In my school days, classmates used to wish me Happy New Year during Deepavali. However, that assumption is very wrong. For Tamils across the world, the Tamil New Year falls on April 13th or 14th every year, known as Varusham Pirapu (Birth of the New Year), an auspicious celebration.

As in any celebration, there is an abundance of food like laddu, candy and palkova. Tasting the candies while still in the wok is a habit, but mum says it has to be served to the Lord first. The traditional dish mangga pachadi will also be prepared. This sweet, sour and bitter dish made of raw mangoes, cane sugar and neem flowers signifies the different aspects of life.

The New Year is ushered with spring cleaning, sometimes painting the house and putting up new curtains to enhance the festive spirit. Exhaustion normally kicks in after all that but it’s worth it! And for some, new clothes are a must, although, sometimes, they are purchased at the last minute!

On the day itself, we get up early and adorn the entrance of the house with colourful kolam patterns. A kolam is made of rice, dried coconut or semolina flour. The centre of the kolam is decorated with a traditional lamp because it is believed that it would dispel darkness. It takes more than an hour to complete a kolam, depending on the intricacy of the design. Once it is done, the gorgeous design brightens up the house.

Up next is the offerings of sweet food, fruits, flowers, new clothes and jewels to the Lord, followed by a prayer. After prayers, it’s off to the temple for blessings. If the auspicious day falls on a workday, visiting the temple would be done at night. I recall my friends and I comparing our new clothes when we met in the temple. Looking back now, it seemed so trivial.

Later, family members will sit down to enjoy the sweet rice and other sweet treats in celebration of the day. Mum will also prepare vegetarian dishes to offer the Lord. But for some lucky people like me, mum will give out cash just to add an exciting touch to my Tamil New Year celebrations.

Click here to view the preparation of  Tamil New Year!