Change of "Tamil New Year" Day

Bill tabled to change Tamil New Year Day

Chennai: A bill to declare the first day of Tamil month "Thai" as Tamil New Year Day was introduced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Amid thumping of desks by DMK members, Karunanidhi moved 'The Tamil Nadu Tamil New Year (Declaration) Bill, 2008,' which he hailed as "historically significant".

Governor S S Barnala, in his customary address to the House on January 23, announced that the first of 'Thai' would be celebrated as Tamil New Year Day in view of consensus amongst all Tamil scholars. The Tamil New Year was hitherto celebrated on the first day of Tamil month 'Chithirai' falling in mid-April.