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by Carol Aloysius

It is a happy co-incidence that April, the month we celebrate our National New Year festival is also the month of Spring in Europe, where after a dreary cold winter. life bursts forth anew and the greening of the earth marks the first phase in the cycle of life.

For, this National Festival, like the Spring festival in Europe, is also determined by the solar( Shaker) calendar which is based on the sun's movements. A solar year incidentally, begins as the sun enters the first segment of the zodiac - Aries- which is the month of April in the corresponding English calendar.

as in the case of the Spring festivals that are celebrated in those countries, rituals and ancient customs play a significant part of the New Year festivities. Time is a predominating factor and much of the rites and rituals enacted at this time are influenced by a strong belief in the concept that human life is in cycles, like the months of an year, governed by the movements of the sun. So the New Year we celebrate today is in a strict sense of the word, not a new year but rather a renewal of life.

The shedding of one's old life for a new one is the essence of the New Year and is symbolised in the elaborate rituals enacted at this time. In simple terms it means forgetting old grudges, mending fences and forging new relationships in a spirit of forgiveness and peace. Only then, can the door be opened to usher in a new phase in one's life which could collectively bring a period of peace and prosperity to all.

The rituals symbolise that spirit of peace, harmony and forgiveness, and the willingness to put the past behind us..

Even before the New Year is heralded in at 6.19 this morning, with the sound of crackers and joyous peeling of temple and church bells, the wheels were already set in motion, late last night. This was done by the symbolic act of bathing for the last time and partaking of the last meal, for the old year, followed by the clearing of the hearth and the cessation of all work from 11.55 p.m on Saturday to 12.43 p.m on Sunday.

Legend has it that this is the period that the sun god 'crosses' from the last Rashi (Pisces) to the first (Aries). It is at this juncture that we see the passing of the old year into the new, a period of transition called ` Nonagathe' , also known as `Punyakala' which is a time to acquire merit for oneself. This is done by most families attending temple and doing meritorious acts to ensure that the sun passes through the crossing safely.

'Nonagathe' is a significant part of the New Year rituals, and during this time one must refrain from touching any one of the symbols of fertility - water, fire and milk - to avoid problems in the future.

Women play an important role in the New Year festivities and rightly so since they represent the symbol of fertility associated with this National festival. Women thus take great pains to avoid contact with those objects of fertility during the Nonagathe.

Housewives who draw water from a well thus usually bring their required water into the house well ahead of the period of Nonagathe so that they would not have to touch any water during this period.

This is also the reason why they put off the fire and clear the hearth putting all their cooking activities on hold.

As the period of Nonagathe however ends the common scene enacted in most households across the country,perhaps even now as you read this, will be of women dressed in the lucky colours of the New Year - red and yellow - lighting their hearths at 7.14 a.m. and cooking their first meal -kiribath- while facing the East.

The meal is followed by the serving of traditional sweetmeats such as kavum, kokis, athiraha, aasmi and Tamil sweetmeats, at the auspicious hour of 8.12 a.m and exchanging of gifts with loved ones and friends.

This is followed by the ancient ritual of 'ganu denu' or 'kai Vishesham' (cash transactions) also done facing the East.

This traditional exchange of money at the auspicious time is considered to be one of the most important events of the day as it is believed that one's profits and losses for the year depend on the 'lucky' person with who such transactions are made.

A number of other popular rituals also takes place during the course of the day, the most enjoyable of which are the traditional New Year games.

These would include exciting hackery races, and elephant races usually held in villages, as well as pillow fights, tug-o-war, grease pole climbing as well as raban competitions where too women play an important role.

For most persons celebrating the Aluth Avurudu, the elaborate preparations are a labour of love. At least one month before the festival, the streets are crowded with New Year shoppers looking for bargains in sarongs, ready made clothes, household linen, towels, and other utility ware which are traditional New Year gifts. Closer to the date, housewives spend time spring cleaning their homes, polishing and waxing their floors, stitching new curtains and tidying up their gardens. They would then begin the task of preparing the traditional sweetmeats, spending hours in the kitchen turning out mouthwatering elaborate foods to serve their guests .

In most Tamil homes, young girls would be seen creating beautiful designs 'Maakolam' on the doorways of their homes to welcome their guests. To witness the 'real' Aluth Avurudu festival celebrations one should go into the villages where the community as a whole enters into the spirit of the celebrations, starting from the monks in the temple who organise various religious activities to the village elders and leaders who organise the cultural activities with the help of the village youth. Most city workers usually return to their homes at this time of the year to celebrate this joyous event with their parents and relatives, thus strengthening their family ties.

This New Year, coming as it does on the heels of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE, is of particular significance to us all.

There is perhaps no opportunity more suitable than today, to promote our collective desire for national unity by strengthening the golden threads of friendship, respect and tolerance.

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