Malayalam New Year

The first day of Chingam month is celebrated as Malayalam new year according to Malayalam calendar. It is also called Kolla Varsham Aarambam or Chinga Ravi Samkramam. Special poojas and rituals are held in all the temples of Kerala, especially Sabarimala Temple will be open for worship on this day. Chingam 1 is an important celebration among the agricultural community who await the arrival of harvest season.

Malayalam New Year 2023

Thu , 17th Aug 2023

Kolla Varsham is the Malayalam calendar followed in Kerala. Kolla varsham is a sidereal solar calendar. Festivals and other important events are calculated based on this traditional calendar followed by the people of Kerala. The current year 2021 is Kolla varsham 1196-1197. The origin of Kolla varsham dates back to era of 824 AD. Chingam is the first month of Malayalam calendar, and first day of Chingam month marks the New year on Kolla varsham. Unlike other lunar or luni-solar calendars where Aries-Mesha rashi marks the new year, Kolla varsha calendar begins from Leo -Chingam rashi. Kolla Varsham is a solar calendar, and the months are calculated based on the Sun’s transit from one rashi to another. Here is a list of months on Malayalam calendar and their corresponding Gregorian months,

Month	Malayalam Month	English Months
1	Chingam	August 16th - September 15th
2	Kanni	September 16th - October 15th
3	Thulam	October 16th - November 15th
4	Vrischikam	November 16th - December 15th
5	Dhanu	December 16th - January 15th
6	Makaram	January 16th - February 15th
7	Kumbham	February 16th - March 15th
8	Meenam	March 16th - April 15th
9	Medam	April 16th - May 15th
10	Edavam	May 16th - June 15th
11	Mithunam	June 16th - July 15th
12	Karkidakam	July 16th - August 15th

The dates might vary by two or three days, for instance, the Chingam 1 may fall anywhere between August 13th - August 17