Tamil New Year:

Puthandu, or better known as Tamil New Year, is the celebration of the first day of the Tamil New Year traditionally in mid-April by people of Tamil origin in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in India, and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
The Tamil New Year follows the Nirayanam vernal equinox and generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian year. April 14th marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar. The 60-year cycle of the Tamil Calendar is also found in many North and South Indian traditional calendars, with the same name and sequence of years. Its earliest reference is to be found in Surya Siddhanta, which Varahamihirar (550 CE) believed to be the most accurate of the then current theories of astronomy. This 60-year cycle is also used in the Chinese calendar. April 2009 to April 2010 is called as Virodhi Year.
Every year in the month of Chitterai (the first month of the Tamil solar calendar), in the temple city of Madurai, the Chitterai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is also held, called Chitterai Porutkaatchi. In some parts of Southern Tamil Nadu, it is also called Chitterai Vishu. The day is marked with a feast in Tamil homes and entrances to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams.
On the day of Tamil New Year, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and many other places.