Prosperity, health, sumptuous food - Tamil's usher in new year today
Different types of offering to the divine. Bernama pic
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Oil lamps are also lit to ward off darkness from one's life.
A tray filled with mangoes, bananas, jackfruit and other seasonal vegetables along with rice, betel leaves, areca, nuts and money are offered to the divine.
The new year is called Puthandu, a day that signifies the birth of a new year, it falls on the first day of the month of Chithirai, as per the Tamil solar calendar.
The preparations usually start a day before by spring cleaning their homes and getting rid of old and unwanted items, symbolising clearing one's mind.
Gold, silver jewelry, coins, flowers and a mirror are also placed in the prayer room for prosperity.
Fruits in the tray symbolise health, rice represents nourishment, money for wealth and prosperity while jewellery represents beauty and adornment.
The betel leaves are given to the elders in the house to express gratitude for their blessings while the mirror is to reflect all good things in life.
On this day, Tamils enjoy sumptuous home-cooked food ranging from sweet, bitter, tangy, sour and spicy items fills the banana leaf. It symbolises flavours of life.
If you do want to wish your Hindu friends, try saying 'Chithirai Puthandu Nalvazhthukal' which means Happy Tamil New Year.
