My country, India, is Home to a varied and diverse culture. Most of the cultures have a lunar calendar. The New Years are based on this. Every year the Telugu and Kannada New Year Ugadi and the North Indian Vikram Samwat fall nearabout on the same day. Being a Tamilian, i'll write whatever little I know about the Tamil New Year! :-)
As a kid, I'd be surprised to see my parents celebrate two New Years. One on the 1st of Jan of the Gregorian calendar and another one on 14th or 15th of April. I just thought it was yet another festival celebrated till my 10th birthday.
Then I had the intelligence to ask it one year! :-) My Mom was only pleased to help me out. This is what she shared, it falls on the first day of the Tamil calendar. There are 12 Tamil months:
சித்திரை Chithirai चैत्र
வைகாசி Vaigasi वैशाख
ஆனி Aani
ஆடி Aadi आषाढ
ஆவணி Aavani श्रावण
புரட்டாசி Purattasi
ஐப்பசி Ippasi
கார்த்திகை Kaarthigai कार्तिक
மார்கழி Maargazhi मार्गशीर्ष
தை Thai
மாசி Maasi माघ
பங்குனி Panguni
And the New Year starts on the first day of Chithirai. This is also known as Vishu Punya Kaalam. A day before my parents used to decorate the Puja room with a traditional kolam, place a small wood seat or manai on it, place a silver plate containing rice on it. The a mirror would be kept on it, that would be decorated with a jasmine garland and a golden necklace.
There would two halves of coconut, in two exact rounds placed before the mirror. It would be filled up with gold and silver coins. Along with these, lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables like, Jackfruit, Mango, both raw and ripe, yellow cucumber, Bananas, apples etc. would be kept. They would also place betel leaves and nuts.
A silver or brass lamp would be lit and kept burning throughout the night. The next day, i;e on the New Year, my mom would wake me up, cover my eyes with her hands and lead a very sleepy me to the Puja room. Then she'd ask me to look at the lit lamp, flowers, fruits, my reflection in the mirror, all the other things kept there and finally take the coins out and ask us to touch our eyes with them. Them she'd meticulously put them back in their place. The same routine would be repeated with every child at home.
Then everyone of us would take an oil bath, wear new clothes, touch the feet of all the elders at home. This came with an advantage. The elders would pay us some coins for a blessing, some of us would spend it and others like me, used to save it as a luck for the whole year. Then we'd all visit the nearest temple and be back just in time for a sumptuous lunch. Those were the days, when I could eat my heart out without having to worry about the CALORIES! SIGH!:-( The feast would comprise of Aviyal (kind of gravy), Sambhar, Rasam, potato curry, Appalams, Payasam and a pacchadi (chutney)!
The pachadi is really important, as it comprises six different tastes, namely, sweet, bitter, sour, spicy, salty and astringent!
We see the mirror and all the bounty, so that our lives are prosperous and filled with all positive things and attract bounty. The chutney mentioned above shows how every phase in life is in a repetitive cycle and one has to accept everything with GRACE.
If I find anything more, I'll add it here. As for now, enjoy the summer!
Everyone's friend,
Seetha Lakshmi R. Srinivasan. :-)))
As a kid, I'd be surprised to see my parents celebrate two New Years. One on the 1st of Jan of the Gregorian calendar and another one on 14th or 15th of April. I just thought it was yet another festival celebrated till my 10th birthday.
Then I had the intelligence to ask it one year! :-) My Mom was only pleased to help me out. This is what she shared, it falls on the first day of the Tamil calendar. There are 12 Tamil months:
சித்திரை Chithirai चैत्र
வைகாசி Vaigasi वैशाख
ஆனி Aani
ஆடி Aadi आषाढ
ஆவணி Aavani श्रावण
புரட்டாசி Purattasi
ஐப்பசி Ippasi
கார்த்திகை Kaarthigai कार्तिक
மார்கழி Maargazhi मार्गशीर्ष
தை Thai
மாசி Maasi माघ
பங்குனி Panguni
And the New Year starts on the first day of Chithirai. This is also known as Vishu Punya Kaalam. A day before my parents used to decorate the Puja room with a traditional kolam, place a small wood seat or manai on it, place a silver plate containing rice on it. The a mirror would be kept on it, that would be decorated with a jasmine garland and a golden necklace.
There would two halves of coconut, in two exact rounds placed before the mirror. It would be filled up with gold and silver coins. Along with these, lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables like, Jackfruit, Mango, both raw and ripe, yellow cucumber, Bananas, apples etc. would be kept. They would also place betel leaves and nuts.
A silver or brass lamp would be lit and kept burning throughout the night. The next day, i;e on the New Year, my mom would wake me up, cover my eyes with her hands and lead a very sleepy me to the Puja room. Then she'd ask me to look at the lit lamp, flowers, fruits, my reflection in the mirror, all the other things kept there and finally take the coins out and ask us to touch our eyes with them. Them she'd meticulously put them back in their place. The same routine would be repeated with every child at home.
Then everyone of us would take an oil bath, wear new clothes, touch the feet of all the elders at home. This came with an advantage. The elders would pay us some coins for a blessing, some of us would spend it and others like me, used to save it as a luck for the whole year. Then we'd all visit the nearest temple and be back just in time for a sumptuous lunch. Those were the days, when I could eat my heart out without having to worry about the CALORIES! SIGH!:-( The feast would comprise of Aviyal (kind of gravy), Sambhar, Rasam, potato curry, Appalams, Payasam and a pacchadi (chutney)!
The pachadi is really important, as it comprises six different tastes, namely, sweet, bitter, sour, spicy, salty and astringent!
We see the mirror and all the bounty, so that our lives are prosperous and filled with all positive things and attract bounty. The chutney mentioned above shows how every phase in life is in a repetitive cycle and one has to accept everything with GRACE.
If I find anything more, I'll add it here. As for now, enjoy the summer!
Everyone's friend,
Seetha Lakshmi R. Srinivasan. :-)))
