The Tamil calendar is a sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people.S.K. Chatterjee, Indian Calendric System, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1998Sewell, Robert and Dikshit, Sankara B.: The Indian Calendar – with tables for the conversion of Hindu and Muhammadan into a.d. dates, and vice versa. Motilal Banarsidass Publ., Delhi, India (1995). Originally published in 1896 It is used in the Indian subcontinent, and other countries with significant Tamil population like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar and Mauritius. It is used in contemporary times for cultural, religious and agricultural events, with the Gregorian calendar largely used for official purposes.Indian Epigraphy, D.C. Sircar, TamilNet, Tamil New Year, 13 April 2008
History There are several references to the calendar in early Tamil literature. Nakkeerar, the Sangam period author of the Neṭunalvāṭai, wrote in the third century CE that the Sun travels each year from Mesha/Chittirai in mid-April through 11 successive signs of the zodiac. The same is referenced to by Kūdalūr Kiḻar in Puṟanāṉūṟu. Tolkappiyam, the oldest surviving Tamil grammar text, divides the year into six seasons and Chittirai marks the start of the "ilavenil" (summer) season. The fifth century CE treatise of Cilappatikaram mentions the 12 rāśis (zodiac signs) that correspond to the Tamil months. The sixth century epic Manimekalai alludes to this to the Hindu solar calendar.
Inscriptional evidences from Pagan in Myanmar from the 11th century CE and in Sukhothai in Thailand from the 14th century CE point to South Indian courtiers being tasked with defining the traditional calendar that followed a similar cycle.
Description The Tamil calendar is based on the Hindu system of calendrics that was used to calculate date and time. The Tirukkanida Panchanga derived from astronomical data is used as a basis for the same. The calendar is similar to traditional calendars followed in other parts of the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia.
The Tamil calendar follows a 60-year cycle similar to the other traditional calendars of India. The Tamil New Year follows the Nirayana system, and usually falls on 13 or 14 April in the Gregorian year. The new year starts on the date arrived by adding the days corresponding to the 23 degrees of trepidation (oscillation) to the vernal equinox, when the Sun begins its transition as per the Hindu sidereal calendar. A Tamil calendar year might consist of 365 or 366 days in a year.
Sixty-year cycle
The 60-year cycle is common to Hindu traditional calendars, with similar names and sequence of years. The earliest reference of the same is in Surya Siddhanta, dated between 4th and 9th century CE. There are parallels to the sexagenary cycle used in the Chinese calendar, though which influenced the other has been subject to debate.
After the completion of a cycle of sixty years, the calendar re-starts with the first year of a new cycle. As per the Hindu Panchangam, it represents the year in which Shani Saturn (which takes 30 years to complete one cycle round the Sun) and Vyalan (Jupiter) (which takes 12 years to complete one cycle round the Sun) come to a same position after 60 years.
The following list presents the current 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar:
No. Name Transliteration Gregorian Year No. Name Transliteration Gregorian Year 01. பிரபவ Prabhāva 1987–1988 31. ஹேவிளம்பி Hēvilaṃbi 2017–2018 02. விபவ Vibhāva 1988–1989 32. விளம்பி Vilaṃbi 2018–2019 03. சுக்ல Śuklā 1989–1990 33. விகாரி Vikāri 2019–2020 04. பிரமோதூத Pramadutā 1990–1991 34. சார்வரி Śarvarī 2020–2021 05. பிரசோற்பத்தி Prachopati 1991–1992 35. பிலவ Plava 2021–2022 06. ஆங்கீரச Āṅgirasa 1992–1993 36. சுபகிருது Śubhakṛt 2022–2023 07. ஸ்ரீமுக Śrīmukha 1993–1994 37. சோபக்ருத் Śobhakṛt 2023–2024 08. பவ Bhava 1994–1995 38. க்ரோதி Krodhī 2024–2025 09. யுவ Yuva 1995–1996 39. விசுவாசுவ Viśvāvasuva 2025–2026 10. தாது Dhātu 1996–1997 40. பராபவ Paraapava 2026–2027 11. ஈஸ்வர Īśvara 1997–1998 41. ப்லவங்க Plavaṅga 2027–2028 12. வெகுதானிய Vehudānya 1998–1999 42. கீலக Kīlaka 2028–2029 13. பிரமாதி Pramāti 1999–2000 43. சௌம்ய Saumya 2029–2030 14. விக்ரம Vikrama 2000–2001 44. சாதாரண Sādhāraṇa 2030–2031 15. விஷு Viṣu 2001–2002 45. விரோதகிருது Virodhikṛti 2031–2032 16. சித்திரபானு Citrabhānu 2002–2003 46. பரிதாபி Paritapi 2032–2033 17. சுபானு Subhānu 2003–2004 47. பிரமாதீச Pramādīca 2033–2034 18. தாரண Dhārana 2004–2005 48. ஆனந்த Ānanda 2034–2035 19. பார்த்திப Partibhā 2005–2006 49. ராட்சச Rākṣasaḥ 2035–2036 20. விய Viya 2006–2007 50. நள Nala 2036–2037 21. சர்வஜித் Sarvajit 2007–2008 51. பிங்கள Piṅgāla 2037–2038 22. சர்வதாரி Sarvadhārī 2008–2009 52. காளயுக்தி Kālayukti 2038–2039 23. விரோதி Virodhī 2009–2010 53. சித்தார்த்தி Siddhidātrī 2039–2040 24. விக்ருதி Vikṛti 2010–2011 54. ரௌத்திரி Rautrī 2040–2041 25. கர Kara 2011–2012 55. துன்மதி Dhūnmatī 2041–2042 26. நந்தன Nandhana 2012–2013 56. துந்துபி Dundubhi 2042–2043 27. விஜய Vijaya 2013–2014 57. ருத்ரோத்காரி Rudhirōtgāri 2043–2044 28. ஜய Jaya 2014–2015 58. ரக்தாட்சி Rākṣasī 2044–2045 29. மன்மத Manmatha 2015–2016 59. க்ரோதன Krodhanā 2045–2046 30. துன்முகி Dhuṇmūkī 2016–2017 60. அட்சய Akṣayā 2046–2047
Months There are twelve months in the Tamil calendar, with 29 to 32 days per month. Tamil months start and end based on the Sun's shift from one rasi to the other, and the names of the months are based on the nakshatra (star) that coincides with the start of the pournami (full moon) in that month. The Tamil calendar month starts a few days after the corresponding Hindu calendar month as the Tamil calendar is a solar calendar, while the other is a lunisolar calendar.
Month (in Tamil) Transliteration Hindu Lunar calendar Nakshatra Gregorian calendar Days சித்திரை Chittirai Chaitra Chittirai April–May 30–31 வைகாசி Vaikāsi Vaisakha Visakam May–June 31–32 ஆனி Āni Jyestha Anusham June–July 31–32 ஆடி Ādi Asadha Pooradam or Uthiradam July–August 31–32 ஆவணி Āvaṇi Shravana Thiruvonam August–September 31–32 புரட்டாசி Puraṭṭāsi Bhadrapada Pooratathi or Uthiratathi September–October 30–31 ஐப்பசி Aippasi Asvina Ashvini October–November 29–30 கார்த்திகை Kārtikai Kartika Kartikai November–December 29–30 மார்கழி Mārgaḻi Margashirsha Mirgashirsham December–January 29–30 தை Tai Pausha Pusham January–February 29–30 மாசி Māsi Magha Magham February–March 29–30 பங்குனி Panguni Phalguna Uttiram March–April 30–31
Seasons A Tamil year is divided into six seasons, each of which lasts two months.
Season (in Tamil) Transliteration English translation Hindu calendar Common season Tamil month(s) Gregorian month(s) இளவேனில் Ila-venil Light warmth Vasanta Spring Chittirai, Vaikāsi April–June முதுவேனில் Mudhu-venil Harsh warmth Grishma Summer Āni, Ādi June–August கார் Kār Dark clouds Varsha Monsoon Āvaṇi, Puraṭṭāsi August–October குளிர் Kulir Cold Sharda Autumn Aippasi, Kārtikai October–December முன்பனி Mun-pani Early mist Hemanta Winter Mārgaḻi, Thai December–February பின்பனி Pin-pani Late mist Shishira Pre-vernal Māsi, Panguni February–April
Days of a week The days of week (Kiḻamai) in the Tamil calendar relate to the celestial bodies in the Solar System: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, in that order. A week usually starts with Sunday, and ends in a Saturday.
Day (in Tamil) English transliteration Shaka Calendar Deity Celestial body Gregorian Calendar ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை Nyayitru-kiḻamai Ravivāra Surya Sun Sunday திங்கட்கிழமை Tingat-kiḻamai Somavāra Chandra Moon Monday செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை Chevvai-kiḻamai Mangalavāra Mangala Mars Tuesday புதன்கிழமை Budhan-kiḻamai Budhavāra Budha Mercury Wednesday வியாழக்கிழமை Vyaḻa-kiḻamai Guruvāra Brihaspati Jupiter Thursday வெள்ளிக்கிழமை Velli-kiḻamai Śukravāra Shukra Venus Friday சனிக்கிழமை Sani-kiḻamai Śanivāra Shani Saturn Saturday
Significance The various days and months of the Tamil Calendar are of specific significance to Tamil Hindus. The Vakiya Panchangam is employed for calculation of sacred days, while the Tirugaṇita Panchangam is employed for astrological calculations.
The months and their significant events and festivals are listed below.
Month Events/festivals Chittirai Chitra Pournami, Meenakshi Tirukalyanam, Puthandu Vaikāsi Vaikasi Visakam Aani Aani Thirumanjanam, Mangani Āadi Chevvai (Tuesdays) and Velli (Fridays) dedicated to Mariamman; Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Perukku, Pooram Āvaṇi Avani Avittam, Gokulashtami, Vinayakar Chaturti Puratāsi Shani (Saturdays) dedicated to Vishnu; Navarathri Aippasi Deepavali Kārtikai Thingal (Mondays) dedicated to Shiva; Karthigai Deepam, Karthigai Pournami Margaḻi Hanuman Jayanti, Thiruvathirai, Vaikuntha Ekadasi Thai Pongal, Thaipusam Māsi Maha Shivaratri, Masi Maham, Poochoriyal Panguni Panguni Uthiram, Rama Navami
See also Chandravakyas Malayalam calendar Pambu Panchangam
References
External links Tamil Calendar Tamil Calendar with Daily Panchangam