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Puthandu, or the Tamil New Year, is also referred to as Varsha Pirappu. It is celebrated across the country with a lot of enthusiasm and grandeur. Tamil New Year's Day is mainly celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, among others. It is a special festival which brings families together. People look forward to ringing in the new year with their loved ones. The same date is observed as the traditional new year in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana, as well as in Nepal and Bangladesh. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Tamils in Sri Lanka also celebrate the same day as their new year, likely an influence of the shared culture between South and Southeast Asia in the 1st millennium CE
Just before the day of Puthandu, women decorate the house with Kolam to welcome prosperity and joy. Cleaning the house on the day before or on Puthandu and setting up a tray filled with fruits, flowers, and other items that are considered auspicious are common practices. Special dishes such as Pongal and mango Pachadi are prepared to mark the occasion.
People dress up in traditional attire, greet each other and offer prayers in local temples. Aarti rituals and lighting the "saambrani" forms an integral part of the ritual. Divine songs and traditional instruments are played in households to observe the occasion. Pongal, a special rice dish, is offered to the Gods.
The Tamil New Year is not entirely a religious festival. However, the day holds religious importance for several people celebrating the festival. Tamil Hindus believe that it is on this day that Lord Brahma created the universe. Some Tamillians, on the other hand, believe Lord Indra came to Earth on this day to deliver peace and harmony. Thus, in the lives of Tamillians, it is one of the most important and auspicious days since it promises new beginnings with a new year.
There are two calendar systems followed by Hindus. One is the Shaka calendar and the other one is Vikram Samvat or Vikrami calendar. King Vikramaditya defeated Shakas and created this calendar system. The first day of the Vikrami calendar is April 14th. So, it is celebrated as Tamil new year.
