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The Tamil Calendar is used in Tamil Nadu in India, and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Its use is now largely restricted to cultural and religious events, with the Gregorian calendar having supplanted it for official use both within and outside India. The Tamil months which are now solar siderial are in fact named after the old lunar asterisms of Sanskrit. Most of the names, however are greatly corrupted versions of the originals as evidenced by names such as purADam, Adi (or ADam), aipisi, puRaTTasi etc., which were drawn from the Sanskrit purvAshADa, aashaaDA, ashvini and purva-bhadra-pada respectively.^[1]

There are several festivals based on the Tamil Hindu calendar. The Tamil New Year follows the nirayan vernal equinox and generally falls around April 14 of the Gregorian year. Tropical vernal equinox fall around 22 March, and adding 23 degrees of trepidation or oscillation to it, we get the Hindu sidereal or nirayan Mesha Samkranti (Sun's transition into nirayan Aries). Hence, the Tamil calendar begins with the same date which is observed by most traditional calendars of the rest of India. The 60-year cycle is also very ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China, and is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter according to popular belief, or to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras (stars) as mentioned in Surya Siddhanta.

Contents 1 Week 2 Months 3 Sixty-year cycle 4 Significance 5 Festivals 6 External link 7 References

The days of the Tamil Calendar relate to the celestial bodies in the solar system: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, in that order. The week starts with Sunday.

The following list compiles the days of the week in Tamil Calendar:

No.	Weekday (Tamil)	Weekday (English)	Lord or Planet	Gregorian Calendar equivalent
01.	ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை	Jnyaayitru-kizhamai	Sun	Sunday
02.	திங்கட்கிழமை	Thingat-kizhamai	Moon	Monday
03.	செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை	Sevvaai-kizhamai	Mars	Tuesday
04.	புதன்கிழமை	Puthan-kizhamai	Mercury	Wednesday
05.	வியாழக்கிழமை	Viyaazha-kizhamai	Jupiter	Thursday
06.	வெள்ளிக்கிழமை	Velli-kizhamai	Venus	Friday
07.	சனிக்கிழமை	Sani-kizhamai	Saturn	Saturday

The number of days in a month varies between 29 and 32.

The following list compiles the months of the Tamil Calendar.

No.	Month (Tamil)	Month (English)	Gregorian Calendar equivalent
01.	சித்திரை	Chiththirai	mid-April to mid-May
02.	வைகாசி	Vaikaasi	mid-May to mid-June
03.	ஆனி	Aani	mid-June to mid-July
04.	ஆடி	Aadi	mid-July to mid-August
05.	ஆவணி	Aavani	mid-August to mid-September
06.	புரட்டாசி	Purattaasi	mid-September to mid-October
07.	ஐப்பசி	Aippasi	mid-October to mid-November
08.	கார்த்திகை	Kaarththigai	mid-November to mid-December
09.	மார்கழி	Maarkazhi	mid-December to mid-January
10.	தை	Thai	mid-January to mid-February
11.	மாசி	Maasi	mid-February to mid-March
12.	பங்குனி	Panguni	mid-March to mid-April

The 60-year cycle of the Tamil Calendar is also found in many North Indian traditional calendars, with the same name and sequence of years. Its earliest reference is to be found in Surya Siddhanta, which Varahamihirar (550 CE) believed to be the most accurate of the then current theories of astronomy. However, in the Surya Siddhantic list, the first year was Vijaya and not Prabhava as currently used. This 60-year cycle is also used in the Chinese calendar.

After the completion of sixty years, the calendar starts anew with the first year. This corresponds to the Hindu "century." The Vakya or Tirukannitha Panchangam (the traditional Tamil almanac) outlines this sequence.

The following list presents the current 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar:

No.	Name	Name (English)	Gregorian Year		No.	Name	Name (English)	Gregorian Year
01.	பிரபவ	Prabhava	1987 - 1988		31.	ஹேவிளம்பி	Hevilambi	2017 - 2018
02.	விபவ	Vibhava	1988 - 1989		32.	விளம்பி	Vilambi	2018 - 2019
03.	சுக்ல	Sukla	1989 - 1990		33.	விகாரி	Vikari	2019 - 2020
04.	பிரமோதூத	Pramodhoodha	1990 - 1991		34.	சார்வரி	Sarvari	2020 - 2021
05.	பிரசோற்பத்தி	Prachorpaththi	1991 - 1992		35.	பிலவ	Plava	2021 - 2022
06.	ஆங்கீரச	Aangirasa	1992 - 1993		36.	சுபகிருது	Subakrith	2022 - 2023
07.	ஸ்ரீமுக	Srimukha	1993 - 1994		37.	சோபகிருது	Sobakrith	2023 - 2024
08.	பவ	Bhava	1994 - 1995		38.	குரோதி	Krodhi	2024 - 2025
09.	யுவ	Yuva	1995 - 1996		39.	விசுவாசுவ	Visuvaasuva	2025 - 2026
10.	தாது	Thaadhu	1996 - 1997		40.	பரபாவ	Parabhaava	2026 - 2027
11.	ஈஸ்வர	Eesvara	1997 - 1998		41.	பிலவங்க	Plavanga	2027 - 2028
12.	வெகுதானிய	Vehudhanya	1998 - 1999		42.	கீலக	Keelaka	2028 - 2029
13.	பிரமாதி	Pramathi	1999 - 2000		43.	சௌமிய	Saumya	2029 - 2030
14.	விக்கிரம	Vikrama	2000 - 2001		44.	சாதாரண	Sadharana	2030 - 2031
15.	விஷு	Vishu	2001 - 2002		45.	விரோதகிருது	Virodhikrithu	2031 - 2032
16.	சித்திரபானு	Chitrabaanu	2002 - 2003		46.	பரிதாபி	Paridhaabi	2032 - 2033
17.	சுபானு	Subaanu	2003 - 2004		47.	பிரமாதீச	Pramaadhisa	2033 - 2034
18.	தாரண	Thaarana	2004 - 2005		48.	ஆனந்த	Aanandha	2034 - 2035
19.	பார்த்திப	Paarthiba	2005 - 2006		49.	ராட்சச	Rakshasa	2035 - 2036
20.	விய	Viya	2006 - 2007		50.	நள	Nala	2036 - 2037
21.	சர்வசித்து	Sarvajith	2007 - 2008		51.	பிங்கள	Pingala	2037 - 2038
22.	சர்வதாரி	Sarvadhari	2008 - 2009		52.	காளயுக்தி	Kalayukthi	2038 - 2039
23.	விரோதி	Virodhi	2009 - 2010		53.	சித்தார்த்தி	Siddharthi	2039 - 2040
24.	விக்ருதி	Vikruthi	2010 - 2011		54.	ரௌத்திரி	Raudhri	2040 - 2041
25.	கர	Kara	2011 - 2012		55.	துன்மதி	Thunmathi	2041 - 2042
26.	நந்தன	Nandhana	2012 - 2013		56.	துந்துபி	Dhundubhi	2042 - 2043
27.	விஜய	Vijaya	2013 - 2014		57.	ருத்ரோத்காரி	Rudhrodhgaari	2043 - 2044
28.	ஜய	Jaya	2014 - 2015		58.	ரக்தாட்சி	Raktakshi	2044 - 2045
29.	மன்மத	Manmatha	2015 - 2016		59.	குரோதன	Krodhana	2045 - 2046
30.	துன்முகி	Dhunmuki	2016 - 2017		60.	அட்சய	Akshaya	2046 - 2047

• The Hindus had developed a system of calendrics that encapsulates vast periods of time. For computing the age of the earth and various geological and other epochs, as well as the age of mankind, they still employ a Tamil calendar derived from ancient astronomical data, known as the "Tirukkanida Panchanga" (cf. The Secret Doctrine, 2:49-51).
• This calendar contains a calculation of something over three hundred millions of years for the age of the present earth since sedimentation occurred, and a period of somewhat more than eighteen million years since the first appearance of our mankind.
• The months of the Tamil Calendar gains more significance and are deeply rooted to the faith of the Tamil Hindus. Some months are considered very auspicious while a few are considered inauspicious as well.
• The 10th Tamil month called Thai, falls in the mid-January every year. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm among the Tamil Community all over the world. It is marked by gifting new dresses for the family members and giving prayers to God wishing for prosperity among the people for the coming year. The month of Thai and the fifth month Aavani are considered very auspicious and most marriages usually happen during those months than the other months of the year.
• The fourth month Aadi is considered inauspicious that usually weddings do not happen in the month. Aadi is also the month of preparation for next crop cycle by farmers. Hence, farming communities avoid major events like weddings in this month. On the contrary (or as advantage) the communities that don't actively contribute/participate in farming - take the advantage of having important functions like wedding in this month. For example, the business community prefers this month for wedding. It is usually the worst month for thriving businesses and recently this situation has changed a lot, as the businesses started providing discount shopping during that particular month. Each Friday of this month is set aside for prayer and worship.
• And another important point to note that for the newly married couple is also an inauspicious month to sleep together. The reason being if the girl who is conceived in this month will deliver the baby in the month of May, the hottest month in Tamil Nadu ('Agni natchathiram ' [pinezu] last 7 days of Chitharai and [munezu] first 7 days of Vaigasi ) and it will be tough period for baby delivery.
• The fifth month Aavani is considered auspicious among the Tamil orthodox people, and the special occasion of Aavani Avittam marks the month. Each Sunday of this month is set aside for prayer.
• The sixth month Purattaasi is auspicious to the effect that, most of the non-vegetarian Tamil people do not eat meat during the month. This faith can be considered much similar to the fasting by Muslims during the month of Ramadan. Each Saturday of this month is set apart to venerate the planet saturn.
• The full moon days and the new moon days have considerable importance among the Tamil people. One of the famous festivals, the Deepavali, is celebrated on the new moon day, in the seventh month Aipassi. The month of Aipassi is usually characterised by the North-East Monsoon in Tamil Nadu, which has given birth to a phrase, Aipassi Adai Mazhai meaning the 'Non-stop Downpour'.
• The Festival of Thirukaarthigai is celebrated during the eighth month Kaarthigai. Each Monday of this month is dedicated to the worship of Lord Murugan. The ninth month Maargazhi is characterised by the winter in Tamil Nadu, and considered auspicious for maiden women to find their groom. The Shaivite fast of Tiru-vembaavai and the Vaishnava fast of Tiru-paavai are observed in this month.
• The tenth month Thai is the month of Harvest in Tamil Nadu. The festival of Pongal or Makara Sankranti is celebrated to mark the harvest in the first day of that month.
• The total number of days in a Tamil Calendar is an average 365 days and day's name are also similar to the western calendar. In temples and for day to day purpose 'Vakiya Panchangam' is used and for Astrological calculations 'Trikanitha Panchangam' is used.

The Tamil Calendar gains so much significance in the life of the Tamil-speaking people that most of the Festivals of Tamil Nadu are based on it. Some of Festivals include Tamil New Year, Thai Pongal, Deepavali, Panguni Uthiram, Thirukaarthigai, Aadiperukku, Navaratri etc.

• Tamil-Calendar.com