Clear confusion over Tamil New Year date: PMK

“In the Government Order (GO) released by the state on November 2, it has been officially announced that April 14 will be celebrated as Tamil New Year. But, the Pongal gift bag it has been mentioned that Tamil New Year will be celebrated on Pongal day. Confusion prevails whether January 14 or April 14 will be celebrated as the Tamil New Year. The state should come out with a clarification on the issue,” Ramadoss said in a statement.

Naam Tamilar Katchi chief Seeman was the first person to raise the issue as he said that DMK when it was in the Opposition, had been strongly advocating to celebrate Tamil New Year on the day of Pongal, but after coming to power it has not adopted its own policy. Ramadoss too said that PMK too was of the stand that Tamil New Year should be celebrated on the day of Pongal.

“There are thousands of literary evidences right from Sangam age that the Tamil New Year was celebrated on January 14. Similarly, Tamil scholars like Maraimalai Adigalar and Periyar announced that Tamil New Year should be celebrated on the first day of Tamil month of Thai,” said Ramadoss, who also urged the state government to issue an ordinance declaring Pongal day as Tamil New Year as only 45 days was left for the traditional Tamil festival.