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| Sunday, 11 April 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Adapting traditions to a busy life style by LAKMAL WELABADA The Sinhala and Hindu 'Aluth Avurudu' (New Year) festival is already knocking on our doors. The village seems to be taking the most prominent place following all the traditions and rituals. But with their busy lifestyles city people also still find the ways and means to keep up with all the customs relating to the festival.
Prof. Kusuma Karunaratne of the Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo shared her views with the Sunday Observer on how today's urban society observes the New Year traditions while introducing a few novel ideas to adapt the conservative trend to today's needs. Generally the woman; the 'wife and mother' takes the main role during this event. Preparing sweetmeats, cleaning, shopping for new clothes, picking and choosing gifts for the extended family members including the elders in the family to lighting the fire place, boiling milk and preparing 'Kiri bath' (milk rice) at the auspicious time are done by 'her'. But, since most of today's urban women have to play a dual role by doing a job while being engaged in the household chores, attending to all the 'Aluth Avurudu' work is not that easy. Hence, the menfolk - 'husbands and fathers' also have to do their share. "And if any husband has not accepted it so far, it's high time for him to accept it," said the Professor with a smile. "Inculcating good manners in children is one of the main ideas behind the rituals. Offering a sheaf of betel with a parcel of new clothes and worshipping the elders is one such custom. Whether one lives in the village or city this custom is practised without fail. Making sweat meats in a city home can be restricted due to many reasons. Hence boutiques store piles and piles of ready made sweetmeats in abundance to meet the demand. Whether made at home or bought from out, we never fail to lay our dinning tables with sweats, bananas and milk rice on 'Aluth Avurudu' day. The other reason for 'not making sweetmeats at home' is the lack of knowledge of today's women to prepare them . Unlike our time, today, the young women tend to study and then become more career minded. So they rarely get a chance to learn the old Sri Lankan recipes from their grand-mothers. It's only when they get married and start their own life that they think of even learning the basics of cooking. Our cookery experts should also think about this seriously. We see TV programs of cookery demonstrations and boards on the roads advertising for cookery classes for Chinese, Indian and other western type of cooking. Have you ever heard of a cookery class that teach Sri Lankan sweetmeats such as 'Kevum', 'Kokis', 'Athirasa' and 'Aluwa'? If there's a class for Sri Lankan traditional cooking, I am sure, our daughters will happily join it and learn the traditional sweet recipes very enthusiastically. I also suggest that not merely daughters, but our sons should also learn and try out such recipes because I have noticed that there are so many young men who are keen in Chinese cooking. So why not try out our own thing?" suggests Prof.Karunaratne. Exchanging a plate of 'Kiribath' (milk rice) and sweets with neighbours on the 'Aluth Avurudu' day is also one of the customs which emphasises the will for living in harmony. Prof.Karunaratne suggests a new idea that should be added to this custom. "Without just sending a plate of food to our neighbours, why not send a book or some edifying reading material along with it? A lot of elders lament today's youngsters' poor interest in reading. So if we present at least a small photocopied leaflet that contains some important literature that would mean a lot," she said. Planting a tree at the auspicious time meant for 'Weda Allima' (starting work for the new year) is practised in the villages. Since the city people rarely get much space for this custom, I suggest that they can try out this by planting at least a grafted fruit plant, vegetable or a flower plant in a pot. Throughout the coming year this plant would bear fruits, and flowers that give a nice fragrance. 'Aluth Avurudu' means unity and harmony among people. And celebrators think that they should not continue with enmity they have experienced with the people around them in the previous year. This is because they believe that all that evil thoughts should get destroyed with the new fire they light at the auspicious time. Respect and friendship is meant by offering and exchanging a sheaf of betel. Also during the 'Avurudu' season our concentration is focused a lot on our own family members. But I suggest that we should think a little beyond that. There are people in this country who do not have anybody to take care of. Most of such souls (old, children and disabled) live in Homes or our own vicinity. Why not spare a penny for them from the money you allocate for 'Avurudu' celebration? If you think you don't have extra money to do so, why not cut down or give up liquor, cigarettes and crackers that you are piling up at home for New Year parties with your friends? Also you may know a moody neighbour who prefers to be idle from the rest of the world or an old crotchety relative who lives alone: also it can be a colleague who criticises in whatever you do, a disobedient subordinate who always made you mad or a family friend who laments over the recent death of his/her loved one. Reach to her/him with a smile and give them a pleasant surprise by throwing an invitation for a 'high tea' or a delicious meal at your place. A caring word and a kind act would add a bit of brightness to their gloomy lives. And by doing so you would meet with the real meaning of the 'Aluth Avurudu'.. Sinhala and Hindu New Year is a simple event that uplifts the souls of it's celebrants throughout the following year. One does not need lakhs for that. Everybody can have a happy and harmonious season by just cutting the dress according to the cloth. So if you spend wisely without getting attracted to all sorts of 'sales' you see on the street, the New Year will not be just another commercialised event, but a meaningful tradition that highlights the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka, concluded Prof. Karunaratne. |
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