Festivals of Tamil Nadu
Festival questions pair the festival with its month or its town. Pongal's four named days and Mahamaham's 12-year cycle are the two most-tested details.
| Festival | When / Where | Key fact |
|---|---|---|
| Pongal | Thai month (mid-January) | Four days: Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Maattu Pongal, Kaanum Pongal |
| Jallikattu | Maattu Pongal season | Bull-taming sport; Alanganallur (Madurai) most famous |
| Chithirai Festival | Chithirai month, Madurai | Meenakshi Thirukalyanam and Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai |
| Karthigai Deepam | Karthigai month, Tiruvannamalai | Maha Deepam lit on Annamalai hill |
| Mahamaham | Once every 12 years, Kumbakonam | 'Kumbh of the South' at the Mahamaham tank |
| Natyanjali | Maha Shivaratri, Chidambaram | Dance festival honouring Nataraja |
| Aadi Perukku | 18th day of Aadi | River festival thanking the Cauvery's fresh floods |
| Panguni Uthiram | Panguni month | Celebrated at Murugan temples, especially Palani |
| Vaikunta Ekadasi | Margazhi month, Srirangam | Paramapada Vasal opening at Ranganathaswamy temple |
| Thaipusam | Thai month | Kavadi pilgrimage to Palani and Murugan shrines |
| Float Festival (Theppam) | Thai month, Madurai | Deities floated on the Mariamman Teppakulam |
| Summer Festival | May, Ooty and Kodaikanal | Flower shows and boat races in the hills |
Month matching is the fallback question: Thai brings Pongal, Thaipusam and Madurai's Float Festival, while Vaikunta Ekadasi falls in Margazhi at Srirangam.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four days of Pongal?
How often is Mahamaham celebrated?
Related lists
Folk Arts of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu's folk arts with their one-line identifications: Karagattam, Oyilattam, Theru Koothu, Villu Pattu, Bommalattam, Silambattam and more.
Great Temples of Tamil Nadu
The temples TNPSC asks about: Brihadisvara and its builder, Madurai Meenakshi, Srirangam's scale, Rameswaram's corridors and Chidambaram's Nataraja.
Districts of Tamil Nadu
All 38 districts of Tamil Nadu in one list, with the newest districts and their carve-outs, the way TNPSC asks them.
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
Every Chief Minister of Madras State and Tamil Nadu since 1946, with tenures, the exact list TNPSC draws sequence questions from.
Compiled from official Tamil Nadu government sources and standard references. Time-sensitive counts carry an as-of note on the page. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: July 2026.
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