Tamil New Year Jaya Arrives[/b]
The Tamil New Year in 2014 will be called Jaya, the 28th year in the 60-year Tamil calendar.
Though January 1 is the New Year for official purposes, most Tamils follow the Tamil calendar and celebrate April 14 as New Year. Some hardcore Dravidians, however, consider Pongal as the New Year. Each Tamil New Year is named from a calendar of 60 names which starts with Prabhava (which means first in Sanskrit). The names repeat after every 60 years. Thus the outgoing year is Vijaya and the next Tamil year will be called Manmatha. In 1954, the Tamil New Year was called Jaya; those born that year will be celebrating their 60th birthday this year. Temples and mutts across the state have lined up several religious programmes to mark the occasion. Special pujas and discourses have been planned at temples from Monday morning. At the mutts, senior pandits will read the new almanac and predict the good and bad that the coming year has in store for people. At Kapaleeswarar temple, devotees would bring milk in 1,008 pots. The same way, pujas have been arranged at other big temples like Vadapalani Murugan temple and Triplicane Parthasarathy temple.
At the branches of Kanchi and Sringeri Sankara mutts, scholars would read the panchangam (almanac) in the evening in the presence of devotees. A pandit will read the advantages and disadvantages for each rasi in the zodiac and close the programme with the distribution of buttermilk and jaggery water. Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah led the state political leaders in extending greetings for Tamil New Year, being celebrated Monday. The Governor also wished people on the occasion of Vaisaki, Bisaki and Vishu. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wished prosperity and happiness in all homes. She wished the New Year ushered in new thoughts, new efforts and asked one and all to take a vow to work for the development of Tamil Nadu. DMDK founder and Opposition Leader Vijayakant, Union Shipping Minister GK Vasan and TNCC president BS Gnanadesikan also extended their greetings.

The Tamil New Year in 2014 will be called Jaya, the 28th year in the 60-year Tamil calendar.
Though January 1 is the New Year for official purposes, most Tamils follow the Tamil calendar and celebrate April 14 as New Year. Some hardcore Dravidians, however, consider Pongal as the New Year. Each Tamil New Year is named from a calendar of 60 names which starts with Prabhava (which means first in Sanskrit). The names repeat after every 60 years. Thus the outgoing year is Vijaya and the next Tamil year will be called Manmatha. In 1954, the Tamil New Year was called Jaya; those born that year will be celebrating their 60th birthday this year. Temples and mutts across the state have lined up several religious programmes to mark the occasion. Special pujas and discourses have been planned at temples from Monday morning. At the mutts, senior pandits will read the new almanac and predict the good and bad that the coming year has in store for people. At Kapaleeswarar temple, devotees would bring milk in 1,008 pots. The same way, pujas have been arranged at other big temples like Vadapalani Murugan temple and Triplicane Parthasarathy temple.
At the branches of Kanchi and Sringeri Sankara mutts, scholars would read the panchangam (almanac) in the evening in the presence of devotees. A pandit will read the advantages and disadvantages for each rasi in the zodiac and close the programme with the distribution of buttermilk and jaggery water. Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah led the state political leaders in extending greetings for Tamil New Year, being celebrated Monday. The Governor also wished people on the occasion of Vaisaki, Bisaki and Vishu. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wished prosperity and happiness in all homes. She wished the New Year ushered in new thoughts, new efforts and asked one and all to take a vow to work for the development of Tamil Nadu. DMDK founder and Opposition Leader Vijayakant, Union Shipping Minister GK Vasan and TNCC president BS Gnanadesikan also extended their greetings.