Tamil calendar


The Tamil calendar is a sidereal Hindu calendar used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in Puducherry, and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu farmers greatly refer to this. It is used today for cultural, religious and agricultural events, with the Gregorian calendar largely used for official purposes both within and outside India. The Tamil calendar is based on the classical Hindu solar calendar also used in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Nepal, Odisha, Rajasthan and Punjab This shows Hindus are well versed about the planetary movements for ages.
There are several festivals based on the Tamil calendar. The Tamil New Year follows the nirayanam based on the fixed star known as Spica. and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. 14 April marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in the state of Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. Tropical vernal equinox fall around 22 March, and by adding 23 degrees of trepidation to it, we get the Hindu sidereal or Nirayana Mesha Sankranti. Hence, the Tamil calendar begins on the same date in April which is observed by most traditional calendars of the rest of India – Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Manipur, Punjab etc. This also coincides with the traditional new year in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand.
The calendar follows a 60-year cycle which is also very ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China. According to popular belief it is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter around the Sun, and also to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras as mentioned in Surya Siddhanta.
In the Gregorian Year the Tamil year starts on 14 April, Kaliyuga. Vikrama and Shalivahana Saka eras are also used.
There are several references in early Tamil literature to the new year. Nakkirar, Sangam period author of the Neṭunalvāṭai, wrote in the third century CE that the Sun travels each year from Mesha/Chitterai in mid-April through 11 successive signs of the zodiac. Kūdalūr Kizhaar in the third century CE refers to Mesha Raasi/Chitterai i.e. mid-April as the commencement of the year in the Puṟanāṉūṟu. The Tolkaapiyam is the oldest surviving Tamil grammar text that divides the year into six seasons where Chitterai i.e. mid-April marks the start of the Ilavenil season or Summer. The 5th century Silappadikaaram mentions the 12 Raasis or zodiac signs that correspond to the Tamil months starting with Mesha/Chitterai in mid-April. The Manimekalai alludes to this very same Hindu solar calendar as we know it today Adiyarkunalaar, an early medieval commentator or Urai-asiriyar mentions the twelve months of the Tamil calendar with particular reference to Chitterai i.e. mid-April. There were subsequent inscriptional references in Pagan, Burma dated to the 11th century CE and in Sukhothai, Thailand dated to the 14th century CE to South Indian, often Vaishnavite, courtiers who were tasked with defining the traditional calendar that began in mid-April.

Week

The days of week in the Tamil Calendar relate to the celestial bodies in the solar system: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, in that order. The week starts with Sunday.
in TamilTransliterationIn SanskritPlanetGregorian Calendar equivalent
ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமைÑāyiṭrukkiḻamaiRavi-vaasaraSunSunday
திங்கட்கிழமைTiṅgaṭkiḻamaiSoma-vaasaraMoonMonday
செவ்வாய்க்கிழமைSevvāykkiḻamaiMangala-vaasaraMarsTuesday
புதன்கிழமைPudangiḻamaiBudan -vaasaraMercuryWednesday
வியாழக்கிழமைViyāḻakkiḻamaiGuru VaasaraJupiterThursday
வெள்ளிக்கிழமைVeḷḷikkiḻamaiSukra-vaasaraVenusFriday
சனிக்கிழமைSanikkiḻamaiShani-vaasaraSaturnSaturday

Months

The number of days in a month varies between 29 and 32. In Shukla Year, Aavani had 36 days and Karthigai had 35 days.
These are the months of the Tamil Calendar.
In TamilTransliterationSanskrit Name *Gregorian Calendar equivalentSangam Tamil Period Equivalent
சித்திரைCittiraiChaitramid-April to mid-Mayஊற்றை Ūṭrai
வைகாசிVaikāsiVaisākhamid-May to mid-Juneபுயாழி Puyāḻi
ஆனிĀniJyaishthamid-June to mid-Julyஆன்ரி Āṉri
ஆடிĀdiĀshāḍhamid-July to mid-Augustஎய்யண் Eyyaṇ
ஆவணிĀvaṇiShrāvaṇamid-August to mid-Septemberஇருவண் Iruvaṇ or மடங்கல் Maḍaṅgal
புரட்டாசிPuraṭṭāsiBhādrapada/Prauṣṭhapadamid-September to mid-Octoberபுலற்றை Pulaṭrai
ஐப்பசிAippasiAshwina/Ashvayujamid-October to mid-Novemberஈஞ்சம் Īñjam
கார்த்திகைKārttikaiKārttikamid-November to mid-Decemberஇற்றை Iṭrai or நளி Naḷi
மார்கழிMārkazhiMārgaṣīrṣamid-December to mid-Januaryபன்மிழ் Paṉmiḻ or சிளை Siḷai
தைTaiPausha/Taiṣyamid-January to mid-Februaryதை Tai
மாசிMāsiMāghamid-February to mid-Marchமோஞ்சி Mōñji
பங்குனிPaṅkuniPhalgunamid-March to mid-Aprilபொளனூற்றை Poḷanūṭrai

Note: The Sanskrit month starts a few weeks ahead of the Tamil month since the Tamil calendar is a solar calendar while the Sanskrit calendar is a lunisolar calendar

Seasons

The Tamil year, in keeping with the old Indic calendar, is divided into six seasons, each of which lasts two months:
Season in TamilTransliterationEnglish TranslationSeason in SanskritSeason in EnglishTamil MonthsGregorian Months
இளவேனில்IḷavēnilLight warmthVasantaSpringchithirai, vaigāsiMid Apr – Mid Jun
முதுவேனில்MuduvēnilHarsh warmthGrishmaSummerāni, ādiMid Jun – Mid Aug
கார்KārDark clouds, RainVarshaMonsoonāvani, puratāciMid Aug – Mid Oct
குளிர்KuḷirChill / ColdSharadaAutumnaippasi, kārthigaiMid Oct – Mid Dec
முன்பனிMunbaniEarly mist / dewHemantaWintermārkazhi, taiMid Dec – Mid Feb
பின்பனிPinbaniLate mist / dewSishiraPrevernalmāsi, panguniMid Feb – Mid Apr

Sixty-year cycle

The 60-year cycle is common to both North and South Indian traditional calendars, with the same name and sequence of years. Its earliest reference is to be found in Surya Siddhanta, which Varahamihirar believed to be the most accurate of the then current theories of astronomy. However, in the Surya Siddhantic list, the first year was Vijaya and not Prabhava as currently used. There are some parallels in this sexagenary cycle with the Chinese calendar. The Surya Siddhanta and other Indian classical texts on astronomy had some influence on the Chinese calendar although it merits attention that the sexagenary cycle in China is itself very old.
After the completion of sixty years, the calendar starts a new with the first year. This corresponds to the Hindu "century." The Vakya or Tirukannitha Panchangam outlines this sequence. It is related to the position of the planets in the sky with respect to earth. It means that the two major planets Sani/Saturn and the Viyazhan/Jupiter comes to the same position after 60 years.
The following list presents the current 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar:
No.NameName Gregorian YearNo.NameName Gregorian Year
01.பிரபவPrabhava1987–198831.ஹேவிளம்பிHevilambi2017–2018
02.விபவVibhava1988–198932.விளம்பிVilambi2018–2019
03.சுக்லSukla1989–199033.விகாரிVikari2019–2020
04.பிரமோதூதPramodoota1990–199134.சார்வரிSarvari2020–2021
05.பிரசோற்பத்திPrachorpaththi1991–199235.பிலவPlava2021–2022
06.ஆங்கீரசAangirasa1992–199336.சுபகிருதுSubakrith2022–2023
07.ஸ்ரீமுகSrimukha1993–199437.சோபகிருதுSobakrith2023–2024
08.பவBhava1994–199538.குரோதிKrodhi2024–2025
09.யுவYuva1995–199639.விசுவாசுவVisuvaasuva2025–2026
10.தாதுDhaatu1996–199740.பரபாவParabhaava2026–2027
11.ஈஸ்வரEesvara1997–199841.பிலவங்கPlavanga2027–2028
12.வெகுதானியVehudhanya1998–199942.கீலகKeelaka2028–2029
13.பிரமாதிPramathi1999–200043.சௌமியSaumya2029–2030
14.விக்கிரமVikrama2000–200144.சாதாரணSadharana2030–2031
15.விஷுVishu2001–200245.விரோதகிருதுVirodhikrithu2031–2032
16.சித்திரபானுChitrabaanu2002–200346.பரிதாபிParidhaabi2032–2033
17.சுபானுSubhaanu2003–200447.பிரமாதீசPramaadhisa2033–2034
18.தாரணDhaarana2004–200548.ஆனந்தAanandha2034–2035
19.பார்த்திபPaarthiba2005–200649.ராட்சசRakshasa2035–2036
20.வியViya2006–200750.நளNala2036–2037
21.சர்வசித்துSarvajith2007–200851.பிங்களPingala2037–2038
22.சர்வதாரிSarvadhari2008–200952.காளயுக்திKalayukthi2038–2039
23.விரோதிVirodhi2009–201053.சித்தார்த்திSiddharthi2039–2040
24.விக்ருதிVikruthi2010–201154.ரௌத்திரிRaudhri2040–2041
25.கரKara2011–201255.துன்மதிDunmathi2041–2042
26.நந்தனNandhana2012–201356.துந்துபிDhundubhi2042–2043
27.விஜயVijaya2013–201457.ருத்ரோத்காரிRudhrodhgaari2043–2044
28.ஜயJaya2014–201558.ரக்தாட்சிRaktakshi2044–2045
29.மன்மதManmatha2015–201659.குரோதனKrodhana2045–2046
30.துன்முகிDhunmuki2016–201760.அட்சயAkshaya2046–2047

Celebrations

The months of the Tamil Calendar have great significance and are deeply rooted in the faith of the Tamil Hindus. Some months are considered very auspicious while a few are considered inauspicious as well. Tamil months start and end based on the Sun's shift from one Rasi to the other but the names of the months are based on the star on the start of Pournami in that month. The name of the month is some times the name of the star itself..
Some of the celebrations for each month are listed below. Dates in parentheses are not exact and usually vary by a day or two. Underneath the months of the Hindu calendar are their Gregorian counterparts.
MonthApprox DatesNotes
சித்திரை – Chithirai14 April – 13 MayStar on the Pournami: Chithirai. Chitra Pournami & Varusha pirappu are the most important festivals in this month. Famous Chithirai Thiruvizha is celebrated in Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. 14 April is the Tamil New Year.
வைகாசி – Vaikaasi14 May – 14 JuneStar on the Pournami: Visaagam. Vaikaasi Visaakam is the most important day in this month.This month is most favorable month of Lord Subramainya. Thirumangalam Shri Pathrakali Mariamman Temple 13day Vaigasi Festival starts at Sunday followed by vaigasi ammavasai.
ஆனி – Aani15 June – 15 JulyStar on the Pournami: Anusham. Aani Thirumanjanam or Aani Uttaram for Lord Nataraja is the most famous day in this month.
ஆடி – Aadi16 July – 16 AugustStar on the Pournami: Pooraadam Uthiraadam. A most important month for women. The most auspicious days are Fridays and Tuesdays in this month, these are called Aadi Velli and Aadi Chevvai and the Aadi Amavasya. Aadi Pooram is also a special day.18th day of adi is the most important day for the farmers they prepare paddy seedlings.during this month "kanchi varthal" is famous in amman temples
ஆவணி – Aavani17 August – 16 SeptemberStar on the Pournami: Thiruvonam. An important month with many rituals. Brahmins change their sacred thread on Aavani Avittam. Each Sunday of the month is dedicated to prayers – Aavani Gnayiru.vinayaka chaturthi,the festival of lord ganesha is held in this month
புரட்டாசி – Purattaasi17 September – 16 OctoberStar on the Pournami: Poorattathi Uthirattathi. An important month for Vaishnavas. Purattaasi Sani is an auspicious day for Lord Vishnu. Navarathri & Vijayadhashami or Ayuda Pooja is celebrated to invoke Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi.
ஐப்பசி – Aippasi17 October – 15 NovemberStar on the Pournami: Ashwini. The monsoons typically start over Tamil Nadu in this month. Hence the saying, "Aippasi Mazhai, adai mazhai" – meaning "Aippasi rains are persistent rains".
Also Annaabishekam for Lord Shiva is very famous in this month. The most famous Hindu festival "Deepavali" is celebrated in this month. The Fridays of this month – Aipassi velli – are dedicated to religious observance.
கார்த்திகை – Karthikai16 November – 15 DecemberStar on the Pournami: Karthikai. Another auspicious celebration for Shiva devotees is Thirukaarthigai. The Krithikaa Pournami is the special day of the full moon in the month of Kaarthikai, and the star is Krithikaa.
Each Monday of this month is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. Every Monday is called "Somavaaram" when 108 or 1008 sangabhishekam are offered to Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga.
மார்கழி – Maargazhi16 December – 13 JanuaryStar on the Pournami: Mrigasheersham. This is another special month in the Tamil Calendar. Temples open earlier in the mornings and Devotees throng the temples early for puja and prasadam – the offering made to the deity which is later distributed to the devotees. Arudra Darisanam is the most auspicious day in this month. The offering made to Lord Siva is the Thiruvaadirai Kali – a sweet boiled pudding. Mukkodi Ekathesi is called "Paramapadha vaasal Thirappu" for Lord Vishnu. The Tiruvembaavai and Thirupaavai fast takes place in this month.
தை – Thai14 January – 12 FebruaryStar on the Pournami: Poosam. Pongal, which is the Tamil harvest festival, is celebrated on the first day of this month. Thaipusam is also a special day for Murugan devotees, who carry Kavadi to one of the Aarupadaiveedu.
மாசி – Maasi13 February – 13 MarchStar on the Pournami: Magam. Maasi Magam is the special day of which comes in this Month. Shivaratri is an important festival widely celebrated by Hindus in this month.
பங்குனி – Panguni14 March – 13 AprilStar on the Pournami: Uththiram. Panguni Uthiram, the last month of the year, is a famous festival and special to Murugan and Siva devotees.

Significance

The Tamil Calendar is important in the life of Tamil-speaking people and most Festivals of Tamil Nadu are based on it. Some Festivals include
One day was even dedicated to a celebration of the Tamil alphabet and was called "ezhuthu naal".