It is April 14th as per the Gregorian calendar and the start of the month of Chhitrai in the Tamil one. The earliest recorded significance of this date is probably in the Tolkappiam - a treatise on Tamil grammar written somewhere between 5000 BC and 1st Century AD and which breaks the year into 12 zodiac cycles; commencing the year from the month of Chitrai; usually falling between 13 and 15 April as per the Gregorian calendar.
There is a school of thought that tends to equate the British or Muslim rule with the concept of India as a united nation. Nothing can be further than the truth and one of the easy points to contradict this patently false and pernicious theory is the concept of New Year based on the solar calendar and which falls either in 13th or 14th of April every year; not just in India but in ancient India-centric countries like Thailand (Songkarn), Laos (Pi mai), Burma (Thingyan), Sri Lanka (Aluth Avurudda), Cambodia (Choul Chnam Thmey) Nepal (Jur Sital) and Pinyin (Yunnan, China). In India, or more accurately Bharatavarsha (the name for ancient India), it is celebrated with different names right from the extreme north east of present day India as Sangken in Arunachal Pradesh to Vishu in South west Indian Kerala.
Like everything else in Hinduism (or Buddhism as a derivative of Hinduism in a common, broad Indic philosophy), this day is celebrated with fun, festivities, food, family and reflection. As befitting a peace-loving culture and a deeply held belief in the concept of ‘Dharmakshtra’ - doing the right thing at all times in life - I hope we all continue to do the right things and hope we continue to see the good around us, reflect and find wisdom and contentment within, stay safe and remain inclusive of other faiths and opinions. As one of the key universal Hindu prayers proclaims:
Sarvesham Svasti Bhavatu
Sarvesham Santir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu
May auspiciousness be unto all;
May peace be unto all;
May fullness be unto all;
May prosperity be unto all.
Best wishes
to everyone - whether you are celebrating Puthandu (in Tamil Nadu as my mum!) or Vishu (in Kerala as my dad!) or Poila Boishak (in Bengal - my place of birth!) or whether it is just another day for many of us!
