Festival

Death of Tyagaraja

Tyagaraja, the most celebrated composer of the Carnatic Trinity, died at Thiruvaiyaru on the banks of the Kaveri.

Thyagaraja memorial temple at Thiruvaiyaru consecrated

Bangalore Nagarathnamma built a temple over the samadhi of the composer Thyagaraja at Thiruvaiyaru, the site of the annual Aradhana festival.

Madras Music Academy founded

The Music Academy was founded in Madras following the 1927 Congress session and became a leading institution for Carnatic music.

Tamil Isai Movement and Tamil Isai Sangam

The Tamil Isai Sangam was founded in Madras to promote the singing of Tamil compositions in Carnatic concerts dominated by Telugu and Sanskrit songs.

Velankanni shrine raised to a minor basilica

Pope John XXIII raised the Marian shrine of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankanni to a minor basilica.

Second World Tamil Conference held in Madras

Madras hosted the second International Tamil Research Conference, known as the World Tamil Conference, under the Annadurai government.

First Madras Book Fair held

Organised by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India, the first Madras Book Fair later developed into the yearly Chennai Book Fair.

Fifth World Tamil Conference held in Madurai

The fifth World Tamil Conference, a gathering of Tamil scholars from many countries, was held in Madurai.

Mandaikadu Hindu-Christian clashes

Tensions between Hindus and Christians in Kanyakumari district escalated during the Mandaikadu temple festival, leading to police firing and deaths.

Free dhoti and saree scheme for Pongal

The state began distributing free saris and dhotis to poor families for Pongal, a scheme that also provides work to handloom and power loom weavers.

Mahamaham stampede at Kumbakonam

A stampede at the Mahamaham tank in Kumbakonam during the 12-yearly festival killed 48 pilgrims.

Eighth World Tamil Conference held in Thanjavur

The eighth World Tamil Conference was hosted in Thanjavur by the Tamil Nadu government.

First Madras Day celebration

Madras Day, held each 22 August, was first celebrated in Chennai, recalling the 1639 acquisition of the land where the city developed.

First Chennai Sangamam folk arts festival

Chennai Sangamam, an open-air festival of Tamil folk and traditional arts around Pongal, was held for the first time with state government backing.

Tamil New Year moved to the first day of Thai

A DMK government law moved Tamil New Year to the first day of the Tamil month of Thai; the change was revoked in 2011.

World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore

The state government hosted the World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore to mark Tamil's classical status.

Millennium celebrations of the Thanjavur Big Temple

Thanjavur marked 1,000 years of the Brihadisvara Temple with cultural events, including a performance by 1,000 Bharatanatyam dancers.

Tamil Nadu Day first observed on 1 November

The Palaniswami government began observing 1 November as Tamil Nadu Day; in 2022 the DMK government moved it to 18 July.

Supreme Court upholds Tamil Nadu's jallikattu law

A five-judge Constitution Bench upheld the Tamil Nadu law that allowed jallikattu to be held after the 2017 protests.