Overview
- Tamil communities marked Puthandu on Tuesday, April 14, as the Sun entered Aries at 9:39 am, beginning Tamil Shaka Samvata 1948.
- The solar ingress occurred after sunrise, which by tradition sets the civil new year on the same day under the Tamil solar calendar.
- Chennai saw packed temples and home rituals, with kolam at doorways, the Kanni tray of auspicious items at dawn, and meals featuring mango pachadi to reflect life’s varied tastes.
- Tamil Nadu treated the day as a public holiday, and celebrations extended to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and Tamil diaspora hubs worldwide.
- Puthandu opens the month of Chithirai and carries roots in agrarian cycles, with customs that stress renewal, balance and gratitude for the year ahead.