PUTHANDU VAZTHUKAL - HAPPY TAMIL NEW YEAR TO ALL

According to Tamil scholars April 14 is the first day of the Tamil New Year or Puthandu and Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Reunion, Mauritius, Canada, South Africa and other parts of the world greet each other by saying: "Puthandu Vazthukal" or Happy New Year.
In Tamil Nadu, the people, on the eve of April 14, follow a custom of arranging a tray with three fruits - mango, banana and jack fruit - and betel leaves and areca nuts, jewellery, money, flowers and a mirror to be placed inside their homes.  They do this so that they can view the tray on the morning of April 14 or the Tamil New Year.




                                                                   

The people mark the day with a feast and entrances to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams.
The celebration of the Tamil New Year is an event that started more than 30 000 years ago and is as old as the Tamil language, which is regarded as the oldest living language (classical)  in the world.
Tamil scholars say the Tamil New Year is the day "when our body and soul is filled with happiness and hope for a better future".
The better future is "happiness, prosperity, peace and love."




                                                             

TAMILS OF SRI LANKA - DON'T FORGET THEIR PLIGHT ON THIS DAY

Leaders and activists in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, and the diaspora have called on the people to remember the suffering of the Tamils of Sri Lanka at this time when the Tamil New Year is being observed.
During the last days of the civil war in 2009, between 70 000 to 100 000 Tamils were slaughtered by Sri Lankan soldiers and Tamils are still faced with land invasions, arrests, rapes and all types of human rights violstions in the North and East of the island country.
Human rights violations of the Tamils have become an every day affair and this state of affairs led to the United Nations Human Rights Council resolving in Geneva in 2013 to launch a independent investigation into the human rights abuses.
So when we observe Puthaandu, let us all spare a thought for the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka.