What Is Sri Lankan New Year?
Sri Lankan new year, Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, generally known as Aluth Avurudda (Sinhala: අලුත් අවුරුද්ද) in Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan holiday that celebrates the traditional New Year of the Sinhalese and Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan New year – aluth awurudda is a major anniversary celebrated by not only the Sinhalese, and Tamil people but by most Sri Lankans. The timing of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year coincides with the new year celebrations of many traditional calendars of South and Southeast Asia. The festival has close semblance to the Tamil New year and other South and Southeast Asian New Year. It is a public holiday in Sri Lanka. It is generally celebrated on 13 April or 14 April and traditionally begins at the sighting of the new moon.
According to Sinhalese astrology, New Year begins when the sun moves from Meena Rashiya (the house of Pisces) to Mesha Rashiya (the house of Aries). It also marks the end of the harvest season and of spring.
When was this Started?
The cultural anthropological history of the ‘Traditional New Year’ which is celebrated in the month of April, goes back to an ancient period in Sri Lankan history. People think that the celebration of the new year is a change of thoughts too. Various beliefs, perhaps those associated with the fertility of the harvest, gave birth to many rituals, customs, and ceremonies connected with the New Year. The advent of Buddhism in the 3rd century BC led to a re-interpretation of the existing New Year activities in the Buddhism light. The majority of the people in the country are Buddhists, and as such, the Buddhistic outlook was predominant in transforming the New Year rites to what they are now.
Sinhalese and Hindus celebrate this
Hinduism, on the other hand, existed side by side with Buddhism, in medieval times. New Year practices interpreted in the Hinduism way developed among the Hindus. Buddhism and Hinduism were historically connected with each other. Their philosophies were running along parallel dimensions, except for certain ultimate truths concerning the self, the way to achieve emancipation, and the nature of a creative god (which Buddhism denies) and nirvana. There was no serious contradiction in New Year rituals that are found among the Buddhists and Hindus.
The mythological backdrop of the New Year
The mythological backdrop of the New Year is probably based on Hindu literature. The Prince of Peace called Indradeva descends upon the earth to ensure peace and happiness. He comes in a white carriage wearing on his head a white floral crown seven cubits high. He first dips, like a returning space capsule plunges, breaking earth’s gravity, into a `Kiri Sayura’ or sea of milk.
Modern-day activities related to the celebration of the traditional New Year is based on auspicious times given by the astrologers. The New Year celebration therefore can be thought of as a complex mix of Indigenous, Astrological, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions.
How Sri Lankans Celebrate New Year?
It’s the month of April when the festival will be happening
The month of Bak(April), which represents prosperity in the Sinhalese calendar (or in the month of April according to the Gregorian calendar), is when the sun moves (in an astrological sense) from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) in the celestial sphere; Sri Lankan people of Sri Lanka begin celebrating Sinhala New Year or Aluth Avurudu (in Sinhala). It marks the end of the harvest season and also coincides with one of two instances when the sun is directly above Sri Lanka.
During the 13th to 15th of April
However, unlike the celebration of the new Gregorian calendar year at midnight on December 31, the Sinhalese traditional New Year begins at a time determined by astrological calculations. Also unlike 31st night celebrations, where the old year ends at midnight and the new year begins immediately afterward; the ending of the old year and the beginning of the new year occur several hours apart from one another (this span of time is usually 12 hours and 48 minutes, which starts when the sun, as a disk, starts to cross the astrological boundary between ‘House of Pisces’ and ‘House of Aries’ and ends when the crossing is complete. The halfway point is considered as the dawn of the new year). This period is, referred to as the Nonagathe (or the ‘neutral period’ or ‘Auspicious Time’ ). During this time Sri Lankans are, according to tradition, encouraged to refrain from material pursuits, and engage solely in either religious activities or traditional games.
Cultural rituals
Cultural rituals begin shortly after the beginning of the Sinhalese New Year with the cleaning of the house and lighting of an oil lamp. In some communities, women congregate to play upon the Raban (a type of drum) to announce the incipient change in the year. All the families as one carry out a variety of rituals in exact timings of which are determined by astrological calculations – from lighting the fire to making the Kiribath (milk rice) to entering into the first business transaction and eating the first morsels. The rituals vary slightly based on the locale. However, the core of the celebrations remains the same.
The approach of each auspicious time for various rituals is heralded by the unmistakable sign of very loud firecrackers. Although loud firecrackers are an environmental concern, and a safety hazard, especially for children, this remains an integral part of the celebrations throughout Sri Lanka.
Once the important rituals are done
Once the important rituals are done, the partying begins as families mingle in the streets, homes are thrown open and children are let out to play. The ubiquitous plantain is dished out alongside celebratory feasts of Kavum (small oil cake) and Kokis (crisp and light sweetmeat, originally from the Netherlands). However, the extent of outdoor activities depends largely on the neighborhood. The suburban communities tend to have such social gatherings as urban or city dwellers. The blossoming of the flowers of the Yak Erabadu is associated with the advent of the Sinhalese New Year.
Aluth Aurudu is an important national holiday for both the cultures of the Sinhalese people and the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. The celebrations are given wide coverage and patronage from state-owned media as well as private media.
What Is the Harvest Festival
The date upon which the Sinhalese New Year occurred, while determined by astrological calculations, also tends to coincide with one of the paddy harvest seasons. For farming communities, the traditional Sri Lankan New year – aluth awurudda is a festival of harvest as well.
Who Is Koha (Cuckoo bird) and what is its relation with the New Year?
A type of cuckoo bird, the Asian koel, has a strong association with the new year celebrations in traditional literature around the festival period. The mating season of the bird roughly coincides with the festival season. The mating call of the male is regarded as a heralding sign of the traditional new year. This bird is known as the Koha (කොහා) in Sri Lanka by the Sinhala language. The melodious call Koo-ooo of the male bird is heard throughout Sri Lanka during the breeding season of the bird that roughly spans from March to August.
What does Sri Lankans Practice During New Year?
One such custom that Sinhalese follow before the New Year is spotting the moon on the last day of the Old Year, which is April 13. On this day people will also ceremoniously bathe for the last time in the Old Year. Before bathing, they will apply a herbal mixture called ‘Nanu’ on their heads.
Both communities also clean their homes in preparation for the Sri Lankan New year – aluth awurudda. It’s customary for Tamil households to spray saffron water in the front area of their homes. They also decorate this area with colorful ‘Kolam’ which is made of colored raw rice flour.
‘Nonagathaya’ or inauspicious time
After the Old Year has ended and before the New Year has dawned, there is a transition period that is called ‘Nonagathaya’ or inauspicious time. During this time it is against tradition to do any work or cook any meals. Instead, most families engage in religious activities such as visiting the temple or kovil.
To mark the dawn of the New Year, families light the hearth for the first time. This is done, wearing clothes in the auspicious colors and facing the auspicious direction. Usually, a clay pot full of milk is placed on the hearth and is allowed to boil until it overflows. The overflowing of the milk represents prosperity for the family and home.
Once this is done, the first meal can be prepared. This includes milkrice, jaggery rice, and sweetmeats such as kokis, aasmi, kevum and laddu. This food is later laid on a table and is eaten together by the family at an auspicious time.
Sri Lankan New year – aluth awurudda time is also for visiting relatives and neighbors. It’s a custom to take gifts of sweetmeats and other festive food when making such visits. Relatives may also exchange gifts and elders are usually greeted with betel leaves.
In Tamil households
In Tamil households, the head of the family gives each family member money, betel leaves, paddy, and flowers as part of the custom called ‘Kai Vishesham’. This is done for good luck. Similarly, the Sinhalese custom called ‘Ganu Denu’ is where people exchange money with each other, in order to bring luck in the New Year.
Another ritual followed by Sinhalese is the applying of oil on the head. Usually, the eldest in the family will apply herbal oil on each member of the family. However, sometimes people go to the village temple instead, where the head priest will apply the oil on their heads. Similarly, Tamils will apply a herbal mixture called ‘Maruthu Neer’ on the head of each family member before they bathe for the New Year. This mixture is prepared by the Hindu priest and is made of herbal water, flowers, leaves, milk, and saffron, as well as other ingredients.
It is also customary not to begin any work in the New Year until the auspicious time to do so. Then, the adults will start work according to their profession. If they are farmers they will start work in the fields. Children will also start their studies during this time. As many people go back to their villages and hometowns during this season, there is also an auspicious time for them to leave home for their jobs.
After the rituals are completed, families and neighbors, particularly in the villages, have fun participating in New Year Games. These include outdoor games such as Kotta Pora (pillow fights), Kana Mutti Bindeema (smashing the pot), climbing the grease pole, marking the eye of the elephant, Raban playing, Onchili Padeema, and so on as well as indoor games like Olinda Kelaniya and Pancha Kelaniya.
Reference – Sunday times, Wikipedia
