What are some major Tamil festivals?

Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, is rich in culture and tradition, and it celebrates a wide array of festivals throughout the year. These festivals are often colorful, religious, and marked by traditional rituals. Here are some major Tamil festivals:

1. Pongal (பொங்கல்): Pongal is the most popular and widely celebrated Tamil festival. It marks the harvest season and is a four-day festival. The main event, also called Pongal, involves cooking a special dish made of newly harvested rice and offering it to the Sun God. It's a time of thanksgiving and family gatherings.

2. Diwali (தீபாவளி): Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Tamil Nadu. People decorate their homes with oil lamps and colorful rangoli designs. Fireworks, sweets, and special prayers are part of the festivities.

3. Navaratri and Dussehra (நவராத்திரி, விஜயதசமி): Navaratri, a nine-night festival, is dedicated to the worship of the goddess Durga. It culminates with Dussehra, the celebration of the victory of good over evil. In Tamil Nadu, this festival is known for the display of beautifully arranged "kolu" dolls, special music and dance performances, and the exchange of gifts.

4. Karadaiyan Nombu (கரடையான் நோம்பு): Karadaiyan Nombu is a special festival observed by married women to pray for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. Women fast until the sighting of the moon, and then they perform special rituals.

5. Tamil New Year (தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு): Tamil New Year, also known as "Puthandu," marks the beginning of the Tamil calendar year. It is celebrated with the preparation of a special dish called "Mango Pachadi" and the reading of auspicious literature.

6. Vinayaka Chaturthi (விநாயக சதுர்த்தி): This festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom and prosperity. People create clay idols of Lord Ganesha, offer prayers, and immerse the idols in water bodies.

7. Karthigai Deepam (கார்த்திகை தீபம்): Karthigai Deepam is a festival of lights, similar to Diwali, but it is specific to Tamil Nadu. It involves lighting rows of oil lamps (deepams) and making bonfires on hilltops.

8. Thaipusam (தைபூசம்): Thaipusam is a significant festival for Tamil Hindus dedicated to Lord Murugan. Devotees pierce their bodies with sharp objects as an act of penance and devotion. Processions and rituals take place at Murugan temples.

9. Adiperukku (ஆடிபெருக்கு): Adiperukku is a festival that celebrates the onset of the monsoon season and the rising water levels in rivers. People offer prayers to the rivers and partake in festive meals.

10. Maha Shivaratri (மகா சிவராத்ரி): Maha Shivaratri is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is celebrated with fasting, night-long vigils, and temple visits.

These are just a few of the major Tamil festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu. Each festival is unique and offers a glimpse into the cultural, religious, and spiritual traditions of the region.