From the Desk of your PCA Team ....
Origins and significance
The Tamil New Year follows the vernal equinoxand generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. 14 April marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. The Tropical vernal equinox falls around 22 March, and adding 23 degrees of trepidation or oscillation provides the Hindu sidereal transition or Nirayana Mesha Sankranti (the solar transition into the constellation of Aries). The Tamil calendar thus begins on the same date observed by most traditional calendars in India as in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Mithila,Odisha, Punjab, Tripura, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The 60-year cycle is ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China, and is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter, or to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras (stars) as described in the Surya Siddhanta.
The 60 year cycle comes by 5 revolutions of Jupiter and 2 revolutions of Saturn. The relative position of Jupiter and Saturn in one particular year will be repeated after 60 years. The 60 year cycle was essentially conceived for predicting the climate of a particular year, as the relative position of the two major planets, Jupiter and Saturn, is recognized for its impact on climate.
The traditional Tamil year starts on 14 April 2016 [Kali Yuga 5118]. The year may also be dated according to the Vikram Samvat or Saka era.
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Upcoming Events
April 19, 2016 - MS Parent Coffee 8:45 to 9:45 a.m.
April 20, 2016 - SAISA Boys Basketball (Colombo)
April 20, 2016 - SAISA Girls Basketball (Mumbai)
The week has gone as a speed train. So much is occurring in the next few weeks and preparations are in full swing. Next week, we will have the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon on the 20th of April from 11:30-2:30 at the FAC Atrium. We hope you will join to celebrate the work that our Faculty and Staff do for us. As the PCA, each year we appreciate our teachers by hosting a luncheon for them to thank all for the work that they have done with our kids. So many of our teachers are the unsung heroes of our kids lives. Bringing a small spark to our kids, which brings our kids, what I call, the "ah-ha" moment. The moment where our child "gets it." They take this and from there, the children can begin to make their way to the top. We hope you will join us to make this luncheon special for all of our teachers. When I think back this year, we all faced the biggest challenge as a community - our floods. So many of our teachers were faced with challenges that water damage caused. I am sure they all faced many personal losses. But, when school was back in session, they came back with smiles and ready to make the day even brighter for our kids.
The staff, maintenance and security, of our school are really the unsung heroes of this institution. As we carry on with our daily jobs in the school, for faculty teaching, to administrators having meetings, to parents meeting and kids being kids... the whole facility is run like a boat on smooth waters. As an institution we have faced floods, dead debris on the road, and heavy traffic each day both in the morning and the evening. The staff have "magically" made the whole process seem seamless. I can recollect so many questions that came my way about sanitation, health conditions and more right after the floods. Many of the staff had their homes washed out. Some I spoke to personally, were sitting in on top of furniture for the days of the highest water levels with little to nothing for food supplies. When school reopened, they were all back. Happy faces to make sure that the school was a safe and clean place for all. With the help of our school Staff, the safety of the areas outside the classrooms were made safe for our kids.
With personnel like this, the school has made a big difference for the community. Thus, on the 20th, it will be a way to celebrate these extraordinary individuals and their dedication to the school. I hope you all will join us to say thanks to these wonderful people.
PCA Ball
Tickets are being reserved right now, but will be on sale starting next week, Monday from 8:30-9:30 and then in the afternoon at 2:45-3:45. Do book your ball ticket as soon as possible.
Signing off for this week.......
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Tamil New Year
This past week was the Tamil New year. We wanted to share some information about it for your reading pleasure.
Puthandu (Tamil புத்தாண்டு Puttāṇṭu), better known as Tamil New Year, is the celebration of the first day of the Tamil new year in mid-April by Tamils in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in India, Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka, and by Tamils in Malaysia, Singapore, Réunion and Mauritius. On this day, Tamil people greet each other by saying "Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukkaḷ!" ( புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்) or "Iṉiya tamiḻ puttāṇṭu nalvāḻttukkaḷ!" (இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்). The festive occasion is in keeping with the Hindu solar calendar.
Origins and significance
The Tamil New Year follows the vernal equinoxand generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. 14 April marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. The Tropical vernal equinox falls around 22 March, and adding 23 degrees of trepidation or oscillation provides the Hindu sidereal transition or Nirayana Mesha Sankranti (the solar transition into the constellation of Aries). The Tamil calendar thus begins on the same date observed by most traditional calendars in India as in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Mithila,Odisha, Punjab, Tripura, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The 60-year cycle is ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China, and is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter, or to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras (stars) as described in the Surya Siddhanta.
The 60 year cycle comes by 5 revolutions of Jupiter and 2 revolutions of Saturn. The relative position of Jupiter and Saturn in one particular year will be repeated after 60 years. The 60 year cycle was essentially conceived for predicting the climate of a particular year, as the relative position of the two major planets, Jupiter and Saturn, is recognized for its impact on climate.
The traditional Tamil year starts on 14 April 2016 [Kali Yuga 5118]. The year may also be dated according to the Vikram Samvat or Saka era.
There are several references in early Tamil literature to the April new year. Nakkirar, Sangam period author of the Neṭunalvāṭai, wrote in the third century that the sun travels from Mesha/Chitterai through 11 successive signs of the zodiac. Kūdalūr Kizhaar in the 3rd century refers to Mesha Raasi/Chitterai as the commencement of the year in the Puṟanāṉūṟu. The Tolkaapiyam is the oldest surviving Tamil grammar that divides the year into six seasons where Chitterai marks the start of the Ilavenil season or summer. The 8th century Silappadikaaram mentions the 12 Raasis or zodiac signs starting with Mesha/Chitterai. The Manimekalai alludes to the Hindu solar calendar as we know it today. Adiyarkunalaar, an early medieval commentator or Urai-asiriyar mentions the twelve months of the Tamil calendar with particular reference to Chitterai. There were subsequent inscriptional references in Pagan, Burma dated to the 11th century C
Happenings Around Town . . . .
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'OPERATION ICE CREAM 3rd Edition' taking place this Sunday April 17th from 3 to 5 pm at Chinna Neelangarai Kuppam Fishermen Village
‘Namma Beach Namma Chennai’ in collaboration with the ECO CLUB & the High Honor Club of the American International School of Chennai, will be conducting a beach cleanup this Sunday, April 17th at the Chinna Neelangarai Kuppam Fishermen Village (end of MGR Salai) from 3 pm till 5 pm.
The Advent Christian School of Injambakkam and the fishermen village youth are invited to help!
This activity aims to educate the local people about the impact of the environment being polluted and the role that we, the citizens, play in cleaning our beaches.
As an incentive to encourage people to collect waste on the beach, we are partnering with the local ice vendors to provide a free ice cream to each child in exchange of a bag filled with trash or waste.
This collaboration between ‘Namma Beach Namma Chennai’ and the ice vendors intends to advocate eco-friendly behaviors so that people comprehend the need to trash their waste in designated areas instead of throwing it around the beach.
Furthermore, we hope this initiative will motivate the practice of throwing trash in designated areas for a long-term cause and not only during the beach cleanup.
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April 19, 2016 - MS Parent Coffee 8:45 to 9:45 a.m.
April 20, 2016 - SAISA Boys Basketball (Colombo)
April 20, 2016 - SAISA Girls Basketball (Mumbai)
April 20, 2016 - PCA Staff Appreciation Day
April 21, 2016 - PCA Introductory Tech Training 9:00 to 10:00 am
April 21, 2016 - SAISA Track & Field (AISC)
April 21, 2016 - Lost & found display
April 21, 2016 - ES Student Led Conference 3:45 to 6.30 pmApril 21, 2016 - MS e-profile & Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 to 7:00pm
April 21, 2016 - BYOT Device and Internet Fair
April 22, 2016 - ES Student Led Conference (No Classes)
April 22, 2016 - MS e-profile & Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences (No Classes)
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On May 7, 2016, the PCA will host the 20th Anniversary Ball. The ticket price will be 3800 rupees for an evening of great food and fun.
Part of this fun will be a silent auction. We are looking for parents to offer auction items, ideally unique experiences that people may not be able to get in Chennai.
The target audience for the silent auction items could be children and/or adults.
Some examples are:
Signed autograph and picture if you are well-known
A workshop if you have a special skill set
A behind-the-scenes tour if you have access to unique facilities
A gift certificate if you or your company has a product
Language lessons
Cooking lessons
Party planning
Arts and crafts workshop
Swim lessons
Artwork
Surfing lessons
Ideally you would offer something that you love! The proceeds from the silent auction go to the Distinguished Visitors Fund, which helps bring amazing people to AISC.
Please send your ideas to Kirsten Welbes (wkirsten@aisch.org) Director of Advancement, by mid-April and I will be in touch regarding next steps.
April 21, 2016 - PCA Introductory Tech Training 9:00 to 10:00 am
April 21, 2016 - SAISA Track & Field (AISC)
April 21, 2016 - Lost & found display
April 21, 2016 - ES Student Led Conference 3:45 to 6.30 pmApril 21, 2016 - MS e-profile & Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 to 7:00pm
April 21, 2016 - BYOT Device and Internet Fair
April 22, 2016 - ES Student Led Conference (No Classes)
April 22, 2016 - MS e-profile & Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences (No Classes)
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PCA Ball Update
Reminder - Silent AuctionOn May 7, 2016, the PCA will host the 20th Anniversary Ball. The ticket price will be 3800 rupees for an evening of great food and fun.
Part of this fun will be a silent auction. We are looking for parents to offer auction items, ideally unique experiences that people may not be able to get in Chennai.
The target audience for the silent auction items could be children and/or adults.
Some examples are:
Signed autograph and picture if you are well-known
A workshop if you have a special skill set
A behind-the-scenes tour if you have access to unique facilities
A gift certificate if you or your company has a product
Language lessons
Cooking lessons
Party planning
Arts and crafts workshop
Swim lessons
Artwork
Surfing lessons
Ideally you would offer something that you love! The proceeds from the silent auction go to the Distinguished Visitors Fund, which helps bring amazing people to AISC.
Please send your ideas to Kirsten Welbes (wkirsten@aisch.org) Director of Advancement, by mid-April and I will be in touch regarding next steps.
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