Puthandu 2026 – Tamil New Year Date, Rituals, Legends & Celebrations

Date & Significance

• Date (Gregorian): April 14, 2026 (Tuesday)
• Tamil Calendar: First day of Chithirai month
• Marks the Tamil Varusha Pirappu – the onset of the Tamil solar year.
• Coincides with Mesha Sankranti, celebrated across India as:
• Vishu (Kerala)
• Pana Sankranti (Odisha)
• Poila Boishakh (West Bengal)
• Bihu (Assam)
• Vaisakhi (Punjab)

Rituals & Traditions

• Kanni Darshanam:
  On the eve of Puthandu, a tray is arranged with:
• Three fruits (jackfruit, banana, mango)
• Gold/silver jewelry, money
• Arecanut, betel leaves, mirror, flowers
  ➝ First sight on Puthandu morning, believed to bring prosperity.
• Kolam & Lamp (Kuthuvilakku):
  Homes decorated with kolams; lamps lit at the center symbolizing removal of darkness.
• Temple Visits & Panchangam Reading:
  Priests read the Panchangam (almanac) for the year.
• Feasting & New Clothes:
  Families prepare festive delicacies, wear new attire, and exchange greetings.
  Elders gift money or tokens to children.
• Brahman Bhoj & Tharpanam:
  Feeding Brahmins and performing ancestral rituals for blessings.

Regional Celebrations

• Tiruvidaimarudur (near Kumbakonam): Car festival.
• Kanchipuram & Tiruchirapalli: Temple festivities.
• Madurai – Meenakshi Amman Temple:
  Grand Chithirai Porutkaatchi exhibition.

Beliefs & Legends

• Lord Brahma: Some traditions mark Puthandu as the day Brahma began creation.
• Lord Indra: Believed to visit Earth to bless harmony and prosperity.
• New Beginnings: A day of hope, joy, and growth.