by Mrs.N.kalyani Colours and costumes of TAMIL NADU CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL Basaveshwaranagar, Bangalore-79 presents Colours and costumes of TAMIL NADU by Mrs.N.kalyani

the colour of our National Flag. India is a country replete with diversities. One can find diversity in states, languages, food and costumes. Our Motherland is a melting pot of cultures. Varied colour mingle with one another to form the famous tri-colour of India that is saffron, white and green- the colour of our National Flag.

Tamil Nadu is in South of India

DISTRICTS OF TAMIL NADU

TAMIL NADU The land of Tamils, temples and Dravidian culture, Tamil Nadu is one of the most ancient regions in India. Flanked by Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bay of Bengal, Pondicherry and the Indian Ocean, it is the 11th largest state in India.

October through February Capital City Chennai Airport Area 130, 058sq.km. Population 62,110,839 (2001 census) Languages Tamil Climate Summer (43 degree C max.) Winter (18 degree C. Min) Monsoon (October-December) Best time to visit: November - February Best Time to Visit October through February Capital City Chennai Airport Chennai, Thiruchirapally, Madurai, Coimbatore Major Towns Chennai, Thiruchirapally, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tanjavur, Udakamandalam.

COSTUMES OF TAMILNADU Costumes of Tamil Nadu can classified into various categories. They are HISTORICAL TRADITIONAL TRIBAL DANCES CLASSICAL FOLK(kooravai koothu) MODERN URBAN RURAL PRESENT DAY NEXT Go to Slide 32

HISTORICAL COSTUMES The history of Tamil Nadu is very ancient and it is believed that human activity in this area began as early as 300, 000 years ago. It is also suggested that the first Dravidians of Tamil country were part of the early Indus Valley settlers and moved south during the advent of Aryans around 1500BC. However the documented history goes back only to the 4th century BC. There are references in the early Sangham literature to the social, economic and cultural life of people. The proximity to the sea established the Tamil Country on the maritime map of the world even before the dawn of Christian era. The Tamils had trade links with ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. NEXT

Prior to the Christian era, the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas ruled Tamil Country. This was the classical period of Tamil literature, the Sangham Age that continued three centuries after Christ. The domains of these three dynasties changed many times over the centuries. At times other dynasties like Pallavas and Chalukyas came into power. All these dynasties engaged in continual skirmishes; but their steady patronage of arts served the expansion of Dravidian culture. NEXT

COSTUMES DURING CHERAN PERIOD BACK

COSTUMES WORN BY CHOLAN KING Rajarajacholan NEXT

MEN NEXT

SOLDIERS DOOR KEEPER WOMEN NAGA KING(SNAKE) NEXT

A DOLL DEPICTING THE COSTUME OF ANCIENT PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE COASTAL REGIONS OF TAMIL NADU NEXT PALLAVA PERIOD

COSTUMES OF PANDYAN ROYAL FAMILIES Early period A PERSON FROM A ROYAL FAMILY TALKING TO A WOMAN NEXT

NAYAKARS- SUCCESSORS OF PANDYANS BACK NAYAKAR’S FAMILY NEXT

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES NEXT BRAHMIN FAMILIES

COSTUMES OF TAMIL NADU PRIESTS BACK

TRIBAL COSTUMES TODA WOMEN TODA WOMAN BACK KURUMBA

CLASSICAL DANCES BACK BHARATHANATYAM

COSTUMES OF FOLK DANCERS NEXT

POIKAL KUDURAI MAYIL ATTAM PULI ATTAM NEXT

KARAGATTAM BACK

MODERN COSTUMES(URBAN) FAMILY IN A WEDDING NEXT A COMMON MAN IN HIS COSTUME

PEOPLE IN URBAN AREAS A LITTLE GIRL TEENAGERS NEXT REGULAR COSTUME

WOMEN DRAPED IN SILK SAREES BACK A DOLL DRAPED IN A SAREE

WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS (VILLAGES) NEXT SPECIALLY CALLED ‘PINKOSU’

EVEN TODAY WE CAN FIND WOMEN WEARING THESE TYPE OF EARRINGS IN THE DISTRICTS OF TUTICORIN,THIRUNELVELI ETC… (RURAL AREAS) BACK

At present, the costumes are In Tamil Nadu men and women wear traditional costumes, women wear sari and blouse and men wear lungi along with a shirt and 'Angavastra'. With globalization, dresses are also getting westernized. Though the majority of the women in the state still wear traditional costumes, the men seem to be more comfortable in western clothing and have started wearing shirts and trousers instead of Lungi. Go to Slide 32

COLOURS Over the centuries, colours have been used for signifying meanings in heraldry, given to the months of the year and the seasons, religious symbolism, and for everything from weddings to babies.  Florists are quick to tell us red roses mean love.  We use colour to describe emotions.   And how about "once in a blue moon everything goes all right" or "it's a red-letter day." NEXT

Colours can related with festivals costumes art (kolam) food flowers paintings Seasons

FESTIVALS OF TAMIL NADU The main festivals of Tamil Nadu are PONGAL VARUSHA PIRAPPU (TAMIL NEW YEAR’S DAY) DASARA (BOMMAIKOLUVU) DEEPAVALI NEXT

PONGAL Pongal is the biggest harvest festival, spread over four days. 'Bhogi' is celebrated on January 13, 'Pongal' on January 14, 'Mattu Pongal' on January 15. NEXT

BHOGI – FIRST DAY OF PONGAL FESTIVAL Bhogi is celebrated to mark the destruction of the evil by burning the old things and replacing it with new things NEXT

PONGAL – SECOND DAY OF PONGAL FESTIVAL The Chakhara Pongal made of rice and jaggery, seasoned with ghee, cashew nut and other spices, is a speciality for the occasion. On this day, the new pot is used to cook Pongal which is called "Pongal Panai". The word Pongal means rice cooked in milk and jaggery. 'Pongal' is a celebration of spring on the occasion of the 'ascent' of the sun to the north. It is the celebration of the harvest season. It is celebrated for four days in Tamil Nadu.  NEXT

Third day – Mattu Pongal Mattu Pongal, the third day is a day dedicated to the worship and veneration of the cattle (mattu). The cattle are bathed, decorated and their horns are painted in bright colours. Coloured balls of the pongal are also made and left in the open for birds. NEXT

Fourth day – Kannum pongal In the villages of Madurai, Tirucherapalli and Tanjore, the final day of pongal called Kannum Pongal is indulged in existing past times like 'jallikettu' or manji virattu. Jallikettu is a kind of bull fight. Bundles containing money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls and armed villagers try to wrest the bundles from them. In Manji virattu young man ride on bull's back for some distance and remove the money bag tied around the neck. Some men were seriously wounded and immediately removed. “Alanganallur Jallikattu” (Ramnad district) is world famous because people fight with bull with out any weapons (bare hand). BACK

VARUSHA PIRAPPU (PUTHANDU) – NEW YEAR The Tamil New Year’s day is called ”Puthandu” which means “The New Year”. It is celebrated by Tamils across the wolrd on April 14th every year. The tamils regard this day as the day of creation of Lord Brahma. The favorite food of thefestivalis ‘Manga Pachadi’ –made of raw mangoes ,jaggery and neem flowers. Its sweet-sourand bitter taste signifies the many moods of life. On the Tamil New Year’s day, a big car festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur near kumba konam. On this day ‘New Hindu Calender’ known as ‘Panchangam’ is also worshipped. BACK

BOMMAI KOLUVU – DASARA FESTIVAL (NAVARATRI) Navarathri or Dussera festival is celebrated in the month of purattasi. This festival seems to have  been introduced  to Tamil Nadu by the Mysore rulers. It is celebrated mostly in the towns  or in places connected  with kings and chieftains. Observance of Navarathri  and exhibition  of dolls in their wide variety and colour and costumes is confined to the upper  strata  of society. The common  folk in the villages celebrate  the Puravai Eduppu or festival of horse dolls in the temples of Ayyanar in the summer. This festival  of dolls  has helped to sustain the amazing skill at clay doll-making  in Tamil Nadu. The raw materials used are clay, papier-mache  and paints NEXT

DOLLS ARRANGEMENT DECORATED DOLLS NEXT

ARRANGEMENT OF DOLL DURING DASARA BACK

DEEPAVALI-A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Deepavali is one of the most important festival of India. Deepavali(October/November) The "Festival of Lights" is a celebration which marks the triumph of good over evil. It is known as Diwali in North India, which means festival of lights. The place is made luminous by arranging the lights and burning the crackers. It is a joyful day and is celebrated with special purchases, greetings and gifts. In south India, it is also known as Naraka chaturdhasi when the demon Narakasura, who was doing lot of evil, was killed by Lord Krishna the death of evil with joy NEXT

Firework display Colours used during deepavali NEXT

APART FROM THE MAIN FESTIVALS, WE HAVE MANY OTHER FESTIVALS THAT ARE ONLY CELEBRATED IN TAMIL NADU AND TAMILIANS ALL OVER. THEY ARE Chitrai Festival | Vaikasi Visakam | Vaishnava Festivals | Avani Moolam | Karthigai Deepam | Thirupalli Ezhuchi | Thiruvadhirai | Vaikunta Ekadesi | Maham | Maha Sivaratri | Panguni Uttiram | Kambam Festival | Monthiyan Festival | Nadapavai Festival | Koda Festival l Karthigai Deepam Underlined ones are world famous NEXT

CHITHIRAI FESTIVAL Legend has it that Lord Vishnu as Azhagar rode on a golden horse to Madurai to the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) with Lord Sundareshwar (Lord Shiva). This festival is world famous. Many foreign tourists come to see it. NEXT

KARTHAGAI DEEPAM The Deepam (lamp) is lit in a gigantic, circular metal vessel that can hold about 2,000 litres of ghee. It is five and half feet in height and five feet in diameter. For making the wick, 30m of 'Ghada' (cotton) cloth is used and is burnt with 2 kilos of camphor on the night of 'Karthigai Pournami'. The Jyoti can be sighted from nearly 35-km around. This is also a world famous festival because of the gigantic lamp- a Guinness record for biggest ever lamp. BACK

Colours in different aspects Floral designs which is colourful are used during festivals which is a delightful sight NEXT

KOLAM Kolam refers to decorative artwork drawn on the floor in front of houses and in front of deities in Puja rooms. Kolam is considered as an important form of artistic expression in India. Undoubtedly, Kolam can be called a most essential part of South Indian culture and it serves to embellish the doorstep and make it look more inviting. Moreover, it is a symbol of good fortune. The Tamil month 'Markazhi' (mid December to mid January) is particularly important month for Kolams, when fairly large sized Kolams are put in front of the houses NEXT

Colourful kolam BACK

NATURAL COLOURS IN FOOD(VEGETARIAN) NEXT it’s a traditional way to serve food on a plantain leaf SWEET DELICACIES

SNACKS HOT AND SPICY RICE RECIPES NEXT

NON-VEGETARIAN RAW SPICES MUTTON BACK FISH

GARLANDS ARE USED FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES LIKE FESTIVALS, WEDDINGAND ALSO FOR DEATHS COLOURFUL FLOWERS NEXT

IDOLS OF GODS ARE DECORATED WITH FLOWERS FLOWERS ARE ALSO USED FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES NEXT

Kurinji flowers of Kodaikanal Kurinji flowers, the special flowers which grow in & around Kodaikanal cannot be found any where else in the world. Kurinji flowers are blooming on the declivity of the Kodaikanal hills, particularly near the Kurinji Andavar temple. The Kurinji flower is native to South India, growing only in the Anamalai, Nilgiris and Palani hills in Tamil Nadu. It does not grow anywhere else in the world. This blue coloured variety blooms once in 12 years. BACK

COLOURS USED IN THE PAINTINGS ON THE WALLS OF THE TEMPLES NEXT

NEXT TANJAVUR(TANJORE) PAINTINGS – ONE OF THE OLDEST ART OF TAMIL NADU In ancient times artists used natural colours, gold, and precious gems to decorate the ornaments in the paintings. BACK

Colourful puppets are used in the puppet show Colourful costumes are used in mythological dramas in cultural programmes by the artists. BACK

SEASONS No. (Rutu)Hindu calendar Season Gregorian months 1 hemanta There are six ritus or Indian seasons in the Hindu calendar. The following table gives an overview about the partition of the year in the traditional Indian calendar. No. (Rutu)Hindu calendar Season Gregorian months 1 hemanta pre-winter December to February 2 shishira Winter February to April 3 vasanta Spring April to June 4 griishma Summer June to August 5 varsha Rainy August to October 6 sharat Autumn October to December NEXT

Most of India has three seasons: a hot dry season (February to June)-summer, a wet monsoon season (June to October)-rainy, and the cool dry season (November to February)-winter. Seasons Festivals Summer Pongal, Ramanavami Tamil new year’s day Rainy Almost all other festivals Winter Deepavali., Karthigai Deepam NEXT

Seasons -India Vasntha ruthu(spring) Greehm ruthu(summer) varsha ruthu(rainy) Hemanth ruthu(winter) NEXT

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