SSC
The Tamil New Year, celebrated on 14 April (the first day of the month of Chithirai), is called:
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Answer: Option B — Puthandu
Detailed Solution
Puthandu (also called "Varusha Pirappu" or Tamil New Year) is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month of Chithirai, which usually falls on 14 April (sometimes 13 or 15 April).
About Puthandu:
It marks the beginning of the Tamil solar year, when the Sun enters the sign of Aries (Mesha). This day is called "Mesha Sankranti".
People clean and decorate their homes with "kolam" (rice-flour designs) at the entrance.
They prepare a "kanni" display of fruits, flowers, gold, money and a mirror, which they view first in the morning for good luck.
A special dish called "mango pachadi" is prepared, combining sweet, sour, bitter and other tastes. It symbolises the different experiences of life.
People visit temples, wear new clothes and greet one another with "Puthandu Vazhthukkal" ("Happy New Year").
The traditional Tamil "panchangam" (almanac) for the new year is read.
On 14 April, Ambedkar Jayanti is also observed nationally.
Other new year festivals around 14 April (Mesha Sankranti):
- Vishu: Kerala (Malayalam New Year in many traditions), with "Vishukkani" and "Vishukkaineetam" (gifts of money).
- Baisakhi (Vaisakhi): Punjab; also the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
- Bohag (Rongali) Bihu: Assam.
- Pohela Boishakh (Naba Barsha): Bengali New Year.
- Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba Sankranti): Odisha.
- Juir Sheetal: Mithila region of Bihar.
New year festivals on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (lunar new year, March-April):
- Ugadi: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
- Gudi Padwa: Maharashtra.
- Cheti Chand: Sindhi community.
- Navreh: Kashmiri Pandits.
Other Tamil festivals:
- Pongal: the harvest festival in mid-January (Thai month), over four days: Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal.
- Karthigai Deepam: festival of lights.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Pongal is the harvest festival in January.
- ✗Vishu is the Kerala new year festival.
- ✗Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala.
Quick tip
Remember: Puthandu = Tamil New Year (1 Chithirai, about 14 April); Vishu = Kerala; Bohag Bihu = Assam; Pohela Boishakh = Bengal; Baisakhi = Punjab; Ugadi and Gudi Padwa = Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.