India (Tamil Nadu) : public and bank holidays, closure of banks, stock exchanges, school vacations

Muslim, Sufi : Birthday of the Prophet, Mohammed. For nine days there are Parties with fairs, feasting, and parades. Stories are told about how the mountains danced when Mohammed was born, and sang, There is no god but Allah. The trees answered, And Mohammed is his Prophet.

Banks only :

Hinduism : The victory of Durga on evil forces, the destruction of Vasanas (subjectivity, selfishness, desires...) and the achievement of the deepest Self. Dominance of Saraswati (pure science) over Lakshmi (applied science)

School holidays :

Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Year’s Day on Christmas Day.

School holidays :

Secular holiday : The world's most widely celebrated holiday, New Years was set on January 1 by Julius Caesar because that was the date the Roman consuls took over their duties. Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday

School holidays : Https://tnschools.gov.in
International schools may follow a different calendar
Official calendar
Schooling is mandatory till age 14
Teaching languages: Tamil, English
Number of instructional days: 210
schools are open on Saturday
school uniforms required
Indian Institute of Technology Madras ranking: Shanghai (2023) #701-800

We carry confirmed dates till Feb 2024 -- heat waves may affect the calendar - 2024 calendar can be viewed here (in Tamil) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YGZFN-slLvXcDuGYCd1TuuSkNhcp6I3L/view?pli=1

Some variations according to the school
Please note that authorities may take last-minute decisions; please double-check if this information is vital to you
Make a Paypal donation of euros 50 to [email protected] to purchase the full calendar for 5 countries, including Tamil Nadu schools
Contact [email protected] to purchase a file containing confirmed calendars of 550 countries and regions.

School holidays :

Culture : Makar Sankranti: apart from a harvest festival is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture, it is said as the 'holy phase of transition'. It marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to the Hindu calendar begins around mid-December. [Wikipedia]

Hinduism : Celebration of the harvest, which is observed for three days: Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal. A colourful and traditional festival with many a ceremony devoted to various deities and cattle races.

Hinduism : The symbol is the movement from one place to another which leads to meeting someone or something. The sun leaves its present constellation to get into Sakranti .

Secular holiday : A celebrated Tamil poet who wrote the Thirukkural, a work on ethics in Tamil literature. [Wikipedia]

Hinduism : Also called Thai Pongal: a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils Unusually for South Indian Hindu festivals, Thai Pongal is timed by an astronomical event - the winter solstice. Pongal is traditionally dedicated to the Sun God Surya and marks the beginning of the northward journey of the Sun from its southernmost-limit, a movement traditionally referred to as uttarayana. [Wikipedia]

School holidays :

Secular holiday : It was the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress at midnight of December 31, 1929 - January 1, 1930, that the Tri-Colour Flag was unfurled by the nationalists and a pledge taken that every year on January 26, the Independence Day would be celebrated and that the people would unceasingly strive for the establishment of a Sovereign Democratic Republic of India. The professed pledge was successfully redeemed on January 26, 1950, when the Constitution of India framed by the Constituent Assembly of India came into force, although the Independence from the British rule was achieved on August 15, 1947. It is because of this that August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day, while January 26 as Republic Day.

Hinduism : Marks the end of a 10-day fasting period during which people go to the local temple and get themselves pierced with various needles attached to various object.

cards/flowers :

Catholic or protestant : The First Council of Nicaea (a gathering of bishops in the early days of Christianity) wanted to find a day to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. This commemoration had to be linked to Jewish holiday traditions, since the last supper of Christ was believed to be a Jewish Passover meal. But the Jewish calendar is based on lunar and solar cycles, so the Easter celebration had to follow the same calendar.