Festival city guide
Puthandu is the Tamil solar new year — the first day of Cittirai, when the Sun enters Meṣa. A tray of fruits, flowers, and coins (kaṇi) is arranged to be seen at dawn for an auspicious start.
Puthandu (புத்தாண்டு) timings below are computed for Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (13.08°, 80.27°, Asia/Kolkata) using Swiss Ephemeris (Lahiri). Civil dates follow local sunrise, so another city may observe a different calendar day.
Date for 2026 loads when the ephemeris service is available.
Open the daily muhūrta board for this place once the date is known.
Rāhu Kālam, Yamagaṇḍam, and Guḷikai will appear once day timings load.
Worship, vrata, or celebration per regional temple and family ācāra.
Puthandu — Tamil solar new year at Meṣa Saṅkrānti.
Pan-regional listing across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali calendars in Drikganitha.
Civil day from regional lunar or solar rules at local sunrise.
On the Panchang the civil date follows civil day of solar ingress into Meṣa (local time). Because tithi and nakṣatra boundaries are reckoned from local sunrise, the same observance can fall a day earlier or later in another city.
Puthandu — Tamil solar new year at Meṣa Saṅkrānti.
Worship, vrata, or celebration per regional temple and family ācāra.
Dates below for 2026 are computed from sunrise at your selected place. The same vrata can fall on an adjacent civil day in another city.
What is the exact date of Puthandu 2026 in Chennai?
Puthandu 2026 date for Chennai is computed from local sunrise on Drikganitha.
Why are Rāhu Kālam, Yamagaṇḍam, and Guḷikai avoided?
In classical muhūrta practice these segments are treated as inauspicious for starting sacred rites or ceremonial cooking. Favourable Guru, Sūrya, Śukra, or Chandra horas that do not overlap them are preferred.
What is Puthandu?
Puthandu is the Tamil solar new year — the first day of Cittirai, when the Sun enters Meṣa. A tray of fruits, flowers, and coins (kaṇi) is arranged to be seen at dawn for an auspicious start.
When is Puthandu in 2026?
On the Panchang the civil date follows civil day of solar ingress into Meṣa (local time). Because tithi and nakṣatra boundaries are reckoned from local sunrise, the same observance can fall a day earlier or later in another city.
How is Puthandu observed?
Worship, vrata, or celebration per regional temple and family ācāra.
Who observes Puthandu?
Pan-regional listing across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali calendars in Drikganitha.