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The way the Hindu-Tamils and the Sinhala-Buddhists speak about their New Year (The Puthuvarusam/Aluth Avurudtha) the impression is given that it is almost confined only to the respective groups.

It is seldom realised that this is really a regional festival, in that almost the entire South India celebrates this day as marking a new beginning. That tradition is found among the Telugues and the Malyalese. The Malyalese call this day, the 'Vishu'. It is therefore no wonder that Sri Lanka geographically quite close to the peninsular India located to its South East too, celebrates this day as the New Year.

It is the astronomical significance that makes this day the beginning of another year. In Indian astronomical terms, this is referred to as the Mesha Sankranthi, that is, it is on this day that the sun enters the 'House' of Mesha which is taken as the first of the planet houses. From Mesha to Meena there are twelve 'Houses' which the sun passes through every year. It is on this basis that the astrological calculations are done.

In this part of the world, the sun's movement is understood in this form. Therefore, in a way it would be inaccurate to call this a Hindu New Year. The Hindus of North India, that is those living to the North of the 'Vinthiyas', it is the 'Diwali' which is taken as the New Year.

It would therefore be proper to call this a traditional festival of the entire peninsular India, based on the solar shift. At this point it should be remembered that there are two ways of reckoning months and years. One is based on the movement of the Moon and the other one based on the movement of the Sun.

The lunar system must have been the more ancient one, because terms like 'Month' the English word, and 'Thingal' the Tamil word for month denotes this origin. Among the Sinhalese-Buddhists too, it is the full moon that is taken to identify the months.

The solar year is referred to as the 'Saura Varusha'. With the exposure to the Western colonial rule January 1st is being taken as the beginning of the year. But in terms of the traditional cultures of both the Tamils and the Sinhalese, it is the 'Mesha Sankranthi' that matters.

In the Tamil tradition the twelve months of the solar transit has twelve different names. There are actually Tamilicised forms of the Hindu astronomical calendar, Cittirai, Vaikasi, Aani, Aadi, Aavani, Purattasi, Aippasi, Karthiki, Margali, Tai, Maasi and Pankuni. There are Sanskrit parallels to each of these terms. However, terms like 'Tai' have been used even prior to Sanskritisation.

In the Hindu tradition these solar years are taken as part of a cycle of sixty years. According to the Hindu calendar, there is a cycle of sixty years and each year has a name. Thus, the coming year is 'Viya Vrusam' and the preceding year was 'Parthipa Varusam' the year next to the 'Viya Varusam' would be 'Sarvasittu Varusam'.

This cycle of sixty years has interesting implications for the human beings. When one reaches the age of sixty, he completes one cycle and gets on to a new one. This is taken as almost a new birth. This is why, the Hindus have a very strong tradition of celebrating their 61st birthday, it is referred to as the Sastiapta Poorthi. On the 61st year one really starts a new cycle of life.

But for us, it is the 'Ushering in' of the Mesha Sankranthi that is important.

The coming in of the New Year in terms of its timing becomes very crucial.

How is 'Ushering in 'of the New Year viewed among the Sinhalese and the Tamils? It is a well-known factor that among the Sinhalese, no activities take place until the time considered 'propitious' for starting 'life' once again. At the traditional level, it is no wonder that cooking is taken as constituting the basis of 'existentialist' life of a family.

It is the family hearth that generates activity, therefore understandably enough, the rekindling of the fire for making food becomes very crucial. It has got to be started only at the auspicious time.

Equally significant is the ritual cleansing of the body. In tropical situation oil is always used to keep the head cool and the hair grow. So, with the coming in of the New Year the ritual bath is undertaken with care and concern.

A particular time is fixed for it and the oil that is used is the medicated oil. (Unlike in the Western tradition, in our traditional cultures, it is what is referred to as the head-bath (Mulukku) that is taken as bathing proper.)

In spite of the similarities in ritual observances connected with the New Year there is a striking difference between the Sinhala and Tamil traditions relating to the recommencement of life's activities. In the Sinhala perspective, time stands still until the appropriate hour (time).

That is, nothing would take place during that span of time, the New Year is ushered in, and in fact, a few hours prior to that and subsequent to the ushering in is called the 'Vishu Punniya Kalam' and according to the Tamil belief all the important recommencement can be done during that span of time.

Thus, for this coming new year - Viya Varrusam the Vishu Punniya Kalam is from 12:31 midnight to 8:30 a.m. of April 14. According to the Vakaya tradition the New Year starts at 4:31 a.m. on April 14th. The Ganitha tradition has given a different timing.

The Vakya tradition is more popular in Jaffna.

Though the entire Vishu Punniya Kalam is considered alright for recommencement of life, one is expected to start doing things when once Pakshi (the ruling bird) is very good. Therefore, people normally opt to choose the time given in the Panchangam (The 'Litha') to start these activities.

Besides the recommencement of cooking, the most important activity is dealing with money. In Tamil it is called Kai Visesam. The person from whom we get the first Kai Visesam is very important.

He/she has to not only have a beneficial period in the next year, but should also be a person who is senior, and more importantly, one who wishes the recipient well. Perhaps the most important ritual observance is the visits, one is expected to make to see their elders and receive their blessings.

The tradition of falling at the feet of the elder is now becoming almost obsolete among the Tamils, but the Sinhalese are maintaining this very healthy tradition of respecting their elders. The New Year visit is a joyfull event to the small children because at every house they visit they are given a Santhosam of few rupees.

Thus, at the end of the New Year visits every child has a substantial amount in its hand. A visit to the temple on the New Year day is important but in the Tamil villages there is the tradition of Pongal boiling milk rice done in front of the house or in the 'courtyard'.

Pongal, of course, is associated mainly with the 'Thai Pongal'. But there has been a flourishing tradition of Pongal for the New Year too. Of course there are certain situations like a recent untimely event in the family which would prevent any 'Pongal' being done at home for about a year. As a matter of fact, the New Year will not be celebrated in such homes.

The New Year is associated with a fresh start of life. Thus wearing new clothes is considered as an important part of the celebrations. In the Tamil villages the houses are given a new look by plastering the mud walls. As for the 'stone-built' houses they are washed very well. It is really a fresh start.

One should glance through the Hindu-Tamil Panchangam to find out what the recommencement activities are? Ploughing in the New Year, inviting guests for dinner, recommencing gardening etc, are to be done on the appropriate days at appropriate hours. In typically peasant community these are very important. As for fishing the general tradition is to start fishing on the New Year day itself.

Recommencement of studies especially for students has to be started at the auspicious hours. In the Jaffna villages, generally speaking, the first meal on the New Year day will be the Pongal.

Extreme care is always taken to send portions of the Pongal to those who have not been able to do it. The lunch generally is a vegetarian one, but for dinner, in the typical villages extensive non-vegetarian dishes are prepared.

An interesting feature is the making of the 'Pittu' from 'Kurakkan' and other millets. With increasing 'Sanskritisation', this tradition of a non-vegetarian Padayal is now on the decrease. The general belief is that this non-vegetarian Padayal is offered to the sprits of the diseased.

The New Year celebrations last for almost a week. A comparative look at the New Year celebrations among the Sinhalese would show that this season is the time for the traditional games. This is a very flourishing tradition among the Sinhalese. Among the Tamils it is not done that extensively. It should be stated that with the highlighting of the Thai Pongal, the Puthu Varusam celebrations are generally speaking practised at a slightly lower key.

It may be correct to say that at least in Tamil Nadu tradition, community rejoicing has been taken over by the Thai Pongal. But it should be emphasised at the family level that the New Year celebrations are considered vital.

In Sri Lanka, in the North and East, the Puthu Varusam is a very important day and there is a community level participation too.

A major factor in the continuity of a sense of robustness in the New Year celebrations among the Sinhalese is perhaps because of the fact that it is not a Buddhist celebration per se.

Thus, a sense of gaiety and abandon marks the Sinhala New Year and the usual sobriety and calmness associated with the Buddhist religious festivals are not there in the New Year celebrations where the Raban, songs and a good drink (Adi) dominate.

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