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| Sunday, 11 April 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Aluth Avuruddha dawns on April 13 : Festival dedicated to the sun god by KAREL ROBERTS RATNAWEERA This is the time when the sun comes into its own because it is a
festival dedicated to the surya divyaraja (sun god) when field and stream,
trees and flowers, forests and rivers are touched by the gold of the sun's
rays. Like all annual festivals, the Aluth Avuruddha It must be said that this year, preparations for Avuruddha have not been taking up as much time and planning as usual because everyone has been pre-occupied with the recently concluded general elections. But things are picking up these late dawns, when the night sky is still reluctant to give way to the sun and you are wondering what on earth the time is unless you sleep with a watch on, the call of the koha (cuckoo), the bird traditionally associated with the New Year since time immemorial, still not quite as robust as it is later in the month, is to be heard above the raucous cawing of the crows. The day after the elections,life was getting back to normal with more and more shops opening their doors and one saw glimpses of the normal New Year rush picking up. Like all annual festivals, the Aluth Avuruddha comes round with the usual customs and traditions as the Sun enters the zodiacal sign of Aries to get the cycle of life, as it were, going again for another twelve months. And as at all annual festivals, one never tires of the customs and traditional rituals that are observed to make every particular festive season unique. This is the time when the sun comes into its own because it is a festival dedicated to the surya divyaraja (sun god) when field and stream, trees and flowers, forests and rivers are touched by the gold of the sun's rays. Of course, with weather patterns changing, so they say, surprisingly differently, no one except the 'Met' men can tell on their computers whether it is to be sun or April showers that are going to be in store for us each year. April showers are very welcome to those sweltering in the plains and not lucky enough to go to Nuwara Eliya to let the cold get into their bones. In fact, many are the rain-washed April evenings this writer remembers, with light blue skies merging into the grey clouds of the day and the sun's rays, soft and warm, replacing the day's rain. Every festival has a specified time for this or that ritual and custom to be observed at home and wherever one goes. A rain-washed afternoon in the village has the sun's rays glinting on the ran veta (protective golden fence) round the Bo tree in the temple premises - the work of the rural goldsmith which he has performed with his assistants for centuries on end. The time to go to temple, punya kalaya, is set aside and is a most important event of the New Year. Then, the whole family, dressed in white, walks to temple to go through the age-old religious rituals they have been observing from the time Buddhism became the belief of the people of Lanka with the advent of the first Buddhist king - as he may be called - for Devanam Piyatissa embraced the teachings of Gautama Buddha, and his people with him, at that momentous time we will be commemorating in two months from now. While the sun is transiting from the constellation of Pisces (Meena) to Aries (Mesha), no activities are engaged in as this is the time, the 'nonagatha-kalaya' or the time of no nekath when no planetary influences are at work. All household and other duties cease. Of course, this does not mean that all the work that has to be done to enjoy the festive side of the event, such as the making of the traditional sweetmeats and other festive food has not been done; the women of the house have been busy for at least one week getting things ready for the festive table. Regarding auspicious times it has been recently pointed out by some reputed astrologers that as the sun rises a few split seconds earlier, say, in Avissawella than in Colombo, it is not possible for both places to have split-second timing in the observance of rituals. It is not only in Sri Lanka and India that the sun takes centre stage on such occasions; even in ancient Egypt they went by the movements of the Sun God or, as they called him, Ra-Amon. Zoroastrianism, which religion the Parsees who settled in this country, coming from Bombay, practised, are fire-worshippers, and the sun gives out flames. In Sri Lanka fertility rites were linked with Suriya Deviyo, or the Sun God. All New Year rituals in the home are performed according to auspicious times; the lighting of the hearth which is considered of paramount importance, the making of the kiri bath (milk rice) which is the centrepiece of the table for partaking of the first meal of the New Year, exchanging of gifts, ganu denu (which may be called exchanging of new coins, all money transactions and going out to one's workplace for the first time for the New Year. The New Year in Sri Lanka is linked with the Sakra Era, about 78 AD, but it was about 500 years earlier that it was used by Hindu astrologers for their work. Interestingly, it is believed that this Sakra Era came to India's West coast with some hordes of foreigners from near the Black sea,from ancient Scythia, actually. But ancient Scythia is not even in the reckoning when Avuruddhu is celebrated in homes throughout the country with great joy,feasting and fun. And next to gathering round the festive table to partake of sizzling kavuns with and without kondes, delicious kalu dodol and the unbeatable kiri bath and lunu miris, washed down with everything from hot tea - the best - to cordials and fresh fruit juice, what can be more exhilarating than riding the swing-onchilla - in the garden which has either been there all the time or specially set up for the occasion? It is a pastime that is enjoyed by both young and not-so-young, especially when there is someone to push you higher and higher until you almost go over the treetops and touch the clouds. One can go on and on about Aluth Avuruddhu which is observed by Buddhists and Hindus, and here it must be said that as a cultural event it is even catching on with some of other religious persuasions. After all, why shouldn't the fire be lit whether on a hearth or on the latest cooker, the kiri bath cooked - don't we eat it on other days as well? And why shouldn't games be played and delicious things eaten and drunk to celebrate this time of year which is Spring in Sri Lanka, when birds and butterflies enjoy the sun and the flowers bloom in their hundreds of thousands to delight the eye? |
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comes round with the
usual customs and traditions as the Sun enters the zodiacal sign of Aries
to get the cycle of life, as it were, going again for another twelve
months.
