April is an exciting time in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans celebrate New Year in the month of April every year. Usually, the new year falls on April 14 and only in leap years, the new year is celebrated on April 13.
Sri Lanka is a country with diverse ethnic and religious communities. Despite the conflicts created to serve different political agendas, the people in Sri Lanka are known for their unity and friendly nature irrespective of the differences. Sinhala and Tamil New Year is one such beautiful occasion, where two different communities celebrate together but with their own traditions.
As the name suggests, Sinhala and Tamil New Year are celebrated by Sinhalese and Tamils who follow Buddhism and Hinduism. The Sun’s movement from Pisces to Aries is celebrated in this festival hence also known as Sun’s Festival. In Sinhalese, this is called Aluth Avurudu, which literally means New Year in English.
A number of traditional rituals are followed on New Year’s Day at auspicious times. A list of auspicious times which includes the dawning of the new year, lightening the hearth, commencing work and having the first meal is provided at the beginning of the year usually with calendars or you can find it easily online at present.
Although celebrated on April 14, for many Sri Lankans the preparation for the New Year begins very early. From cleaning households to buying new clothes for family members and preparing traditional sweetmeats, the new year preparations are endless.
The day before the new year is known as parana aurudu, means old year in English. There’s a time slot between the ending of the old year and dawning of the new year known as Nongathaye which is a neutral time. During this time, people would observe and perform religious ceremonies in temples.
On the day of the New Year, at an auspicious time, people would lighten the hearth for the first time and prepare traditional milk rice in a new clay pot. But at present, most people in urban areas opt for the rice-cooker.
Before eating the first meal, people both adults and children would commence their work with the determination to do better and achieve their goals during the New Year. Paying homage to elders is another tradition which has been passed down over centuries in Sri Lanka. A sheaf of betel leaves is presented to all elders in the family while the young ones seek their blessings for the future.
Then, the family members would get together and have the traditional milk rice with other traditional sweets such as Kavum, Konda Kavum, (Oil Cakes) Kalu Dodol, Kokis (a crispy deep-fried snack), Mung Kevum, Aluva, Mung Guli, Naaran Kavum, Athirasa, Aasmi, Pani Walalu (Unduwel). The picture here is the traditional Avurudu table of our family from last year.
Out of the traditional sweets, Kokis is probably the most popular new year snack among people and specially among little children. When the work kokis is broken down into the two syllabls, ko-kis, it means “Where is the kiss?” in English. So, in recent times, a lot of local brands used the phrase ko-kis in their advertising during the new year time. So, Kokis holds a very special place among Sri Lankans and here is a quick guide on how to make Kokis.
Usually, a full plate of new year’s sweets is then distributed among neighbours as well and this simple gesture symbolizes unity amongst all without any boundaries or biases clearly speaking a lot about Sri Lankans’ friendly nature.
Here in Canada, the New Year is celebrated only on January 1 every year. So, do you celebrate a new year apart from January 1st, like us in Sri Lanka?
Leave a comment below, would love to hear from you!
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