The Tamil New Year, which falls on the first day of the month of Chithirai in the Tamil calendar, was celebrated across the Tamil homeland on Wednesday, April 14.
With some referring to the April festival as an exclusively Hindu and sanskritised holiday, there is debate among Tamil communities as to whether the day truly represents a Tamil New Year.
Although socially and politically, a lot more prominence is given to the secular Tamil festival of Thaipongal, Chithirai Puthandu is still widely celebrated by Tamils in the North-East and globally.
Jaffna
Special worshipping took place in the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna where devotees offered prayers to the Tamil god Lord Murugan.
Mannar
Worshipping began at 7:45 AM in Mannar where prayers were offered to Lord Sivan at the historical Thiruketheeswaram temple.
