Puthandu (Tamil New Year)
Tamil New Year on Chithirai 1, the first day of the solar month Chithirai (Sun in sidereal Mesha).
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- CategoryFestival
- RegionRegional observance: Tamil Nadu
- Defining tithi / momentExact moment:
Timings on Wednesday, 14 April 2027
Rule applied: Regional calendar — Tamil month-start rule: the day of the Sankranti if it falls before sunset, otherwise the next day.
Across India
How this festival is celebrated in different regions, with the regional names and each date's rule.
How the date is determined
- It is the moment the Sun enters sidereal Mesha (Aries).
- Tamil month-start rule: if the moment falls before local sunset, that day is the first day of the month; otherwise the next day is. A moment between midnight and sunrise counts on its own date.
- Sidereal positions use the ayanamsa of your calculation profile; a different ayanamsa can shift the moment by several minutes.
Traditional variation
Tamil panchangs on the Vakya system compute the Sankranti differently and can differ by a day; the date here uses the drik (Thirukanitha) ingress with the ayanamsa of your calculation profile.
This is the date given by the rule shown above for the selected place. It is not the only valid date: regional Panchangs, family customs and sampradayas may observe it on a different day.
Rule source: Tamil solar calendar: Chithirai 1 = the day of the sidereal Mesha ingress if it falls before sunset, otherwise the next day (Tamil month-start rule, as documented by Sewell and Dikshit, The Indian Calendar, 1896; drik / Thirukanitha ingress)
Traditions may vary by region and Panchang convention. Times are shown for the selected place, time zone and calculation profile.
Calculated with engine 1.4.2 · rules rules-2026-09-29-a0a4505e · profile north-lahiri-calibrated v1 · ayanamsa lahiri_drik_compat · astronomy-engine@2.1.19 · Asia/Kolkata
Dates in 2026
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14/04/2026 (Tue) | Exact moment: | — | Standard rule applied |
Dates in 2027
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14/04/2027 (Wed) Next | Exact moment: | — | Standard rule applied |