Tamil calendar
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The Tamil Calendar is followed by the Tamil speaking state of Tamil Nadu in India and Sri Lanka. There are a number of festivals in Tamil Nadu based on the Tamil Calendar. The Tamil calendar is based on the solar cycle. It has a sixty years cycle and every year has twelve months. The Tamil New Year follows the vernal equinox.
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[edit] The Seven Days of the Week
The days of the Tamil Calendar, like the Gregorian 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
The following list compiles the days of the week in Tamil Calendar:
| No. | Weekday (Tamil) | Weekday (English) | Lord or Planet | Gregorian Calendar equivalent |
| 01. | ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை | Nyaayitru-kizhamai | Sun | Sunday |
| 02. | திங்கட்கிழமை | Thingat-kizhamai | Moon | Monday |
| 03. | செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை | Sevvaai-kizhamai | Mars | Tuesday |
| 04. | புதன்கிழமை | Buthan-kizhamai | Mercury | Wednesday |
| 05. | வியாழக்கிழமை | Viyaazha-kizhamai | Jupiter | Thursday |
| 06. | வெள்ளிக்கிழமை | Velli-kizhamai | Venus | Friday |
| 07. | சனிக்கிழமை | Sani-kizhamai | Saturn | Saturday |
[edit] The Months of a Tamil Calendar
The Tamil Calendar starts in mid-April of the Gregorian Calendar every year. It consists of twelve months. The number of days in a month can vary between 29 to 32.
The following list compiles the months of the Tamil Calendar.
| No. | Month (Tamil) | Month (English) | Gregorian Calendar equivalent |
| 01. | சித்திரை | Chithirai | mid-April to mid-May |
| 02. | வைகாசி | Vaikaasi | mid-May to mid-June |
| 03. | ஆனி | Aani | mid-June to mid-July |
| 04. | ஆடி | Aadi | mid-July to mid-August |
| 05. | ஆவணி | Aavani | mid-August to mid-September |
| 06. | புரட்டாசி | Purattaasi | mid-September to mid-October |
| 07. | ஐப்பசி | Aippasi | mid-October to mid-November |
| 08. | கார்த்திகை | Kaarthigai | mid-November to mid-December |
| 09. | மார்கழி | Maargazhi | mid-December to mid-January |
| 10. | தை | Thai | mid-January to mid-February |
| 11. | மாசி | Maasi | mid-February to mid-March |
| 12. | பங்குனி | Panguni | mid-March to mid-April |
[edit] The Sixty-Year Cycle of Tamil Calendar
There 60 year cycle of Tamil Calendar was inserted into the Tamil Calendar system in the 18th century A.D. It is irrelevant to the Tamil Calendar system! Except few names in the 60 year cycle, the rest are 'sanskrit' names. The Yearly calendar follows a sixty year cycle. After the completion of sixty years, the calendar starts again with the first year.
The following list presents the current 60-year cycle of the Calendar:
| No. | Name | Name (English) | Gregorian Year | No. | Name | Name (English) | Gregorian Year | |
| 01. | பிரபவ | Prabhava | 1987 - 1988 | 31. | ஹேவிளம்பி | Hevilambi | 2017 - 2018 | |
| 02. | விபவ | Vibhava | 1988 - 1989 | 32. | விளம்பி | Vilambi | 2018 - 2019 | |
| 03. | சுக்ல | Sukla | 1989 - 1990 | 33. | விகாரி | Vikari | 2019 - 2020 | |
| 04. | பிரமோதூத | Pramodhoodha | 1990 - 1991 | 34. | சார்வரி | Sarvari | 2020 - 2021 | |
| 05. | பிரசோற்பத்தி | Prachorpaththi | 1991 - 1992 | 35. | பிலவ | Plava | 2021 - 2022 | |
| 06. | ஆங்கீரச | Aangirasa | 1992 - 1993 | 36. | சுபகிருது | Subakrith | 2022 - 2023 | |
| 07. | ஸ்ரீமுக | Srimukha | 1993 - 1994 | 37. | சோபகிருது | Sobakrith | 2023 - 2024 | |
| 08. | பவ | Bhava | 1994 - 1995 | 38. | குரோதி | Krodhi | 2024 - 2025 | |
| 09. | யுவ | Yuva | 1995 - 1996 | 39. | விசுவாசுவ | Visuvaasuva | 2025 - 2026 | |
| 10. | தாது | Thaadhu | 1996 - 1997 | 40. | பரபாவ | Parabhaava | 2026 - 2027 | |
| 11. | ஈஸ்வர | Eesvara | 1997 - 1998 | 41. | பிலவங்க | Plavanga | 2027 - 2028 | |
| 12. | வெகுதானிய | Vehudhanya | 1998 - 1999 | 42. | கீலக | Keelaka | 2028 - 2029 | |
| 13. | பிரமாதி | Pramathi | 1999 - 2000 | 43. | சௌமிய | Saumya | 2029 - 2030 | |
| 14. | விக்கிரம | Vikrama | 2000 - 2001 | 44. | சாதாரண | Sadharana | 2030 - 2031 | |
| 15. | விஷு | Vishu | 2001 - 2002 | 45. | விரோதகிருது | Virodhikrithu | 2031 - 2032 | |
| 16. | சித்திரபானு | Chitrabaanu | 2002 - 2003 | 46. | பரிதாபி | Paridhaabi | 2032 - 2033 | |
| 17. | சுபானு | Subaanu | 2003 - 2004 | 47. | பிரமாதீச | Pramaadhisa | 2033 - 2034 | |
| 18. | தாரண | Thaarana | 2004 - 2005 | 48. | ஆனந்த | Aanandha | 2034 - 2035 | |
| 19. | பார்த்திப | Paarthiba | 2005 - 2006 | 49. | ராட்சச | Rakshasa | 2035 - 2036 | |
| 20. | விய | Viya | 2006 - 2007 | 50. | நள | Nala | 2036 - 2037 | |
| 21. | சர்வசித்து | Sarvasithu | 2007 - 2008 | 51. | பிங்கள | Pingala | 2037 - 2038 | |
| 22. | சர்வதாரி | Sarvadhari | 2008 - 2009 | 52. | காளயுக்தி | Kalayukthi | 2038 - 2039 | |
| 23. | விரோதி | Virodhi | 2009 - 2010 | 53. | சித்தார்த்தி | Siddharthi | 2039 - 2040 | |
| 24. | விக்ருதி | Vikruthi | 2010 - 2011 | 54. | ரௌத்திரி | Raudhri | 2040 - 2041 | |
| 25. | கர | Kara | 2011 - 2012 | 55. | துன்மதி | Thunmathi | 2041 - 2042 | |
| 26. | நந்தன | Nandhana | 2012 - 2013 | 56. | துந்துபி | Dhundubhi | 2042 - 2043 | |
| 27. | விஜய | Vijaya | 2013 - 2014 | 57. | ருத்ரோத்காரி | Rudhrodhgaari | 2043 - 2044 | |
| 28. | ஜய | Jaya | 2014 - 2015 | 58. | ரக்தாட்சி | Raktakshi | 2044 - 2045 | |
| 29. | மன்மத | Manmatha | 2015 - 2016 | 59. | குரோதன | Krodhana | 2045 - 2046 | |
| 30. | துன்முகி | Dhunmuki | 2016 - 2017 | 60. | அட்சய | Akshaya | 2046 - 2047 |
[edit] Significance of Tamil Calendar
The Hindu peoples of the Indian subcontinent, is known to have developed a system of calendrics accounting for such vast periods of time. For computing the age of the earth and various geological and other epochs, as well as the age of mankind, they still employ a Tamil calendar derived from ancient astronomical data, known as the "Tirukkanda Panchanga" (cf. The Secret Doctrine, 2:49-51).
This calendar contains a calculation of something over three hundred millions of years for the age of the present earth since sedimentation occurred, and a period of somewhat more than eighteen million years since the first appearance of our mankind.
The months of the Tamil Calendar gains more significance and are deeply rooted to the faith of the Tamil People. Some months are considered very auspicious while a few are considered inauspicious as well.
The 10th Tamil month called Thai, falls in the mid-January every year. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm among the Tamil Community all over the world. It is marked by gifting new dresses for the family members and giving prayers to God wishing for prosperity among the people for the coming year. The month of Thai and the fifth month of Aavani are considered very auspicious and most of the marriages usually happens during those months than the other months of the year.
The fourth month of Aadi is considered inauspicious that usually marriages do not happen in the month. Addi is also the month of preparation for next crop cycle by farmers. Hence, farming communities avoid major events like marriages in this month. On the contrary (or as advantage) the communities that don't actively contribute/participate in farming - take the advantage of having important functions like marriage in this month. For example, the business community prefers this month for marriage. It is usually the worst month for thriving businesses and recently this situation has changed a lot, as the businesses started providing discount shopping during that particular month.
The fifth month of Aavani is considered auspicious among the Tamil orthodox people, and the special occasion of Aavani Avittam marks the month.
The sixth month of Purattaasi is auspicious to the effect that, most of the non-vegetarian Tamil people do not eat meat during the month. This faith can be considered much similar to the fasting by Muslims during the month of Ramzan.
The full moon days and the new moon days have considerable importance among the Tamil people. One of the famous festivals, the Deepavali, is celebrated on the new moon day, in the seventh month of Aippasi. The month of Aippasi is usually characterised bythe North-East Monsoon in Tamil Nadu, which has given birth to a phrase, Aippasi Adai Mazhai meaning the 'Non-stop Downpour'.
The Festival of Thirukaarthigai is celebrated during the eighth month of Kaarthigai. The ninth month of Maargazhi is characterised by the winter in Tamil Nadu, and considered auspicious for maiden women to find their groom.
The tenth month of Thai is the month of Harvest in Tamil Nadu. The festival of Pongal is celebrated to mark the harvest in the first day of that month.hi
The total days in a Tamil Calender is an average 365 days and day's name are also similar to the western calender. In temples and for day to day purpose 'Vakiya Panchangam' is used and for Astrological calculations 'Trikanitha Panchangam' is used.
[edit] Festivals of Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Calendar gains so much significance in the life of the Tamil-speaking people that most of the Festivals of Tamil Nadu are based on it. Some of Festivals include, Pongal, Tamil New Year, Deepaavali, Panguni Uthiram, Thirukaarthigai, Aadiperukku, etc.
[edit] External links
