AS the clock strikes 7.25pm tomorrow, Tamils throughout Malaysia can greet each other with Puthandu Vazthukal which means "Happy New Year".

Vaisakhi celebrations begin with the continuous reading of the holy book — Sri Guru Granth Sahiv — for three days at Gurdwaras.

The time marks the beginning of the New Year, popularly known as Varusha Pirappu among the Tamils.

One of the biggest celebrations after Deepavali, the Tamil New Year usually starts on the first day in the month of Chitrai (mid-April).

According to puranas (post-Vedic texts), there are four Yugas or Ages in each cycle beginning with the Kreta Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga and the Kali Yuga.

The Kali Yuga consists of 432,000 years and tomorrow, the 5,109th year of the present Kali Yuga begins.
According to high priest and Hindu Sangam religious adviser Siva Sri Muthukumara AP Sivachariyar, the Panjaangam or the Hindu almanac states that the new year would be a prosperous one for all.

This year -- known as Sarvadhari -- will see bountiful rain and higher crop yield in the world.

"The year also spells good tidings for children. There are also indications of some changes in ruling power in the political situation worldwide.

"A new generation is speculated to lead the change."

Muthukumara also said the auspicious colours and gems for the year are red and white, along with ruby and pearls.

Every year, Tamils will celebrate the New Year by following a specific tradition. Traditionally, the womenfolk adorn the entrance of their house with colourful "kolam" designs.

Some homes decorate lamps called kuthuvillakku in a belief that it would dispel darkness.

According to Muthukumara, it is also good to look into a mirror first thing in the morning, followed by a bath.

He said in Hinduism, the mirror is one of the eight things identified as ashtamangalyam (ashta means eight and mangalyam denotes auspicious things).

It is also customary for people to either pay a visit to temples or perform prayers at home, followed by paying respect to any elderly family members and to their gurus.

"Paying respects to parents or any elderly family members and to their gurus and getting their blessings is also important on the morning of the New Year," he said.

But the Tamil New Year is only one of several being celebrated this month.

The Telegu community celebrated their New Year, Ugadhi, on Monday.

The Malayalees and the Sikhs, meanwhile, will celebrate their respective New Years on Monday.

For Leela Pillay and her husband Ravindran, Vishu is celebrated in a simple manner among family and relatives.

"It is customary every year that the whole family wakes up at 5am and performs the Vishukani (first sight) ritual at home. After that we will all head to the temple," said Leela.

Vishukani is a ritual performed by the Malayalees where the first thing they do when they get up in the morning is to look at auspicious objects like gold and silver jewellery, betel leaves, nuts, fruits and vegetables, flowers, raw rice and coconuts .

Leela said the family then visits her mother-in-law and other relatives, followed by a scrumptious meal of vegetable dishes.

On the same day, close to 120,000 Malaysian Sikhs will usher in Vaisakhi.

The celebration marks the anniversary of the creation of Khalsa by the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699.

According to former president of Malaysian Gurdwara Council Harcharan Singh, the Vaisakhi celebration encompasses the religious as well as the cultural aspects.

The celebration begins today, with the continuous reading of the holy book -- Sri Guru Granth Sahiv -- for three days, followed by the hoisting of the Sikh flag on the third day.

"Temple priests will then impart the importance of the day as well as the duties attached to the celebration."

Harcharan said Sikhs will then reflect on the values taught to them by their Gurus, the reading and understanding of the holy book and celebrating the birth of the Khalsa.

Once the religious part is over, the respective families will then celebrate at home.

"There will be an array of vegetarian food, sweets, bhangra and dancing in the community," he said.