Sun’s journey from Pisces to Aries

by Panchamee Hewavissenti

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The celebration of Sinhala and Hindu New Year in the month of April also known as the “Bak Masaya” is regarded as one of the main cultural celebrations among Sinhalese and Hindus. The day the sun completes one full round around the earth is called the “Parana Avurudda”. And the day it starts a new route is called the New Year.

Many terms are used in the Sinhala language for the New Year such as “Suriya Mangallaya”, Neketh Keliya and Bak Maha Senakeliya. The New Year begins with the transformation of the sun from Pisces to Aries. This day according to the Sinhala calendar is regarded as the beginning of another year of 365 days.

The message of the arrival of the New Year is first announced by the cuckoo with its euphonious voice which gives a feeling of eager anticipation of the dawn of the New Year. The cuckoo’s announcement is supported by the environment. The trees are bedecked with fruits and flowers, especially cashew (Kaju Puhulan) and Erabadu flowers seen only during the April festive season.

One or two weeks before the festival people start preparing traditional sweetmeats such as a variety of Kevums like Konda Kevum, Athiraha, Mun Kevum, Narang Kevum, Asmi, Kokis, Aluwa and Peni Walalu . During the festive season the sound of crackers, and the beating of drums are constantly heard which create an atmosphere of euphony.

In order to give the New Year a warm welcome people clean their houses and replenish old utilities with new ones and give their habitats a fresh appearance giving the New Year the full sense of its meaning.

When the auspicious Avurudu time arrives people refrain from engaging in any kind of work and the time is used to engage in religious observances. When the big bell of the temple (Gantara) or the sound of crackers are heard people become aware that the Nonagatha period has begun and throng to temples and attend `Pirith ceremonies’.

But the chanted `Pirith’ water or strands of thread would not be distributed among the devotees till the end of the oil anointing ceremony. It is believed that engaging in any type of work should be avoided during the Nonagathaya/Sankranthi Samaya.

With the termination of this period, the auspicious time for lighting the hearth begins. The fair sex starts lighting the hearth facing a particular direction and clad in a particular colour which is decided as auspicious by astrologers. They prepare a pot of milk rice and a special curry called `Hath Maluwa” prepared using seven vegetables.

When the auspicious time arrives to partake the traditional meal, people first offer a portion of what they cook to `Avurudu Kumaraya’ who is believed to bring prosperity to the home. (That special portion is placed on a plate made by a plantain leaf inside a special niche called `Mal Pela’.

The portion of food which is offered to `Avurudu Kumaraya’ should not be kept till it becomes stale. `Mal Pela’ is removed on the day of the oil anointing and should be cast in a place where it would not be trampled). Then they face the auspicious direction and partake the first traditional morsel of food.

Next arrives the auspicious time for transactions between two or more parties. According to the level of their riches the transactions take place. In ancient times, vesting deeds of property on children and siblings took place during this auspicious time for transactions.

When the auspicious time to engage in work arrives, in honour of the tradition many people stab a tree which produces a kind of milky liquid when pierced called `Kirigas’ such as Jak.

Some people dig soil with a mammoty and plant a tree. There is no hard and fast rule as to what type of work people should engage in. Apart from the traditional ways nowadays people might engage in whatever tasks they wish such as reading, writing, typing and so on.

After finishing the auspicious work, people start visiting their relatives, friends and neighbours with gifts and traditional sweetmeats they have prepared prior to the New Year.

This enhances the quality of sharing and strengthens the goodwill among them. The oil anointing ceremony is scheduled to be held at the latter part of the auspicious period. In the good old days the oil anointing ceremony was held chiefly at temples. Today, however people perform this mostly at home.

The next day is considered auspicious for leaving home for employment. With the termination of the auspicious period, life returns to normal till it is April again, next year.

The Hindu New Year culture and customs

Kandiah Neelakandan, General Secretary, All Ceylon Hindu Congress federation of Hindu Religious Associations and Trusts says....

“According to the Hindu calendar when the sun moves from Pisces to Aries a new year is born. Years are given 60 names in rotation. The new year that will dawn on April 13 2008 will be `Sarvthari’.

“The New Year will dawn on Sunday April 13, 2008 at 4.55 p.m. `Punniya’ period will be 12.55 p.m. to 8.55 p.m. Hindus are advised to apply the medicinal water (Maruththu Neer ) and to stand on Silk Cotton (`Ilavam’) leaf and keep the banyan tree leaves on their heads and then have the bath during the `Punya’ period. Clad in red or red mixed with a green border and then to engage in prayers.

“Hindus receive money (Kaivisesam ) from the head of the family during the auspicious time. On Monday 14th April 2008 auspicious times are between 3.00 p.m. to 4.10 p.m. and 6.20 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Then they visit elders and relations during the auspicious times. And this year the New Year dawns on Sunday 13th April which is an `Addami’ day and the Hindus will attend to good activities only after 3.00 p.m. on Monday April 14.

“As stated above one of the important rituals performed by Hindus on New Year day is by applying the medicinal water (Maruththu Neer) and having a bath.

“The medicinal water is made by boiling several herbs and other ingredients including the following in water:- Fragrant Screw pine (‘Thalam’ flower); Lotus flower; `Vishnu Kiranthi’; Bael (‘Vilvam’ );

Cynodon grass (‘Arugam’ grass);

Turmeric; Pepper; Dried ginger; Long Pepper; Vine (‘Thippali) Sponge gourd

The cow is considered to be sacred by Hindus. Its milk urine and bozoar (‘Korosanai’) are also added.

“After boiling these in the water for few hours the same is applied just before a bath. All these herbs and ingredients have medicinal values such as cleaning hair, removing odour cooling the body by penetrating into the skin and nerves. These have vitamin values as well.

Furthermore this medicinal water is stated to be good for improving eye sight, beautifying the body and serve as a medicine for headaches respiratory problems etc.

The late Dr. K. Velauthapillai, former Senior Visiting Lecturer of the Colombo North Medical College and the University of Jaffna (Medical Faculty) has written an article on `Hindu Oli’ (quarterly of All Ceylon Hindu Congress) explaining scientific benefits of the medicinal water.

Note: The auspicious times indicated are according to ‘Vakkia Panchangam’ (Vakkia Almanac) followed by most of the Hindus in Sri Lanka. Some follow Thirukkanitha Panchangam (Thirukkanitha Almanac) which differs slightly only in the timing.”

For the auspicious times of the Sinhala New Year