before, thailand welcomes its new year on April 13/14 too and it is called Songkran, or water festival. people celebrate by splashing water amongst one another.

http://www.phuket.com/festival/songkran.htm

In Cambodia too :)

[sriranga]

Though it was the day of death of Jesus ,Christians beleive it is the day brought Salvation to the mankind..That is why it is called 'Good' Friday.
i said interpret .... u say believe :-)


Thamizh christians use English calender just like You (I mean Hindus) ,there is no relegious connection ..It is just english calender based on after christ..It is more of history than relegion.

well, i have my own doubts .....

You can have ..But the fact is New year day is not in the list of holydays(easter,christmas,good friday and Augu15th) ,catholics are adviced not to miss the mass (apart from all sundays)..The midnight mass conducted on New year eve is just thanks giving mass for the year passby ,,there is no specfic relegious connection other than that .

joe,

the festivals you mentioned follow english calendar.

Tamil hindus follow Tamil calendar more than anyone else.
see, all the functions, ammannukku aadi velli, murugannukku thai poosam ithu mathiri sollikitte pogalaam.

Birthdays are also celebrated only on the janma natchatiram day on the particular tamil month.

ofcourse, english calendar is folllowed for non-religious day-to-day activities.

[podalangai]

"ஏர் பிடித்தல்"
It's also called "ermangamal". And there is also the "auspicious vision" in the morning, which I don't think is that common in cities.

[Lambretta]

So when is Tamil NY this year??

[bingleguy]

So when is Tamil NY this year??
:rotfl: :oops: :roll:

ennada idhu ..... indha thamizh naatukku vandha sodhanai (hemanaadha baagavadhar from Tiruvilayaadal style ;-))

[pavalamani pragasam]

April 13th, Lambretta!

[Lambretta]

:ty: PP ma'm!

BG, :evil: :roll:

[bingleguy]

April 13th, Lambretta!
appo bill pass pannalayaa ;-)

[pavalamani pragasam]

bill-ai paththiyellaam kavalaippadaama dhil-aa koNdaaduvOm!

[NOV]

Besides being Thamizh New Year on April 13 this year, the day is also celebrated as:

Vaisakhi by our sikh comrrades
Vishu by our Malayalee brothers &
Singhalese new year

Also in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, etc.

[wrap07]

bill-ai paththiyellaam kavalaippadaama dhil-aa koNdaaduvOm!

:lol: sure.

[sriranga]

bill-ai paththiyellaam kavalaippadaama dhil-aa koNdaaduvOm!

:lol: sure.

Amma has given her thamizh puthandu vazhthu cheithi in jayatv :clap:

[joe]

Amma has given her thamizh puthandu vazhthu cheithi in jayatv :clap:

athu sari :roll:

[crazy]

:lol:

[Meera-ssg]

Hey when I celebrate tamil new years day is MY problem. If I prefer to go by what the tradition says, nobody has any say about it.

Leaders can rather concentrate on sumthing concrete rather than changing dates and renaming cities or other dumb activities.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Yeah yeah! Kandippa Chithirai -1 thaan thamizh varusha perappu.

Ithanai kaalama kondaatitu 2008-la maaranum-na sonna adhellam maara mudiyaadhu! adutha varusham weekdays-la varusha perappu vandha, leave-a pottu kondaduvom! :P

btw Kalaingar tv edhukku special program ellam poduraanga?!

[littlemaster1982]

btw Kalaingar tv edhukku special program ellam poduraanga?!

Kolgai vera, business vera 8-)

[Lambretta]

Wokay......makkalellorukum Tamil NY-ku advanced wishes! :D

[joe]

Chithiri 1 -i Thamizh puththaandaaga thodarnthu konDaaduvor anaivarukkum Thamizh puththandu naLvazhthukkaL. :)

[crazy]

:ty:

anaivarukkum thamizh putthaandu (chitthirai pongal) nalvaazhthukkal :P

[joe]

chitthirai pongal
:roll: :roll:

[crazy]

chitthirai pongal
:roll: :roll:

joe anna
thamizh puththaandai yaazh thamizhargal chitthirai pongal enbaargal :P

[joe]

joe anna
thamizh puththaandai yaazh thamizhargal chitthirai pongal enbaargal :P

oh! Thagavalukku Nanri :D

[sriranga]

அனைவருக்கும் புத்தாண்டு (சித்திரை முதல் நாள்) வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

[wrap07]

அனைவருக்கும் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

[aanaa]

அனைவருக்கும் தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாத்துகள்!!

[sarna_blr]

just see my AVATAR... or read my signature....

[aanaa]

joe anna
thamizh puththaandai yaazh thamizhargal chitthirai pongal enbaargal :P

mannikkavum

its Tamil & Sinhala Newyear always falls on same day

April 13 ( mostly)
Its a holiday in Srilanka & (Eelam)

ponkip paddaippathu enapthu uNmai

[sarna_blr]

அனைவருக்கும் தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாத்துகள்!!

:lol:

[NOV]

அனைவருக்கும் தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாத்துகள்!!

:lol:nee vaaththu.... unnidam solli punniyammillai :lol2:

(its a song ambika sings to pakiaraj in andha 7 naatkkal)

[sarna_blr]

அனைவருக்கும் தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாத்துகள்!!

:lol:nee vaaththu.... unnidam solli punniyammillai :lol2:

(its a song ambika sings to pakiaraj in andha 7 naatkkal)

:lol: aahaa unakki... aaahaa unakki...
unakki enakki ulla poruththam...idhu eththanai kangalukku varuththam... :lol2:

[Punnaimaran]

anaivarukkum Chithirai thirunAL vAzhthukkaL.

Punnaimaran

[pavalamani pragasam]

At the close of the day, the first auspicious day of a bright, prosperous new year, I am happy to register here how happily the year has started for me. A typical Tamil new year menu for lunch- murungaikaay saambaar, kOzithalai paakaRkaay vathakkal, javvarisi paayasam. A happy shopping in my favourite puthu mandapam for maruthaaNi powder & manjaL urasum kal. (For long I have neglected pampering my nails with maruthaaNi in sheer laziness! My nails are beginning to lose their lustre with repeated painting with nail polish! :( Turmeric is my trusted beauty aid for my face since teenage. For long I had been using powder. Now the stock is finished, & I am going to revert to kizangu). Then proceeded to my parents-in-laws house for an informal meeting of close relatives-brothers & sister & in-laws. After a light supper there we are back home having spent the day in a pleasant manner. What pleased me most is ALL the women of our city I saw today were wearing malligaipoo on their hair! That is my city Madurai! I am very proud to live here! I shall go to sleep with indescribable peace & satisfaction!

[crazy]

pp amma :thumbsup:

[pavalamani pragasam]

:D :ty: Crazy!

[bingleguy]

PP maam :clap: :thumbsup: ivvalavu amsamaa ungalaala mattum dhaan ezhudha mudiyum :-)

[pavalamani pragasam]

:ty: bg!

[Thirumaran]

btw Kalaingar tv edhukku special program ellam poduraanga?!

Kolgai vera, business vera 8-)

Thamizan endru solladaa, thalai nimirnthu nilladaa :lol2:

[joe]

btw Kalaingar tv edhukku special program ellam poduraanga?!

Kolgai vera, business vera 8-)

Thamizan endru solladaa, thalai nimirnthu nilladaa :lol2:

UngaLukku Vijayakanth mela yen intha koLaiverI? :yessir:

[Thirumaran]

btw Kalaingar tv edhukku special program ellam poduraanga?!

Kolgai vera, business vera 8-)

Thamizan endru solladaa, thalai nimirnthu nilladaa :lol2:

UngaLukku Vijayakanth mela yen intha koLaiverI? :yessir:
Neenga MK vayum VK vayum orae maathiri ninaikarathu enakku ippathaan theriyuthu :poke: :yessir:

[crazy]

joe anna
thamizh puththaandai yaazh thamizhargal chitthirai pongal enbaargal :P

mannikkavum

its Tamil & Sinhala Newyear always falls on same day

April 13 ( mostly)
Its a holiday in Srilanka & (Eelam)

ponkip paddaippathu enapthu uNmai

hm...i didnt get it, did i say sth wrong? :confused2:

[kalnayak]

Post Analysis

Wikipedia on Tamil New Year:

Puthandu, more frequently known as the Tamil New Year and Vishu which falls on the first day of the Hindu Solar Calendar are celebrated on the same day respectively in the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They generally fall on 13 April or 14 April. People greet each other on this day by saying இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்- வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Iniya Tamizh Puthaandu Nalvazthukkal).

Every year in the month of Chithrai (the first month of the Hindu solar calendar), in the temple city of Madurai, the Chithrai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is also held, called Chithrai Porutkaatchi. In some parts of Southern Tamil Nadu, it is also called Chithrai Vishu. The day is marked with a feast in Hindu homes and entrances to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams.

On the Tamil New Year's Day, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and many other places.

In a recent Assembly Resolution, Tamilnadu Government has resolved that henceforth, January 14th of every year will be celebrated as Tamil New Year's day in addition to the famous harvest festival Pongal. But the said resolution has no public support. It has to be seen whether in due course, the above move denies April 13/14 the festival colour enjoyed by it for time immemorial.
-------------------------------------------------------------

Over all people have neglected the call to celebrate Thai 1st as Tamil New Year Day. What the Govt. should do? I wish Govt. to withdraw this order.

[NOV]

Lankan Tamils reject Karunanidhi's diktat on Tamil New Year
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20080414092151&Title=Top+Stories&rLink=0

Tuesday April 15 2008 00:00 IST
P K Balachandran


COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Tamils, who are known for their orthodoxy, have summarily rejected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's bid to change the Tamil New Year from Chittirai Thirunaal (April 13) to Thai Pongal (January 14), saying it is unwarranted on astronomical, historical and cultural grounds.

Pro-Tamil Tiger commentators as well as Tamil moderates in the island feel that the change brought about through a resolution of the Tamil Nadu state assembly in February, does not have a justifiable basis even from Karunanidhi's Tamil nationalist standpoint.

"I have not come across anywhere that Thai Pongal was considered to be the beginning of a New Year," said Prof. S Pathmanathan, a renowned Sri Lankan Tamil historian and a former head of the history department in Peradeniya University at Kandy.

"In the Sangam era literature, there is no mention of the New Year. Sangam literature was secular and dealt with matters other than the religious. The question of the New Year is essentially a religious one, and politicians should not interfere," he told this website's newspaper.

Padmanathan, who has written seminal works on Hindu temples in Sri Lanka and the history of the Jaffna kingdom, said the Tamil New Year was an integral part of Tamil Hinduism and had been part of the Hindu ritual calendar for over a thousand years.

"From the time of the indigenous Tamil kings, the Tamils of India and Sri Lanka have considered Chittirai Thirunaal as the New Year, based on astronomical and religious considerations," Pathmanathan said.

"The calculation for the commencement of the New Year and the calendar based on it are entirely astronomical," added a commentator on the pro-LTTE website www.tamilnet.com who goes under the name Ampalam.

There is a combination of solar and stellar perspectives in the calculation of the New Year.

"The entry of the Sun into the first degree of the Fixed Zodiac (Niryana in Sanskrit), i.e. the first degree of the constellation Achchuvini (Ashwini) or the first degree of the zodiacal sign of Aries (Mesha in Sanskrit and Thakar in Tamil) is taken as the beginning of the year," Ampalam said.

"For some reasons, the solar New Year found much currency in the southern parts of South Asia. It is associated with the Saalivahana Era, the reckoning of which is found predominantly in the inscriptions of South India and Sri Lanka. The Era begins in 77-78 AD," he added.

"The Solar New Year in April is also associated with the 60-year cycle that has rendered names for the years. This cycle is based on the calculation of the relative positions of Jupiter and Saturn, the two major planets of the solar system, supposed to be exerting special impact on the climate and natural phenomena in a year, in addition to the usual impact of the Earth's revolution around the sun. In this cycle, the relative positions of Jupiter and Saturn will repeat after 60 years."

"Once again, the 60-year cycle is peculiar to Tamil astronomical texts. The names of the years are widely used only the Tamils. The system is essentially a southern innovation despite the names being in Sanskrit," Ampalam pointed out.

On Chief Minister Karunanidhi's argument in favour of adopting Thai Pongal as the Tamil New Year, the Sri Lankan commentator said the arguments for regarding this as a step towards a "Tamil revolution" are not clear. Thai Pongal is also determined astronomically. And like the Chittirai Thirunaal, Thai Pongal day (Jan. 14) is observed in various parts of India under various names.

"Whatever pros and cons can be said about the April New Year can also be said about Thai Pongal, which is Makara Sankraanti to the rest of India," he asserted.

Giving up the April 13 New Year and opting for Thai Pongal day will only dissociate the Tamils from other Dravidian peoples in South India and Sri Lanka, Ampalam said.

Chittirai Thirunaal plays an integrative role by keeping alive relations between the Tamils and other Hindus in India, and also the Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Pathamanathan said. By giving it up, new cleavages and animosities would be created, he warned.

[joe]

Nice to see people recognise Pro-Tamil Tiger commentators as the representatives for Srilankan tamils. :)

[Roshan]

Nice to see people recognise Pro-Tamil Tiger commentators as the representatives for Srilankan tamils. :)

And nice to see the Pro-Tamil Tiger commentators are seen as Sri Lankans :wink: :)

[joe]

Nice to see people recognise Pro-Tamil Tiger commentators as the representatives for Srilankan tamils. :)

And nice to see the Pro-Tamil Tiger commentators are seen as Sri Lankans :wink: :)

உள் குத்துக்கு உள்குத்தா ? :)

[crazy]

Giving up the April 13 New Year and opting for Thai Pongal day will only dissociate the Tamils from other Dravidian peoples in South India and Sri Lanka, Ampalam said.
:?



Chittirai Thirunaal plays an integrative role by keeping alive relations between the Tamils and other Hindus in India, and also the Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Pathamanathan said. By giving it up, new cleavages and animosities would be created, he warned.
:exactly: