The Tamil Puthandu is a festive occasion celebrated by Tamils across the world. It is the commencement of the new year according to the traditional Tamil calendar that starts with the month of Chithirai. It usually falls on the 14th of April of the English calendar. From celebrations at home to ‘Thiruvizha’ in temples, Puthandu is considered an auspicious day for all Tamil Hindus.
Not just for Tamil Hindus, the commencement of the new year is celebrated as Vishu in Kerala, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Pohela Boisakh in Bengal, Bishuva Sankranti in Odisha, Jud Sheetal in parts of Bihar, etc. Even countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Bali, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, etc also celebrate the traditional New Year around this time.
But the DMK government is Tamil Nadu is making a nefarious attempt to ‘christianize’ this festival in order to peddle its agenda and appease its Christian vote bank.
It has become a topic of heated discussion after a picture of a Pongal gift bag from the current ruling government, was shared along with the ‘Happy Tamil New Year’ wishes.
The current DMK government wants to make the Pongal festival which falls on the Tamil month of ‘Thai’ as Tamil New Year. This decision to change the New Year isn’t new.
Back in 2008, when the ruling government in Tamil Nadu was DMK, the then Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi passed the Tamil Nadu New Year (Declaration) Bill 2008, changing the Tamil New Year from Chithirai 1 (April 14th) to Thai 1 (January 14th or 15th).
This ridiculous change was in action for three years despite it not having any resonance with the Tamil people. Although the Tamil New Year was changed to January (Thai 1), the Tamil people continued to celebrate New Year on April 14th rejecting the DMK’s move to the dustbin.
As expected, this move did not last long because as soon as AIADMK came back to power in 2011, the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa repealed the Act and restored the traditional Chithirai 1 as the Tamil New Year followed by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
But, now that the DMK government led by MK Stalin is once again trying to meddle in the faith of people, let us look at why the it is desperate to make this change and what reason they give for it.
They say that old Tamil texts and history shows that Tamil New Year was actually celebrated in the month of January. In continuation, the argument says that after 2nd or 3rd Century BC, Sanskrit culture and language started influencing Tamil culture and language. Apparently, a few scholars saw details of the year beginning in Thai in classical Tamil literature, such as the anthologies of Sangam-era poems like Natrinai and Ainkurunuru and the grammar book Tholkappiam.
The DMK and other Dravidian dimwits also argue that January is the month of the Tamil harvest festival Pongal and that having Tamil New Year in April amounts to following a ‘Brahmin-dominated’ or Sanskritic tradition which was against the Dravidian ideologies.
But here are some real evidences from ancient Tamil literature that busts the distortionary arguments of the DMK and their Dravidian myth peddlers.
“திண்ணிலை மருப்பின் ஆடு தலையாக விண்ணூர்பு திரிதரும் வீங்கு செலல் மண்டிலம்”
“Thinnilai Marruppin Aadu Thalaiyaaga Vinnurpu Thiritharum Veengu Sella Mandilam”
The above quote by Nakkeerar, a famous Tamil poet of the Sangam age, notes that the world runs with the goat (Mesha rasi / Aries) as the first sign.
Not only in this Sangam song, many ancient Tamil songs that are about the astronomical predictions and changes in position of planets and starts.
Kudalur Kizhar is another poet of the Sangam era whose poems are part of the Kurunthogai (166, 167, 214) and Purananuru (229). In the poem in Purananuru, where he predicts the death of Chera ruler Yanaikatchei Mantharanj Cheral Irumborai (62-42 BC), he mentions Chithirai month and Mesha rasi.
In essence, the first month of the year is the month of Chithirai during spring when the Sun enters Mesha (Aries) zodiac sign. The year ends with the month of Panguni when the sun comes up in Pisces. This is the solar calendar that is followed across the country while there are many communities in different states that follows the lunar calendar.
Stanley Rajan, a Tamil blogger has written an essay in Tamil where he explains how ‘Chithirai 1’ as Tamil New Year is very much a Tamil practice. In the essay, he mentions a song called ‘Yermangalam’ in Silapathikaram which mentions a line ‘Chithira Mezhi Vaibhavam’ that talks about a festival marking the seasonal change for the Tamil people. It literally means that in the Chithirai month, the king will plow the land to mark the beginning of the new year.” He also quotes various other texts to help explain his point.
The other argument put forth by the DMK and their minions is that Thiruvalluvar’s birth date was once found out to be in the month of January around 31 BCE, and the 60-year-cycle of the Sanskrit Calendar was replaced with the Tamil Calendar beginning with the Thiruvalluvar Era. So the argument is that, by the logic of following a calendar starting from the Thiruvalluvar era, the year should also begin at the same time.
But that’s no the real motive for the DMK. They want to attack the Hindu faith and debase Tamils from their Hindu roots.
The English New Year is celebrated on January 1st, which comes 6 days after Christmas, the day considered as the birth date of Jesus Christ. But, in Tembavani, Veeramamunivar says that the actual birth date of Jesus Christ is actually ‘Margazhi 25th’ which comes somewhere in the first week of January, before Pongal. So, it is being speculated that the party might want to make ‘Thai 1’ as Tamil New Year, in order to bring it closer to Jesus Christ’s actual birth date. The theory basically says that the idea behind changing the date is to Christianize the concept of Tamil New Year.
There is a reason why the Harvest festival is celebrated in January and the New Year in April. After harvesting crops in the Thai month (January-February) farmers took a short period of rest in the months of Masi and Panguni (February-April) and started their farming again from Chithirai (April) which marks the beginning of the Spring season.
Even though AIADMK also follow a Dravidian ideology, they restored April 14th as Tamil Puthandu, because of the logic in place and also because of the fact that this is how Tamil New year is being celebrated for decades or even centuries together.
O. Paneerselvam- MLA and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Annamalai – Tamil Nadu BJP Chief and TTV Dhinakaran- former MLA, are some of many leaders who have voiced out against this change of date and have requested the Chief Minister to reconsider the government’s decision. Whether the decision will be reconsidered or not Tamil people should reject the DMK’s move to christianize Tamil culture lock, stock and barrel.
(With inputs from Sundar Raja Cholan and Stanley Rajan)
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DMK’s attempt to ‘christianize’ Tamil Puthandu must be rejected lock, stock and barrel
The Tamil Puthandu is a festive occasion celebrated by Tamils across the world. It is the commencement of the new year according to the traditional Tamil calendar that starts with the month of Chithirai. It usually falls on the 14th of April of the English calendar. From celebrations at home to ‘Thiruvizha’ in temples, Puthandu is considered an auspicious day for all Tamil Hindus.
Not just for Tamil Hindus, the commencement of the new year is celebrated as Vishu in Kerala, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Pohela Boisakh in Bengal, Bishuva Sankranti in Odisha, Jud Sheetal in parts of Bihar, etc. Even countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Bali, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, etc also celebrate the traditional New Year around this time.
But the DMK government is Tamil Nadu is making a nefarious attempt to ‘christianize’ this festival in order to peddle its agenda and appease its Christian vote bank.
It has become a topic of heated discussion after a picture of a Pongal gift bag from the current ruling government, was shared along with the ‘Happy Tamil New Year’ wishes.
The current DMK government wants to make the Pongal festival which falls on the Tamil month of ‘Thai’ as Tamil New Year. This decision to change the New Year isn’t new.
Back in 2008, when the ruling government in Tamil Nadu was DMK, the then Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi passed the Tamil Nadu New Year (Declaration) Bill 2008, changing the Tamil New Year from Chithirai 1 (April 14th) to Thai 1 (January 14th or 15th).
This ridiculous change was in action for three years despite it not having any resonance with the Tamil people. Although the Tamil New Year was changed to January (Thai 1), the Tamil people continued to celebrate New Year on April 14th rejecting the DMK’s move to the dustbin.
As expected, this move did not last long because as soon as AIADMK came back to power in 2011, the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa repealed the Act and restored the traditional Chithirai 1 as the Tamil New Year followed by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
But, now that the DMK government led by MK Stalin is once again trying to meddle in the faith of people, let us look at why the it is desperate to make this change and what reason they give for it.
They say that old Tamil texts and history shows that Tamil New Year was actually celebrated in the month of January. In continuation, the argument says that after 2nd or 3rd Century BC, Sanskrit culture and language started influencing Tamil culture and language. Apparently, a few scholars saw details of the year beginning in Thai in classical Tamil literature, such as the anthologies of Sangam-era poems like Natrinai and Ainkurunuru and the grammar book Tholkappiam.
The DMK and other Dravidian dimwits also argue that January is the month of the Tamil harvest festival Pongal and that having Tamil New Year in April amounts to following a ‘Brahmin-dominated’ or Sanskritic tradition which was against the Dravidian ideologies.
But here are some real evidences from ancient Tamil literature that busts the distortionary arguments of the DMK and their Dravidian myth peddlers.
“திண்ணிலை மருப்பின் ஆடு தலையாக விண்ணூர்பு திரிதரும் வீங்கு செலல் மண்டிலம்”
“Thinnilai Marruppin Aadu Thalaiyaaga Vinnurpu Thiritharum Veengu Sella Mandilam”
The above quote by Nakkeerar, a famous Tamil poet of the Sangam age, notes that the world runs with the goat (Mesha rasi / Aries) as the first sign.
Not only in this Sangam song, many ancient Tamil songs that are about the astronomical predictions and changes in position of planets and starts.
Kudalur Kizhar is another poet of the Sangam era whose poems are part of the Kurunthogai (166, 167, 214) and Purananuru (229). In the poem in Purananuru, where he predicts the death of Chera ruler Yanaikatchei Mantharanj Cheral Irumborai (62-42 BC), he mentions Chithirai month and Mesha rasi.
In essence, the first month of the year is the month of Chithirai during spring when the Sun enters Mesha (Aries) zodiac sign. The year ends with the month of Panguni when the sun comes up in Pisces. This is the solar calendar that is followed across the country while there are many communities in different states that follows the lunar calendar.
Stanley Rajan, a Tamil blogger has written an essay in Tamil where he explains how ‘Chithirai 1’ as Tamil New Year is very much a Tamil practice. In the essay, he mentions a song called ‘Yermangalam’ in Silapathikaram which mentions a line ‘Chithira Mezhi Vaibhavam’ that talks about a festival marking the seasonal change for the Tamil people. It literally means that in the Chithirai month, the king will plow the land to mark the beginning of the new year.” He also quotes various other texts to help explain his point.
The other argument put forth by the DMK and their minions is that Thiruvalluvar’s birth date was once found out to be in the month of January around 31 BCE, and the 60-year-cycle of the Sanskrit Calendar was replaced with the Tamil Calendar beginning with the Thiruvalluvar Era. So the argument is that, by the logic of following a calendar starting from the Thiruvalluvar era, the year should also begin at the same time.
But that’s no the real motive for the DMK. They want to attack the Hindu faith and debase Tamils from their Hindu roots.
The English New Year is celebrated on January 1st, which comes 6 days after Christmas, the day considered as the birth date of Jesus Christ. But, in Tembavani, Veeramamunivar says that the actual birth date of Jesus Christ is actually ‘Margazhi 25th’ which comes somewhere in the first week of January, before Pongal. So, it is being speculated that the party might want to make ‘Thai 1’ as Tamil New Year, in order to bring it closer to Jesus Christ’s actual birth date. The theory basically says that the idea behind changing the date is to Christianize the concept of Tamil New Year.
There is a reason why the Harvest festival is celebrated in January and the New Year in April. After harvesting crops in the Thai month (January-February) farmers took a short period of rest in the months of Masi and Panguni (February-April) and started their farming again from Chithirai (April) which marks the beginning of the Spring season.
Even though AIADMK also follow a Dravidian ideology, they restored April 14th as Tamil Puthandu, because of the logic in place and also because of the fact that this is how Tamil New year is being celebrated for decades or even centuries together.
O. Paneerselvam- MLA and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Annamalai – Tamil Nadu BJP Chief and TTV Dhinakaran- former MLA, are some of many leaders who have voiced out against this change of date and have requested the Chief Minister to reconsider the government’s decision. Whether the decision will be reconsidered or not Tamil people should reject the DMK’s move to christianize Tamil culture lock, stock and barrel.
(With inputs from Sundar Raja Cholan and Stanley Rajan)
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