Tamil new year day was celebrated with the usual fervor on the 14 th of April this year
A traditional meal consisting of the sweet [ jaggery] laced with the bitter [ neem flowers] is made on this day to symbolise life as it is-a homogenous mixture of pain and pleasure.
Vishu was also celebrated on the same day [ I am told by some that it was on the 15 th-] by Malayalam speaking Indians.
Elsewhere in India,Punjabi speaking Indians celebrated a new year day too around this time.
I came to know that the Bengali New Year [ Poila Baisakh] was celebrated on the 15 th of April this year.
On the 14 th of April, the Sun entered the Mesha [ Aries] Rasi [the first Rasi in the list of 12 Rasis[ constellations]today as it has done for ages.
Tamil speakers , like their Malayalam speaking, Bengali speaking and Punjabi speaking brethren ,follow a solar calendar.
{readmore}From what little I know of calendars and almanacs, it makes sense to take this day as the first day of the Tamil year as Mesha is the first of the 12 constellations we consider for a rasi chakra .
The first three [ two and a quarter to be exact] of the 27 stars [ Aswini , Bharani and the first pada of Kritika] fall under the Mesha Rasi and this year on the 14 th of April, the new month of Chitra fell on the star Bharani.
I don’t know what this means as far as future predictions are concerned, but the name of the new Tamil year [ Vikruti] sounds a lot better than the name of the previous one [ Virodhi].
The almanac that most Tamil speakers follow is called the Vakya Panchangam [ popularly called as the Pambu panchangam [as this book features the picture of a snake on the cover] while some in TN follow the Drik Ganitha Panchangam.
On cursory reading, the almanac predicts good rains this year. Lets hope the water doesn’t go waste , instead gets conserved as it should be.
There was a Governmental move to change the new year celebrations including the reading of almanacs [ Panchangams] traditionally done in TN temples on this day to the 14 th of January [Makara Sankranthi - Pongal day].
Just as the fact that our parents would be our parents no matter what Government orders are passed, traditional festivals too cannot be changed by G.O.s.
I am late in saying this but here’s wishing all a very happy, rainful, bountiful and peaceful Vikruti!
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written by narensomu, 2010-04-19 21:43:58
Thankyou. Lets all hope and pray for a peaceful Nav varsha.
Warm regards
ns
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written by kartha_pes, 2010-04-19 20:37:38
A very very belated Nava Varsha Mangala Asamsakal!!!
Thanks for the rain forecast. We in Bangalore looking towards it.
Kartha
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written by rudra01, 2010-04-19 07:40:35
A very Shubh Nava Varsha to you all. Wishing you all a very fruitful and Prosperous New Year.
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written by narensomu, 2010-04-18 19:17:58
Thanks a lot for that detailed comment and clarification.
I have made the corrections in the blog.
I didnt know the stars were actually star constellations-a little google search shows that too-in my hurry to wish a happy new year four days late
- I hadnt checked that beforehand. Replacing Kritika with Rohini is a fundamental error-some family members were born under Rohini and I am used to pulling their legs abt stubborn Rishaba Rasi characteristics.Yet I have missed it.
The 2 and a quarter part too shouldnt have been missed as people I know worry abt what Rasi they come under based on pada calc.
Thanks also for clarifying about the Baisaha [ Vaikasi in Tamil] issue . I was wondering why some people call the festival Baisakhi and sort of pre-celebrate it .Whatever, these are beautiful customs that work well for a living in harmony -with -nature groups and should be preserved as such.
Thankyou for the wishes.
Warm regards
ns
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written by partha, 2010-04-18 18:43:24
I understand that the twelve rasis do correspond to the twelve months of the Hindu calendar of yore in the solar scheme. You see Valmiki has said that Sri Rama was born chaitre naavamike tithou., but we know that in most years, the birthday of Sri Rama does not wait for Chitra Tamil or Malayala Meda month to arrive, but occurs only in the lunar Chaitra month.
For the lunar calculation, thus Chaitra, though not Mesha rasi, starts near around the vernal equinox , March 21-23 and thus Vaishakha or Baishakh should occur a month later, namely around April 21-23. Punjabis and Bengalis seem to love this month so much, that they celebrate Baishakh a full week before it actually arrives and of course a full month before the advent of vrishabha rasi and the Tamil month of Vaikasi!
There is an inadvertent error in your excellent blog. You say
The first three of the 27 stars [ Aswini , Bharani and Rohini] fall under the Mesha Rasi and this year on the 14 th of April, the new month of Chitra fell on the star Bharani.
The 27 'stars'of the milky way are not stars as such but constellations, but are conventionally referred to as stars, but this is not an error. You see the 27 'stars' occupy 12 rasis and they manage to do so, because each Rasi can house only two 'stars' and a quarter, and not three. Thus Mesha space in the milky way will hold Ashvini, Bharani in full, but only one fourth or the first pada of Krittika.
Thanks once again for a beautiful article and kind greetings.
Regards. Partha.
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Thankyou. Nava Varsha Mangala Asamsaka to all.
About the rain , yes, we hope that comes true . The almanac also points out what crops will grow well and what crops wont .
I am told they are pretty accurate.
Glad to note that in other states, calendar -changing events arent taking place.
Warm regards
ns