Tamil New Year , Neem flowers and Mangoes all go hand in hand . The season changes and the festival is celeberated by using mangoes and neem in many forms .

Tamil New Year also called Puthandu heralds the beginning of the Dravidian New Year in Tamil Nadu . Also called as Varusha Pirappu in Tamil meaning the birth of a new year .It begins with  the arrival of yet another year of peace prosperity, and thanksgiving to the Gods for a good year .The festival is celeberated on the first day of Chitirai which is the Tamil month .

Tamil New Year, also known as "Puthandu," is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy among Tamil-speaking people worldwide. It marks the first day of the Tamil calendar year and usually falls on April 14th. This day is filled with rich traditions, cultural festivities, and a sense of new beginnings.

Families begin the day with a ritual known as "Kanni," where they view auspicious items such as gold, fruits, vegetables, rice, and silver articles first thing in the morning, believing it will bring good fortune throughout the year. Homes are cleaned and decorated, often with kolams (intricate designs made on the ground using rice flour or white rock powder) at the entrance to invite good luck and prosperity.

Special prayers are offered in temples, and people wear new clothes to symbolize a fresh start. A significant aspect of the celebration is the preparation and enjoyment of a festive meal, which includes a variety of traditional dishes. One of the highlights is the "Mango Pachadi," a dish made from sweet, sour, and bitter ingredients, symbolizing the different aspects of life.

Exchanging greetings and wishes with family, friends, and neighbors is a key part of the Tamil New Year celebrations. Cultural programs, including music and dance performances, are also organized to mark this special occasion.

Puthandu is not just a time for festivity but also a moment for reflection, setting new goals, and embracing the future with hope and enthusiasm. It’s a beautiful testament to the rich cultural heritage and the vibrant traditions of the Tamil community.

Based on the solar cycle, the Tamil calendar has a sixty years cycle, with each year comprising twelve months. The Tamil New Year is celebrated after the vernal equinox and it generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian Year.

As like any festival Tamil New year also means a variety of dishes cooked and enjoyed ,  most predominant among them the use of neem flowers and mangoes . Mango is used in making kheer, pachadi, puliseri, payasam and any no of ways but the basic dish is Manga pachadi that one prepares without fail .

Neem , Mangoes and Tamil new year are inseparable .Most importantly the simplest dish is the Neem flower rasam ,or the vepampoo rasam in Tamil which is nothing but a delicious blend of rasam powder, spices, tamrind and a tbsp of toasted neem flowers used in tempering .Neem flowers are also used in tempering the manga pachadi .

There are so many interesting facts about this festival.Besides heralding the arrival of a New Year ,it also symbolizes the presence of the arusuvai tastes as it is called in Tamil meaning six tastes .

Life is made of many tastes like sweet,sour,bitter,salt tangy and hot spicy.

Similarly the festival dishes bear the similar tastes.Manga pachadi or the green mango relish made from raw mangoes is mandatory in the Tamil New Year cuisine. The Neem flowers are added in all dishes to indicate that the bitter side of life is a part of our existence but can be sweetened by the sweetness of the mangoes and other sweet preparations.

Ingredients :

• 2 firm green raw mangoes,2 tsp neem flowers

• 1 tsp mustard seeds.1 tsp of oil for seasoning.

• 1 tsp chilli powder

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• pinch of salt

• pinch of asafoetida/hing

• 2 red chillies for tempering

• 3/4 cup powdered jaggery. quantity depends on how sweet you want the relish to taste and also the taste of the mangoes.

Method:

Peel the mangoes and grate them or chop them into thin slices in no particular shape.

Cook the mango slice in little water with turmeric powder and salt.

Meanwhile dissolve the jaggery and filter the syrup of impurities. When the mangoes are getting soft ,add the jaggery and chilli powder and Asafoetida./hing.

When the mango relish starts thickening you can temper the pachadi by spluttering mustard seeds,2 red chillies and little neem flowers and pour the seasoning over the pachadi.

Enjoy!