The Tamil Calendar
Based on the 12-year cycle of Jupiter orbiting the Sun, the Tamil calendar is used for religious and cultural holidays in parts of South Asia.
Cattle are decorated to celebrate the traditional Tamil harvest festival of Pongal.
©iStockphoto.com/indianeye
Sidereal Calendar
The Tamil people of India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Singapore follow a sidereal solar calendar to set important cultural dates. For daily governmental, academic, and business purposes, the Gregorian calendar is used in those countries.
Sidereal derives its name from the Latin word sideris, meaning “of the star,” so this type of calendar follows the Sun and planets like Jupiter as they appear to travel through the signs of the Zodiac in the night sky.
60-Year Cycle
Based largely on the Hindu sidereal calendar, the Tamil version outlines a 60-year cycle that measures five 12-year revolutions of Jupiter around the Sun.
Days, known as kiḻamai, are named after celestial bodies; the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Months start in mid-month in the Gregorian calendar, and follow a 12-month yearly structure.
The year is also divided into six seasons, each lasting two months: La-venil (spring), Mudhu-venil (summer), Kār (monsoon), Kulir (autumn), Mun-Pani (winter), Pin-Pani (pre-spring).
Months in the Tamil Calendar
| Tamil Name | Gregorian Months |
|---|---|
| Chittirai | April-May |
| Vaikāsi | May-June |
| Āni | June-July |
| Ādi | July-August |
| Āvaṇi | August-September |
| Puraṭṭāsi | September-October |
| Aippasi | October-November |
| Kārtikai | November-December |
| Mārgaḻi | December-January |
| Tai | January-February |
| Māsi | February-March |
| Panguni | March-April |
Puthandu—the Tamil New Year
In 2024, the Tamil New Year, or Pathandu, falls just after the Spring Equinox on the first day of the month of Chithirai (April 14 in the Gregorian calendar).
With greetings of Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukaḷ! (Happy New Year!) Tamil families welcome visitors on the day, often decorating their homes with rice powder, trays of fruit, flower garlands, and coins to ensure an auspicious start to the year.
Pongal—the Harvest Festival
Another important holiday in the Tamil calendar is Pongal, celebrating a bountiful harvest. This three or four day festival is dedicated to the Sun god Surya. Occurring at the end of winter solstice, this holiday also marks the start of the Sun’s movement north, known as Uttarayana.
Many Pongal celebrations include serving a traditional dish of freshly-harvested rice boiled in milk. Another major feature is Mattu Pongal, when local cattle are bathed, their horns are polished, and they are festooned with flowers to honor their contribution to the year´s harvest.