The Tamil community celebrate their new year on the fifth day after the full moon; this year is Year 5107 of the Tamil calendar and it was celebrated on Thursday 14th April. On this special day, Tamils fast and dress in new clothes. They also visit one of the 125 temples (or kovil as they call it) not only to offer prayers of gratitude for the past year but also to ask their gods for happiness, health and prosperity for the coming year. Then the reading of the Pangungum ? the Tamil horoscope ? takes place. The prognosis for this year is rather positive though natural calamities could occur.

Then family and friends get together for their special and purely vegetarian meal and even share gifts. Here, cakes are prepared in three flavours: salted, for example, the traditional gateau piment (chilli cake); sweet, for example, the pongal made basically of rice, milk and sugar; and sweet and sour. These represent the different aspects of daily life, which they offer to their gods, Ganesh and Muruga.

Another important part of their day is the preparation and sharing of the ?pacchadi?, a blend of six flavours and mainly made from the flowers or leaves of the Persian lilac.

To end the festivity, many believers get together or conclude the celebrations by attending a cultural show. This year, a ?Ponmalal? (Golden Evening) was organised at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Phoenix on Thursday night under the patronage of the Ministry of Arts and Culture, the Tamil Cultural Centre and the Indian High Commissioner.

<B>Nathalie Alphonse</B>