Significance of the Tamil New Year

[srivatsan]

When I lived in Thailand, I was amazed by how similar their calender was to ours. Here're the names of their months (more or less, I may have made some small mistakes):

Makara khom
Kumpha yon
Meena khom
Mesa yon
Phuthsapha khom
Mithuna yon
Karakada khom
Singhaa khom
Kanyaa yon
Tulaa khom
Phruthsadyika yon
Thanwa khom

The months are now synchronised to the western calender (so Makara khom is identical to January). However, their traditional New Year's day - "songkran" - usually falls on approximately the same day as the Tamil varudapirappu.

Thailand, I think still follows Sanaathana Dharma