Tamil New Year, or Puthandu, is the first day of the Tamil month of Chithirai, and in 2026 the state holiday fell on Tuesday, 14 April. That date is fixed in law in a roundabout way. In 2008 Tamil Nadu passed an Act moving the New Year to the first day of Thai in January, and in 2011 it repealed that Act, which brought back the Chithirai date. Both laws are on the statute record, and the holiday list still reflects the outcome.
Here is what happened, what the current holiday notification says, and what Chennai residents should know when planning for April 2027.
The 2008 switch to Thai
The Tamil Nadu Tamil New Year (Declaration) Act, 2008, Tamil Nadu Act 2 of 2008, declared the first day of Thai as Tamil New Year day. Thai 1 is also the day of Pongal in mid-January. The law was passed by the DMK government of the time, as Deccan Herald reported when it was later scrapped. For three years, the state’s official New Year coincided with the harvest festival.
The 2011 repeal and the government’s reasons
After the 2011 Assembly election, the new AIADMK government introduced L.A. Bill No. 15 of 2011 on 23 August 2011, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 276. Its Statement of Objects and Reasons said:
- the public, scholars of archaeology, astronomy experts and others had said the 2008 Act went against the custom of celebrating the New Year on the first day of Chithirai;
- the Act had caused practical difficulties and opposition among the public; and
- the government had decided to restore the traditional Chithirai date by repealing it.
The Bill was signed for the government by S. P. Shanmuganathan, then Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments. It became the Tamil Nadu Tamil New Year (Declaration) Repeal Act, 2011, Act 14 of 2011, dated 3 September 2011. It has two sections: a short title saying it comes into force at once, and a repeal of the 2008 Act.
The question of which day is the “real” New Year remains a matter of opinion among scholars and political parties, and this article takes no side. What matters for daily life is that the state holiday has followed Chithirai 1 since 2011.
What the 2026 holiday order says
The 2026 list was issued as G.O. Ms. No. 708, Public (Miscellaneous) Department, dated 11 November 2025, for state government offices and for commercial and co-operative banks under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, as the gazette notification shows. The Tamil-calendar dates on it were:
| Holiday | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| Pongal (Thai 1) | Thursday, 15 January |
| Thiruvalluvar Day | Friday, 16 January |
| Uzhavar Thirunal | Saturday, 17 January |
| Tamil New Year’s Day / Dr B. R. Ambedkar’s Birthday | Tuesday, 14 April |
Note the shared entry: Tamil New Year and Ambedkar Jayanthi fall on the same date, so they appear as one holiday. If the two ever fall on different days, the holiday list will show that.
Planning for April 2027
The holiday list for 2027 had not appeared on the gazette site when we checked. The 2026 list came out on 11 November 2025, so the 2027 notification is likely to follow a similar timetable, but treat any 2027 date you see before then as unofficial. Because Chithirai 1 follows the sun, it usually lands on 14 April, occasionally a day either side. Almanacs published in Chennai give the exact day well in advance, but the government notification is what decides whether offices and banks close.
Some points to keep in mind:
- Banks in Tamil Nadu follow the same state list for this holiday, since it is notified under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
- Central government offices in Chennai follow their own holiday list, so check with them separately.
- Schools follow the School Education Department’s calendar, which usually matches the state list.
- If the date falls on a Sunday, no substitute holiday is guaranteed. The 2026 list, for example, included Thai Poosam on a Sunday.
How Chennai marks the day
Puthandu is mostly a family and temple occasion rather than a public spectacle. Homes are cleaned and decorated with kolam at the doorstep, families visit temples, and many households read the new year’s panchangam. Television channels run special programmes, and Tamil newspapers carry yearly forecasts. Temples in Mylapore, Triplicane and Vadapalani expect larger crowds than on an ordinary weekday, so allow extra time if you are travelling by road or metro that morning.
The day also opens the Tamil year’s new name in the 60-year cycle, which appears from then on in almanacs and on government gazettes beside the Gregorian date.
Quick answers
When is Tamil New Year?
On the first day of Chithirai. In 2026 the state holiday was on Tuesday, 14 April.
Was Tamil New Year ever in January?
Yes. A 2008 Act made Thai 1 the New Year; a 2011 Act repealed it.
Is the 2027 holiday list out?
Not when we checked. Last year’s list was notified on 11 November.
Why does the 2026 list combine two holidays?
Tamil New Year and Ambedkar’s birthday both fell on 14 April 2026.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Tamil Nadu Tamil New Year (Declaration) Repeal Act, 2011 (India Code)
- L.A. Bill No. 15 of 2011 with Statement of Objects and Reasons, Gazette No. 276 (Stationery and Printing Department)
- Public holidays for 2026, G.O. Ms. No. 708, Gazette No. 721 (Stationery and Printing Department)
- DMK’s Tamil year law scrapped (Deccan Herald)
