PrepMaticTamil Nadu GK · Culture, people & symbols
Festivals of Tamil Nadu: names, months and places
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Pongal, the four-day harvest festival of the Tamil month Thai (mid-January), is the biggest festival of Tamil Nadu. Others that exams ask about are Puthandu (Tamil New Year), Chithirai Thiruvizha at Madurai, Aadi Perukku, Karthigai Deepam at Thiruvannamalai, Thaipusam and the Mahamaham of Kumbakonam, which comes once in 12 years. Many festivals follow the Tamil calendar, so the table gives the month with the place.
Festival table
| Festival | Tamil month (approx. Gregorian) | Place and significance |
|---|---|---|
| Pongal (Thai Pongal) | Thai (mid-January) | Harvest festival, four days: Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal |
| Jallikattu | During Pongal season | Bull-taming sport; Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniyapuram near Madurai are best known |
| Thaipusam | Thai (January to February) | Murugan festival; Palani and Thiruchendur see the largest crowds |
| Maasi Magam | Maasi (February to March) | Sacred bath at temple tanks and the sea; Kumbakonam's Mahamaham falls in this month every 12 years |
| Panguni Uthiram | Panguni (March to April) | Wedding festival of deities, held at many Murugan and Shiva temples |
| Puthandu (Tamil New Year) | Chithirai 1 (14 April) | New Year; fruit and flower offerings |
| Chithirai Thiruvizha | Chithirai (April to May) | Madurai; the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, and Lord Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai |
| Aadi Perukku | Aadi 18 (around early August) | Honours rivers, especially the Kaveri, at the start of the farming season |
| Navarathri (Golu) | Purattasi (September to October) | Display of dolls in households, with nine nights of Devi worship |
| Deepavali | Aippasi (October to November) | Festival of lights |
| Karthigai Deepam | Karthigai (November to December) | The Maha Deepam is lit on the hill at Thiruvannamalai |
| Arudra Darshan (Thiruvathirai) | Margazhi (December to January) | Celebrates Nataraja's dance; special festival at Chidambaram |
| Vaikunta Ekadasi | Margazhi (December to January) | Opening of the "paramapada vasal" at Srirangam and other Vishnu temples |
The Tamil months
The twelve Tamil months in order are Chithirai, Vaikasi, Aani, Aadi, Aavani, Purattasi, Aippasi, Karthigai, Margazhi, Thai, Maasi and Panguni. A month begins when the Sun enters a new zodiac sign, so each month starts around the 14th or 15th of a Gregorian month. Chithirai marks the new year and Thai the start of the Sun's northward path (Uttarayanam).
Notes on the most-asked items
- Pongal. The name comes from the Tamil word for "to boil over". The first day is Bhogi (discarding old things), the second is the main Thai Pongal for the Sun, the third is Mattu Pongal for cattle and the fourth is Kaanum Pongal. It is called Makara Sankranti in other parts of India.
- Jallikattu. The Supreme Court upheld the Tamil Nadu law allowing the sport in May 2023, in a Constitution Bench ruling.
- Chithirai Thiruvizha. A month-long festival in Madurai. The celestial wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar and the arrival of Kallazhagar at the Vaigai are the two peaks.
- Mahamaham. Held every 12 years at the Mahamaham tank in Kumbakonam. The last was in 2016, so the next falls in 2028.
- Karthigai Deepam. The lamp on the Annamalai hill at Thiruvannamalai is lit at dusk on the full-moon day of Karthigai.
- Margazhi. The month of the music season in Chennai (Madras Music Season), and of Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai recitals. See Carnatic music and Tamil Isai.
Festivals of other faiths
Tamil Nadu's pilgrimage culture includes the Basilica of Our Lady of Health at Velankanni in Nagapattinam, whose annual feast ends on 8 September, and the Nagore Dargah, also in Nagapattinam district. The Santhome Church in Chennai is another heritage site. The Muslim festivals of Ramzan and Bakrid are public holidays in the state, as are Christmas and Good Friday.
Frequently asked questions
Which festival is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu?
Pongal, celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai, around 14 or 15 January.
Where is the Karthigai Deepam celebrated?
The Maha Deepam is lit on the Annamalai hill at Thiruvannamalai, on the full-moon day of Karthigai.
How often is the Mahamaham held?
Once every 12 years at Kumbakonam. The last one was in 2016.
What is Aadi Perukku?
A festival on the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi in which people thank rivers, especially the Kaveri, for water.
Are festivals asked in TNPSC exams?
Yes, usually in culture and heritage questions. The TNPSC Tamil Nadu history and culture guide shows where the topic fits, and the temple festivals above go with important temples of Tamil Nadu.
Official sources
- Tamil Nadu Tourism: festival calendar and temple festivals.
- Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department: temple festival notices.
- Tamil Nadu Government holiday list: public holidays notified for the year.
Festival dates follow the lunar and solar calendars, so check the notified holiday list for the year.
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